Less Alcohol - MARCH 2021

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  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,609 Member
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    How do these weekends go by so fast? 1.5 drinks Friday night, 2 Saturday and nothing last night. But I had 2 slices of pizza and a doughnut- calorie bombs all! Ever feel your insulin kicking in???? That’s me when I eat too many carbs, especially something in the doughnut family!
  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Up at 3am (yawn) to get Covid shot #2. Still AF-happy.

    I look at the calendar and remember I used to stop posting the last few days - or confess to 5 drinks a day-or sort of guesstimate the amount because I could not remember. LOL, bad me :)

    For some reason I thought I earned the right to overdrink the last few days as a reward for getting in AF days during the month. Self-sabotage it was. Makes no sense right....not going back to that mindset.

    Seems like we made some good progress in March overall :)

  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Cute hats @dawnbgethealthy ....looks like it was indeed a form of art especially back then....
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,554 Member
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    Last Monday of MARCH 2021. That was an incredibly FAST month. Such wonderful reads on here the last 4 weeks. And accountability was spectacular.

    We are looking for another host to start up the April thread. My first thought is perhaps @globalhiker , since you have been attending everyday and become an excellent role model would you like to take over introducing the Less Alcohol Thread?? Please let me know. I don't receive PM's so you will have to let me know on here. Thanks

    GREAT MONTH EVERYONE. Keep up the awesome accountability.

  • mainelylisa
    mainelylisa Posts: 375 Member
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    Hi everyone! I've been buried in work days nights weekend, but wanted to stop in and say what great progress and conversations here. I really hope for some balance soon! Cheers to all the Covid shots!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,578 Member
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    @MissMay
    Nice to see you. Hope that all is well in your world : - )
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,578 Member
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    Happy March!
    In like a lamb.

    I am continuing with my goals that I have mostly been following for a year:

    16-20 AF days per month
    Don't drink 2 days in a row
    Try to keep 2 AF days in between drinks days

    I choose the diary style so that I check in every day, keep myself accountable, and can see at a glance where I am at.



    Wednesday March 24 - AF - Always hard to be AF the day after drinks. Had to use some willpower.
    Day 3 of 6 days of ice skating today : - ) This will be the last of the season, so very grateful that the Kinnette Club stepped up and booked the ice for free public skating once a day.
    Thursday March 25 - AF - Had a really great skate today in between jobs. A drink would have been nice tonight, but I wanted to get my 2 AF days in. I will be having a few drinks with my friend to celebrate her birthday this weekend. I definitely am aiming for the 20AF days for the month.
    Friday March 26 - AF - Because I plan on having drinks over the weekend.
    Saturday March 27 - Drinks, 3 over the course of 6 hours, so no puking lol.
    Sunday March 28 - Drinks. I have officially broken 2 of my rules for myself this month - haven't had drinks 2 days in a row in a long time. All good though. Had a drink, then pizza and a beer with my friend on her birthday, then cake and a liqueur. Our plan was to go for a nice hike today on her birthday and then have pizza. It was gusting and raining here today, so no hike. I took a non-alcohol bottle of wine to her place (she is a wine drinker) because I can no longer tolerate wine. I tried two sips and it was very terrible. I was like "um, do you have a cracker please?" I really needed to get the taste out of my mouth. She drinks white, but offered to open a bottle of red for me - I couldn't because I have lost my tolerance for wine, even a few sips makes me very sick. I had a bailey's, then a beer with the pizza, then a cointreau after with cake.
    Monday March 29 AF - No brainer, busy early day tomorrow. I will find a way to take off to go ice skating, Thursday is the last day of it until October. Priorities : - )

    Rolling total: 19AF days out of 29 days.
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,578 Member
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    @globalhiker
    Fantastic that you got your 2nd shot! Did you have to drive very far to get it? Any after effects this time?
    2-3 weeks from now and you are completely protected : - )

  • lmlmrn
    lmlmrn Posts: 786 Member
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    dawnbgethealthy wrote: »
    lmlmrn wrote: »
    hello to all

    Most of you know I have had this awful virus/nasal crap that has lasted now for over 30 days. I have tried most everything. Right now I am finding mild success with some generic 24 hour allergy tabs and cool mist humidifier in what ever room I am camped in. Yesterday I developed a cold sore (more of the virus) on the outer corner of my mouth. I am almost ready to pay to see my Dr. again (no insurance). I know there is nothing they can give you for a virus but still.....my nose is so raw, it bleeds.

    Oh dear. I had that for a few weeks, took a bunch of stuff until a friend told me to put vaseline all around up my nose with a q-tip. It really did work. I am still doing it morning and night.

    I really feel like my sinus pain, raw nose, and skin issues are from having to wear a mask all of the time for work.
    I have no idea why the vaseline works. I haven't put it up there since early this morning and my nose is beginning to burn again, so I will apply some.

    How much does it cost to go to the doctor btw?
    I am not trying to be facetious, but is it the only country in the world where you have to pay to get medical care?

    This is a lot of TMI so feel free to skip since I whine too.

    I have put vaseline under and around my nose. I am finding that aloe vera on a qtip inside my nose seems to feel better, it is also working on my cold sore at the corner of my mouth. I am using chap stick for the cold sore under my upper lip. And yes the cost to someone like me with no insurance (can't afford the premiums and I have not for a long time in the past and present had an employer who offered to co-pay for insurance). Currently premiums for someone my age 60+ for basic 2 office visits a year. Monthly in my state (what is offered) the cheapest is $984 per month and my spouse who is 65+ is about $100-150 higher. Now that combined with the deductible which is typically $6,000-7,000 out of pocket before insurance kicks in above the two visits.

    We did the whole 'obama care' when it rolled out, and we even had a discount applied lowering our premium because the state said we did not have much money (so true). Then the state decided the discount was given in error (plus we were canx twice during the year due to state not forwarding our money to the ins company) and had to pay back over $10,000. This was in 2015ish???? the following year we paid our premium directly to the ins company so the total we paid out of pocket was close to $18,000 the following year(monthly premiums + recommended care etc). After that we decided no be insured and put aside money for health care and use it when needed. WE have never come close to spending that amount of money in one year, ever....even with an ER visit and out patient surgery.

    Ok costs in my area for just a general practitioner with no insurance (they say they are giving you a discount for cash pay) runs $95 to $120. Specialists say dermatologist, rheumatologist etc will run out of pocket $175-$250 per 10 min visit, before any lab work, xrays etc.
  • lmlmrn
    lmlmrn Posts: 786 Member
    edited March 2021
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    Ok have been AF 2 days in a row so this will be my rolling 20 out of 29. So if I keep this up until the 31st it will be 22 out of 31 days AF. That is one more than last month. I'll take it. <3

    Oh friend who was to drop by, you know the beer buddy, had to canx ....gee shucks and darn. Now I can relax....until next week when she wants to reschedule sometime....I may not be available. just sayin

    Oh yeah we are going to make our 'mock' bloody mary's tonight. I bought some V8 and the Clamato to try. We also have some celery bitters going to see how that goes and I have fresh horseradish to add for a kick. I will keep you updated
  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Still AF. Pfizer shot #2 was fine, just my upper arm's pain upon reaching up for things was way more intense than the first time but I was able to function. Husband was fine to go into the office but last night he got a high fever and tossed constantly, keeping me awake.

    @dawnbgethealthy my eyes are glued to the news, waiting for the border to open...I have travel withdrawal syndrome at this point.

    @StephieHockeyGirl welcome! who is your favorite Hockey team or do you play hockey yourself? Dawn here owns a hockey stick :)

    @lmlmrn forgive me, I forget where you live now. Was it Phoenix East Valley? When I was without insurance for a brief period I went to some places that were supercheap (like $10 for a blood draw and report) and designed for people without insurance. Let me know, if they still exist I can send you the info. In general being a cash patient negotiating a rate is possible. When I was without dental all last year, and of course ran into a crown emergency, I basically told my dentist I was recently laid off and he was awesome enough to give me free services.
  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Womona wrote: »
    How do these weekends go by so fast? 1.5 drinks Friday night, 2 Saturday and nothing last night. But I had 2 slices of pizza and a doughnut- calorie bombs all! Ever feel your insulin kicking in???? That’s me when I eat too many carbs, especially something in the doughnut family!

    But it was really good, right? Sounds like my diet from the age of 10 thru 30....:)

    BTW I found a really tasty product, Yasso frozen greek icecream on a stick, mint chocolate chip. Tastes like ice cream. No horrible chemicals. Nutrient profile not bad, 100 calories. This will be my once-in-awhile indulgence when I need it. At least for now :)
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,578 Member
    edited March 2021
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    @lmlmrn
    Thanks for the info on the health costs.
    I have many friends in the States, my bestie lives an hour from me in Idaho, but I had never thought to ask the question about what it costs.
    Wowza, very expensive. Cheaper to either just not get sick, or to pay as you go.
    You are in Washington! We are practically neighbours : - )
    Hope that your Virgin Mary drinks turned out to be a fun thing to do, and delicious?
    Aloe up the nose sounds like a great idea. Best of luck with all of that.

    @StephieHockeyGirl
    Yes, what is your favourite hockey team?
    I flew to Dallas to see a couple of games a few months before the pandemic hit, I have been on a bunch of trips to NHL cities. I especially love it if they have public ice skating available.
    @globalhiker is right, I do have a hockey stick :smiley:

    @vvlucky
    I like your profile pic. Where is that?

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