Michigan Mountaineers Support Group

“I guess we've all got our things. I set up a home gym over the holidays and I've been trying to do at least 30 minutes of something every day. I've been pretty good. But, tonight it was tough sledding. But, geez, it feels great afterwards.

If I want to be as good as I can be for the people in my life, I need to drop some pounds.

So, keep at it guys. And I'll keep rowing and biking and stepping and sliding off the treadmill:)”

“Go mike go! =)”

“lmao at Saaa, Mornin. Yo bear!”

“rl - we gotta get back on schedule w/ our dayhikes... whaddya say???”

“I'm up for that Tara!

Mike, I've been trying to get myself back to the gym also. I've got a closet full of clothes that don't fit anymore. :( Good for you, and keep it up! We'll need to encourage each other.

And good for the rest of the MMers - even Birch. Put 'em away again, dude. You've made it through tougher stuff in your life already.”

“Feb 8. We'll hike. I don't care where. Let's just get back on track. I sure could do more walking.”

“I still have our 2nd Sat. hikes on my Outlook calendar.”

“Does this "Butt Out" include smoking of ANY kind?”

“I don't know why I posted that, I'm sure you all don't care. :)

WS, LOL! I think you're still safe!”

“Not me Baby!”

“Okay. Feb. 8th it is. We'll work on a location at the cabin. Gotta get out of here and pack.”

“Day 12 :-)

I was told that Day 12 was the easiest day (lol) and that it would only get better from here.

Gotta tell ya, this weekend was tough. Yesterday was the toughest day yet. Feeling great today, tho.

:-)”

“Hang in there, Tarabull. I tend to jump around a bunch when going thru these threads and forget some that I should pay more attention to. So, despite the fact it may appear we've all forgotten what you and others are going through, that's not the case at all.

Fight the good fight everyone!”

“Way Ta Go, Folks!

I know it can be tough, but HANG IN THERE!!”

“The cure for tongue cancer is normally cut the cancer out and radiation. My tumour was 4 1/2cm..like 1 3/4" and deep..I came close to losing my tongue, larnyx and voice along with the ability to eat or breathe without tubes. No one who knows me can imagine me not talking (grin). And backpacking would be a #&%!$. Mayo told me the primary cause was smoking and alcohol which I had done before with great abandon from my late teens. I had quit smoking 5 years before the cancer was found. The fact that I was in good health, except for the cancer, (thanks to spending all my free time outside) is what made me a good study subject. The study included massive doses of chemo from tubes pushed through the groin, like an angiogram, up to my throat. I was radioactive, live, for 24 hours, 3 times. I underwent 6 weeks of radiation. The last 2 weeks I got it twice a day. I had 3rd degree burns on the outside and inside of my throat. By the way, 3 days after I found out I had cancer I went to Glacier for 2 weeks of hiking and camping so I'd have some positive images during treatment. I lost 60 pounds from chemo and radiation. I no longer have any saliva glands and eating is no longer as much fun..eating bread or any starch is really hard..finding bping food is a challenge but I'm up to it..
So, for all of you now trying to quit smoking..good luck and keep it up..I did find it interesting that alcohol contributed to my form of cancer..the times I was tempted to light up was when I was drinking after I quit smoking..by the way, so far, so good..but, that study no longer exists..if you get tongue cancer, they cut it out of you...smoking isn't worth it..trust me....”

“mataharihiker - I'm truly glad you're around to share that with us. Thanks

Quitting has become very important for me. Not only will the break to my lungs allow me be a better hiker... but, it'll also help me to live a healthier life and, hopefully, a longer life.”

“Tara should be commended, I was smoking this weekend, and she could have easily asked for a smoke, but totally held out. Nice job TB!”

“Tarabull did great this weekend! It was tough at times, and she did a fine job. This is not an easy thing to do.

thanks for sharing that, mataharihiker. you are very right, it's not worth it. My problem was the drinking and smoking. I always would smoke A LOT more if I was drinking beer. I think I might have this beat, though. We'll see. It's not been that long yet.

The thing that really sucks about this is that I have hidden this (smoking) from my wife ever since we have been together and I can't share my feelings of success with her. But I now can really say to her, truly, I don't smoke. I am going to try and convince some of my family members and friends to quit. Having people help out really makes it easier and maybe they will try it.....”

“Hey guys! I had a great time this weekend.

One thing, though. I was watching Joy on Friday night as she thought about having a cigarette. Just that tortured look said it all. It must be damned hard to give this stuff up. And even the people who've had problems are trying hard.

Anyway, it makes me feel really good that our little crew is such a positive force.”

“I think I am going to have another cigar.

Ahhhhhh thats nice!

8)

J/K People!”

“Great job to those of you sticking it out..... and to the others, get back on the program. It's a new week!”

“You're not kiddin' RL!

uh... Q? How in the World did you hide it from her? I mean... the smell, among many other signs. Are you sure she doesn't already know?”

“GOOD JOB, Tarabull! You can do it!

You guys CAN take control of your life! Don't let this beat you!”

“Tilt - When hiding smoking from one's wife, it pays off if she has real bad allergys and can't smell half the time. Also, having friends who smoke (and you only smoke when around them) helps with the question "why do you smell like smoke?" Honestly - I think she really did know any way, we talked about it once (and I feel REAL bad about that conversation!). Her dad is a "closet smoker" and it gets to be funny at times what he does, so maybe she was doing the same thing with me. Either way, it doesn't matter now!”

“Q interesting! Keep up the good work. U2 tara.
I have noticed weight gain that I can not seem to get under control. 15 stubborn lbs. My "DOC" says that they are healthy pounds and will settle down.
Caffine is my next vice to be rid of. BUTT what then will git my metabolism jumped started! I excersise. well walk every day and I am stuck at... runs to the scale....205, ah poop!”

“"I'll never quit smoking because if I get as fat as you are your Dad will leave me"..you do gain weight because food tastes good and you're used to always putting something in your mouth..lol.. I never lost the weight I put on when I quit smoking..having clean smelling clothes and hair made up for it..it doesn't help that many of us quit in our 40's when the metabolism is changing anyway..live with it..deal with it..get over it..”

“YEA! LOL”

“Today, I hacked up a nice black chunk from my lungs. I was wondering when they were going to start clearing out. YUUUUMMMMYYYYY!

Still going, no cravings, #&%!$ cigs! they suck!”

“to get all the crap out of my lungs..”

“whoa! you actually cough black crap up? yuck!”

“y9ou can smoke that black crap ya know”

“Troll420, yea I know who U are! Chicken.”

“troll 420 - yea I know you can. saved it fer ya, email (email on profile) me yer address and I'll send it to ya ASAP! Should be some sweet stuff!

SG - Now do you know what you've been missing out on?

Gotta go, feel another coming on.....”

“YUK!

Somehow I avoided the pleasure of coughing up chunks, LOL!


I like that..."healthy pounds"...”

“wow, Q, I guess I should be happy for you! congrats on hacking up black chunks! i'm so proud! :)”

“......man, what a day! Stressfull as hell and made it out with no cravings. I'm going be calling my good friend tomorrow and telling him he's going on a day hike with me soon and that he's GOT to quit. He's the type that needs to or he's not going to be around inten years, which would really suck!”

“This is a Great trend, folks.”

“BTW, coughing up pieces of lung is not a good sign.

Tomorrow, I get to see lung cancer up close and personal. #&%!$.”

“Path - It's not lung, it's chunks of black crap, me thinks maybe tar? The old lungs are a starting to clear out! Had some mo this morning. I had more breathing room when I hacked this moring too! I can't wait till it's another couple of months and I'm on the trail. I'm looking to give both birch and walkindude a run fer there money on the trail!”

“Dude Q. You run your condition by a doc? I've never heard of anyone coughing up chunks.Scares me.”

“I coughed up chunks before. When I quit after eleven years, for the very first time. Usually they were greenish gray.

Dat two, again, for me.”

“You go girl!”

“don't worry, it's normal :) Everytime I'd get a cold or something before, it would happen. It's just the process of lung clearing!”

“GOOD FOR YOU, SASS! KEEP GOING!!!!”

“GOOD FOR YOU, SASS! KEEP GOING!!!!”

“GOOD FOR YOU, SASS! KEEP GOING!!!!”

“You can't keep a good woman down.”

“Day 16

WOOOOO HOOOOOO!”

“Good going!! How's everyone else doin'??”

“I'm good, thanks.





Oh, you didn't mean me. :)

Way to go guys, keep it up!”