richardjm65

You might try googling 'quitting smoking timeline' - there's plenty of info there on recovery time. From your last post #22 though, you come across as actually wanting to go back to doing something that you enjoy. So do that! Go back to it if that's what you really want. It's entirely your own decision, it's your body, do with it whatever you wish. Seems to me that the 'clean slate' you're interested in would be between 10 - 15 years to recover your non-smoker status. That seems to be the norm to reduce your health risks to those of a non-smoker.

Smoke if you wish - no-one on TV will really mind that much - nobody is going to spank your botty.

I do know guys who have managed to reduce their tobacco usage by using e-cigs, but don't know anyone exclusively on e-cigs.

Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did. Some years ago I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and was advised that it was almost certainly a result of my tobacco habit. Some years later, after I'd quit as a result of that, I was diagnosed with COPD, a condition which is incurable but, fortunately, treatable. Now I find myself avoiding the smokers, or if this is not possible, trying to arrange to be up-wind of them.

My biggest problem is that smokers effluent really offends me, but I have nothing with which to retaliate - other than removing myself from their company.

I don't know how to relate to those that were formerly my friends but who either don't know, or don't care, about the damage they cause to themselves, or, more importantly, those around them.

Damn the tobacco companies - damn their products - damn their profiteering.

Good to know you're recovering well, David. Do correct me if I've got it wrong, but I seem to recall that that was not your first run in with DVT? In my own case, I'm just coming to the end of a year of treatment with what I hope will be a final blood check and consultation next week. I too had to use a support stocking, but mine was a foot to thigh job, presumably because there was an additional clotting problem close to the groin.

After the initial hospital stay I went on injections of Heparin in the stomach, administered quite painlessly by my wife at home. My understanding is that Heparin (and apparently Clexane), act more or less immediately whilst the change to Warfarin (in tablet form) requires several days and blood checks to get the dosage just so.

What I've not seen mentioned is that Heparin, Clexane or Warfarin are not, of themselves, a cure for the clots. They are to prevent further clots forming whilst, if I've understood correctly, the body's own defences are detailed off to take care of the clot(s) in its own good time and manner. The reason that treatment goes on for so long is that, long after the soreness, swelling and heat of DVT has passed, the clots themselves may remain and are particularly dangerous if they, or a part of them, breaks off and charges through the blood system to the lungs, where a pulmonary embolism occurs. If this happens, and you're a bit unlucky, the PE can kill you. This, of course, is to be avoided.

Given that many of us are either frequent fliers, sedentary by habit or under-hydrated, it's a good thing you brought this matter up. Continue recovery and keep well hydrated.

I'm experiencing a tingling sensation, specifically on the left side of my head, around the ear, jaw, neck and scalp just above my ear. It comes and goes, but is becoming persistant. There's no pain. What might this be due to, and what should I do about it?

This reminds me of a man I knew down in Korat a few years ago. He had gotten in a bad accident and his wife and her kids did not take proper care of him. They hid his passport, took all his pension money every month and refused to sent him to physiotherapy which he needed otherwise he would not be able to walk again. I went to see him and I insisted that they would allow me to see him and it was heartbreaking what I discovered.

I contacted his embassy and within 2 month he was back home with as his embassy got involved as well as some local authorities. He was able to go to a care facility where he got proper treatment. I heard that he recently returned to Thailand after being fully recovered. (And no, not back to his wife and her "lovely" kids)

He was fortunate to originate from a country where overseas embassies pay attention to their citizens. This is quite unusual. May we assume that there were people in his home country that were able, (or prepared), to assure the embassy that whatever bills accrued would be paid.

Most just die.

It's a sad story - but not unusual. Many unwanted dogs finish up swapped for a plastic bucket or poisoned. Clearly, your compassion for this animal cut no ice with the locals. But what the hell - they're all good Buddhists.

May I suggest that you move this to the health forum? It's just possible that someone may know a cheaper source of the meds you need. Also possible that they could be sent to you by mail.

Good luck.

Yesterday I did my 90 day report at Kapchoeng and on the way there and back happened to notice an abundance of red shirts hanging outside of the houses of the villages I passed through. Political statement or more superstition? It turned out to be the latter. There's this Phi Mae Mai, apparently, who, having died a widow, (quite a lot of women do, I suppose), seeks revenge by killing men in their sleep. The 'seer' (or con artist) decreed that the ghost does not much like red, so red shirts hung outside the home deter this evil bitch ghost.

I did think that it might be that the 'seer' had a connection with a shirt factory that had done an over-run on red T-shirts. But then, I'm a cynical sort of guy.

I also suggested to my dear one, when I got home, that it might be wise to follow the trend - just for the sake of safety, you understand. 'No need', she said, "Phi Mae Mai only want young and handsome'. I was quite relieved to find that I was not in the high risk group.

Afterwards, I thought again about what she'd said.....

This sad situation almost mirrors a topic I started on 8th January in General Topics, concerning a sick Brit. Although there was much response and sympathy, no real solution emerged. As it happens, we attended his funeral two weeks ago. As one poster in that thread pointed out, these occurrencies will increase as the expat population grows and ages. Many guys do not anticipate the possibilities of accidents or age-related problems, are unable to fall back on insurance and continue to live on here in denial of the inevitable and with insufficient funds to handle such emergencies, have to rely on the generosity of friends or acquaintances to help them through. And there's surely a limit to how much most of us can do to help. Or how frequently.

Also, over the years, I've seen guys that died without making any provision for their partner. If the partnership has lasted some few years, it must be very distressing to see your partner's assets taken (perhaps), by a wife and the children from a previous marriage, who find themselves unable to consider the needs of the remaining Thai family.

It would be great to imagine that one's personal generosity to a friend or acquaintance might be repaid - but is that really likely to be the case? And if you cannot comfortably afford it, is it reasonable to take the risk?

Probably time to contact 'Health and Safety' and maybe one of those lawyers who specialise in personal injury claims. Clearly, the bathroom was unsafe - unfit for the purpose, I'd say.

We really should pay more attention to issues of personal safety in this country.

It's a disgrace! What must the rest of the world be thinking about us now.......

Nana Plaza, long ago, Saturday afternoon, one bottle-fatigued foreigner takes the escalator. One of the hand rails was not working, and that was the one he'd hung on to. It only took a few seconds before his feet, (on the escalator), overtook his hands, (on the non-moving hand rail), and so his feet passed his centre of gravity and he fell onto his back - proceeding to the top of the escalator feet first, on his back to the howls of mirth from the early shift girls at the top.

We saw him, later, with the tram lines of dirt on the back of his shirt which occurred as he reached the top, on his back, whilst the moving escalator continued its motion.

Reminded me of a tortoise on its back.........

Think about it.

For those that might be interested, we had a call from his partner this morning. She advised that John died last evening, (Sunday 3rd March). His condition had deteriorated, (despite hospital attention), and he became unable to breathe. He died at home.

She was unable to give any further details.

I guess this solves the visa overstay problem.

Anyone know where I can find 250ml bottles of Gold Coin Grass? I believe it's also known as 'Jin Qian Cao' or 'Chin-chien Tsao', (depending on dialect, I suppose).

This is traditional Chinese medicine used for flushing the gallbladder and liver.

I'd also be interested in finding Chinese bitters.

A check of your urine will establish the presence (or not), of blood. If that proves to be the case, I'd next suggest an appointment with a urologist who will order further diagnostic procedures and recommend suitable treatment.

You say your urine colour has been dark for some time - is there a possibility that you are simply under-hydrated? Try increasing your water intake substantially and see what happens.

It could be something quite simple and inexpensive to treat. It could also be a symptom of something more sinister.

So, urine test ASAP, I'd suggest.

Yes, why give them an excuse. I made the mistake of moving my bank account from one bank to another during the 3 month pre-reapplication period. Elapsed time between closing one bank account and opening another at the new bank was maybe 15 minutes. After lots of grief from a pissed off officer, (and the intervention of another officer who has known me for many years), it was finally allowed.

Don't give them any reasons for questioning your banking arrangements. Maybe it will be OK since you state your funds are with the same bank. TIT, though. If they feel like it, they can give you problems. I'd make sure by getting the bank letter to cover all your accounts and make sure the balances of all accounts are also photocopied.

If you are able to do so, visa extension by reason of retirement makes good sense. True, you have to have the 800k, or be able to prove income equivalent to that amount (usually to be verified by your embassy), or a combination of both, and the 800k does have to be in your Thai bank account for the 3 months prior to applying for visa extension. The marriage route is more complicated and requires a certain Thai participation, photos, police visit and whatever else they decide you should need. Plus, it takes time for the marriage extension to be sent away to Bangkok, approved, (or not), and then returned to your immigration office which, of course, requires that you make a second visit.

If you're able to muster the 800k for a retirement extension, (forgetting the proof of pension thing), that must be in your Thai bank account for 3 months prior to extension application, and you can do all of the procedure by yourself. The benefits of the retirement route may also extend to the necessity to transfer funds into your Thai account only once a year to top up to 800k for your next extension unless you're spending more in 9 months than 800k. For me, that once a year transfer is far cheaper than having to continually draw funds from overseas. Also, if your money is in a Thai bank savings account, at least you get some (modest) interest on the balance whereas I do not receive interest on the amount in my Jersey bank current account. And that more than covers the cost of my once a year transfer.

If you have the means, then I reckon the retirement route is the easiest to deal with.

Text from an Irish home economics textbook from the 1960's. This is how to keep an Irishman happy

http://www.democrati...ess=105x1746098

TO BE A PROPER WIFE----

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a

delicious meal ready on time for his return from work. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed

when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of

the house just before your husband arrives. Gather up school books, toys, papers etc. and then run a dustcloth over the tables. During the colder months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. Listen to him. You may have a dozen

important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first, remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax. Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems. Don't complain if he's

late home for dinner, or even stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or

have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange the pillow and offer to take off his shoes.

Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice. Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness.

Once he has had a chance to have his evening meal clear the dishes and wash up promptly. If your husband should offer to help decline his offer as he may feel obliged to repeat this offer and after a long working day he does not need the extra work.

Encourage your husband to pursue his hobbies and interests and be

supportive without seeming to encroach. If you have any little hobbies yourself try not to bore him speaking of these, as women's interests are often rather trivial compared to men's.

At the end of the evening tidy the home ready for the morning and again think ahead to his breakfast needs. Your husband's breakfast is vital if he is to face the outside world in a positive fashion.

Once you have both retired to the bedroom prepare yourself for bed as

promptly as possible. Whilst feminine hygiene is of the utmost

importance your tired husband does not want to queue for the bathroom as he would have to do for his train. But remember to look your best when going to bed.

Try to achieve a look that is welcoming without being obvious.

If you need to apply face-cream or hair-rollers wait until he is asleep as this can be shocking to a man last thing at night.

When it comes to the possibility of intimate relations with your

husband it is important to remember your marriage vows and in particular your commitment to obey him. If he feels that he needs to sleep immediately then so be it. In all things be lead by your husband's wishes, do not pressure him in any way to stimulate intimacy. Should your husband suggest congress then accede humbly all the while being mindful that a man's satisfaction is more important than a woman's. When he reaches his moment of fulfillment a small moan from yourself is encouraging to him and quite

sufficient to indicate any enjoyment that you may have had. Should

your husband suggest any of the more unusual practices, be obedient and uncomplaining but register any reluctance by remaining silent.

It is likely that your husband will then fall promptly asleep so adjust your clothing, freshen up and apply your night time face and hair care products. You may then set the alarm so that you can arise shortly before him in the morning. This will enable you to have his morning cup of tea >ready when he awakes.

In my opinion, these instructions cannot be bettered and with a couple of minor alterations should be translated into Thai, Lao, and Cambodian by one of the better male translators, and must then be adopted by our Great Country's educators to become part of the girl's (and perhaps trainee lady boys and homosexuals) educational curriculum. It would make the trials and tribulations of being a man, just that little bit easier to bear. For those youngsters who missed out on an education, pamphlets should be made available to service staff at all bars and also at factories and maid recruitment offices.

When I think of how many poor souls have to come home after a hard day of fishing, (hunting), or the occasional game of golf, (gathering), to find that there's no beer on ice, the barbecue isn't even lit and the meat not even trimmed and seasoned nor the vegetables prepared, it makes me sick - it's nothing short of a national disgrace!

If this country is serious about attracting and keeping valuable foreigners, it would be wise for the powers that be to wake up, smell the coffee and roses and make it a more attractive place for us to visit.

Watutsi recommended R J Ellory books as a good read. I agree, having just completed 'Saints of New York', which was about your dysfunctional NY cop with family and alcohol problems but who wins the day, (against the perps, at least). But not against his personal demons, I think.

I followed that with 'Rain Gods' by James Lee Burke - another writer that I hold in high esteem. This one was centered around Hackberry Holland, sheriff of a small South Texas town, and his dealings with the ungodly. I did get the slightly uneasy feeling that I'd read something with a similar theme, possibly by Tony Hillerman. I suppose with the limited number of themes available there's bound to be areas of crossover, but it can be weird sometimes - like an echo.

Now I'm about a third through Bernard Cornwell's '1356', which, set during the hundred years war, is about the quest to find the lost sword of St. Peter, a holy relic believed to imbue the wielder with incredible powers and the certainty of victory in battle. Bernard Cornwell is good at this sort of historical stuff because he's able to bring it to life. And who's to say whether what he writes is fact or imagination. A bit of both, I suppose. It does also point the finger at religion, the power and corruption of it at those times, all the way through the priesthood and up to the pope himself and all his manipulative, greedy and power hungry hangers on and cardinals. Not much appears to have changed there then!

Such savagery! Once again, an indication that there are some mental cripples who have no understanding of the relationship between their actions and the consequences of those actions.

Sad, very sad, for the dog and the vermin perps.

I do recall my first days in Bangkok, back in the early '70's, before the era of cheap flights and sex tourism to Thailand. Patpong was just about the only place to go. You'd not find many tourists then - mostly, (apart from a few backpackers), everyone seemed to have a reason for being here. Vietnam was winding down, but there were plenty of US military and ex-military, spooks, 'construction and demolition' civilians, mercenaries, oil and gas workers, chopper jockeys, Air America pilots and so on. I remember being surprised by the lack of violence, given the multi-national mix of folk and professions, and asking an old hand, (probably in the Grand Prix, Butterfly, Flying Machine or Madrid), why this might be.

He maintained that it had to do with the fact that a) the booze was cheap, there were more than enough girls to go round and c) if someone bar-fined the girl you'd fancied, why, there were heaps more available so, what's to fight about?

That's changed rather, with the import of folk bringing their unsavoury jealousies and violent dispositions here. Becoming a tourist paradise is not always a step forward, in my opinion.

Agree with you about Patpong. Tony Po, Pat Landry, Jack Shirley et al were great fun, usually at Madrid. Those days are missed but some of the old guys are still around. We talk often and get together when I go down to Pattaya. Many of them moved there for the golf, as did I originally.

Talking about tough guys, I am reminded about a guy named Jimmy the Belgian. Ex- Foreign Legion, mercenary and advisor to the Thai army (true). A few years ago he opened a bar on Soi Post Office and called it The Legionaire. Jimmy was not one to be taken lightly, yet as the story goes, one night a young British hooligan came in looking for a fight. Jimmy asked the guy to leave and the guy asked Jimmy what he would do if he, the hooligan, wouldn't leave. Jimmy told him he would break his leg and throw him out on the street. The hooligan didn't....and Jimmy did.

I ran the Grand Prix for Rick when he went on vacation in the early 80's. Had a great time and free booze. Not one bit of trouble back then.

Things have changed

I do recall my first days in Bangkok, back in the early '70's, before the era of cheap flights and sex tourism to Thailand. Patpong was just about the only place to go. You'd not find many tourists then - mostly, (apart from a few backpackers), everyone seemed to have a reason for being here. Vietnam was winding down, but there were plenty of US military and ex-military, spooks, 'construction and demolition' civilians, mercenaries, oil and gas workers, chopper jockeys, Air America pilots and so on. I remember being surprised by the lack of violence, given the multi-national mix of folk and professions, and asking an old hand, (probably in the Grand Prix, Butterfly, Flying Machine or Madrid), why this might be.

He maintained that it had to do with the fact that a) the booze was cheap, there were more than enough girls to go round and c) if someone bar-fined the girl you'd fancied, why, there were heaps more available so, what's to fight about?

That's changed rather, with the import of folk bringing their unsavoury jealousies and violent dispositions here. Becoming a tourist paradise is not always a step forward, in my opinion.

Agree with you about Patpong. Tony Po, Pat Landry, Jack Shirley et al were great fun, usually at Madrid. Those days are missed but some of the old guys are still around. We talk often and get together when I go down to Pattaya. Many of them moved there for the golf, as did I originally.

Talking about tough guys, I am reminded about a guy named Jimmy the Belgian. Ex- Foreign Legion, mercenary and advisor to the Thai army (true). A few years ago he opened a bar on Soi Post Office and called it The Legionaire. Jimmy was not one to be taken lightly, yet as the story goes, one night a young British hooligan came in looking for a fight. Jimmy asked the guy to leave and the guy asked Jimmy what he would do if he, the hooligan, wouldn't leave. Jimmy told him he would break his leg and throw him out on the street. The hooligan didn't....and Jimmy did.

I ran the Grand Prix for Rick when he went on vacation in the early 80's. Had a great time and free booze. Not one bit of trouble back then.

Things have changed

If I've got the right guy, the Belgian was a fixture in NEP, Cowboy and Patpong - he had an abrasive manner, usually had a younger Thai male in tow, and had a voice like gravel being thrown on a corrugated tin roof. Other than his loudness, I never saw him actually pick a fight, though he would go on angrily and at length about the people he hated - Germans particularly, but anyone else who could not claim to originate from Belgium. We avoided him like the plague and I wondered whatever became of him.

Then there was Tiger, holding out at Lucy's Tiger Den - remember him? I last saw him in Manila in his bar (Yellow Brick Road) and understand he lost his legs due to diabetes and died in the late '80's. Jack Shirley, who liked his corner stool in the Madrid, was the guy who insisted that teaching English to BG's was a simple matter of teaching them to say, "Good idea" to any suggestion that a punter might make.

No night market in Patpong in those days either.....

I do recall my first days in Bangkok, back in the early '70's, before the era of cheap flights and sex tourism to Thailand. Patpong was just about the only place to go. You'd not find many tourists then - mostly, (apart from a few backpackers), everyone seemed to have a reason for being here. Vietnam was winding down, but there were plenty of US military and ex-military, spooks, 'construction and demolition' civilians, mercenaries, oil and gas workers, chopper jockeys, Air America pilots and so on. I remember being surprised by the lack of violence, given the multi-national mix of folk and professions, and asking an old hand, (probably in the Grand Prix, Butterfly, Flying Machine or Madrid), why this might be.

He maintained that it had to do with the fact that a) the booze was cheap, there were more than enough girls to go round and c) if someone bar-fined the girl you'd fancied, why, there were heaps more available so, what's to fight about?

That's changed rather, with the import of folk bringing their unsavoury jealousies and violent dispositions here. Becoming a tourist paradise is not always a step forward, in my opinion.

daleph - you might get a better response if you were able to indicate what kind of help you need, then anyone who feels able to assist would, I'm sure, get in touch.

Almost none of the shops who sell fish oil seem to keep it cold? Don't any of you wonder or worry about that?

Rancid fish oil is quite detrimental to your health, and it is fairly common with bottles of rancid fish oil on the shelves (based on a large Norwegian study). Transport and storage through the tropics would seem to me to be a bad idea.

That's interesting - but you refer to 'bottles of rancid fish oil', and I wonder if that would similarly apply to fish oil, factory packed, in capsule form, further packed in an airtight container. I do note that the period from date of manufacture to the 'expiry date' on the stuff I use is two years. Assuming it's kept within a reasonable temperature range, would the oil in capsule form be likely to turn rancid?

I've heard a good number of positive reports about the use of Glucosamine/Chondroitin. Also heard a few negative reports. The common opinion from successful users seems to be that it does take, (as has been suggested), about 3 months to start to become effective. A friend who is well pleased with his result suggested an elevated dose of two or three times the recommended dose for the first month and after that, backing off to the normal dose which, he says, you must continue to take indefinitely. I've started by doubling the dose.

Given the cost and inconvenience of a joint replacement, I'm quite happy to give it a try for, say, six months. Earlier in this thread jtmedic brought up the fact that the Chondroitin component may have a negative reaction with folk taking blood thinners. As I take Warfarin for another condition, I decided to use Glucosamine only. It would be interesting to know if the blood thinner/Chondroitin issue also applies to the regular use of small doses of aspirin, usually taken to defend against stroke and heart problems.

Do any of you guys know of the side effects of elevated Glucosamine dosage? The pharmacist also stated that it should be taken on an empty stomach, preferably about an hour before breakfast, though the dosage advice on the package made no mention of this. I'm now just three days into it and have noticed an increase in interesting stomach noises and an urge to use the bathroom that will not be denied!

I'm grateful for the interesting and informative responses so far.