I wish you peace, love, good health, and happiness in 2008.
Look ahead with enthusiasm, positive energy, and good intentions! Happy New Year!
I'm feeling a little down and I blame it on the holidays. Just reflecting.. and thinking about
everything and all the people around me. People I love, people whom I haven't seen in ages, people I see everyday, people
I care about and worry about, people I don't even know, the past, and wondering what the future might hold. Life.
I'm optimistic for the most part but I'm also feeling unsure and sad at the same time. The good thing is,
it's not having any effect on my quit at all. Nope. It's not making me want to smoke a cigarette at all. I'm just feeling really crappy and I'll probably
get over it tomorrow, and life will go on and everything will be fine. But I have
no desire whatsover to have a cigarette. Not even a puff. Amazing.
It's a busy time right now so I won't be updating this website as much this month. If something major
happens that's worth sharing, I will update this site again. To those of you who found me and is quitting yourself,
keep strong.
Life can be stressful. Sometimes just getting through all the hurdles of the day can be
overwhelming. But please hang in there! You are healing and learning to live without a horrible addiction. It's
gonna take time but you can do it. You have quit for good. Accept it. You're a non smoker now. Congratulations!
I just realized that this past weekend was my 2 month quit
anniversary. Yay! It was a very good weekend... Thanksgiving was great. Below is a picture from Thanksgiving; at my father in law's place in the mountains. This is
the view from the deck.
I spent most of the morning cleaning the house and organizing stuff.
I want to do as much as I can to get the house in order because things
are gonna get pretty busy around here after Thanksgiving. My brother is coming for a visit next month and there's a
long list of stuff to do before his visit. I also need to decide what to get everybody for Christmas and start doing some
shopping.
And then a week after my brother leaves, my father in law and Brenda will be here for a few days. I have another list
of stuff to do for their visit like buy new sheets, pillows, etc. I want everybody to
feel comfortable in our home.
In the past, I would do a little house cleaning and then take a break so I can go outside to smoke. And then I would do some more cleaning and then break again for another smoke, clean again,
smoke again, clean, smoke, clean, smoke, clean, smoke, clean, smoke.
But now that I'm not smoking I'm getting a lot more done and faster too. I looked at the clock and it was only
10:30 and I was already finished with everything that I planned to do (minus laundry).
After that horrible urge last week I feel much better. I think it's because I've experienced the worst of it. I'm sure I'll have more urges
along the way but I feel more ready than ever to tackle them without getting all emotional about it and spazzing out like I did.
There'll be more times when I will long for a cigarette and that's fine. Thing is, I truly don't want
to be a smoker anymore. I feel so much
better now as a non smoker but I also realize that I'm not beyond the crazy urges.
I'm early in my quit and I'm still learning how to live life without cigarettes. I'm a nicotine addict in recovery and there will be bumps in the road.
I do look forward to the milestones. Everyday is a day added to my days of quit so everyday is a milestone. I've been quit
51 days. The days are adding up! Woohoo!
I found myself in a very stressful situation this past week. I was so boiling mad that at one point I
thought I was gonna have a heart attack. And not smoking only fueled my anger. So to
make myself feel better, I went out and bought a pack of cigarettes.
I was so disgusted with myself for wanting a cigarette
after being quit for over a month. I'm almost two months quit! I didn't care. I still wanted a cigarette. I needed it bad. So
I went to the gas station and bought a pack. It felt weird asking for it. My hands were shaking so bad
that the guy at the cash register asked me if I was alright. I was a junkie waiting to get my fix. I got in my car and felt sad
at the thought of stinking up my car again. My poor car. After airing it out and finally getting rid of
the smoke smell I'm gonna stink it up again. And my hair. And my pretty lungs. My kids will be so disappointed.. Oh my god. I quickly threw the pack in the glove
compartment as if realizing I was holding a snake. I sat in my car and cried and cried. The rain was pounding hard against
the
windshield and it wasn't letting up. I'm not sure how long I sat there until I heard the tapping on the window. It was the cashier guy. Are you ok he says. I'm ok I said,
and thank you, no really I'm fine, thank you. No really I'm ok, thanks.
I headed to work and continued to debate with myself on whether to go ahead and have a cigarette. Maybe I'll just
turn around and go back home and take a sick day. sigh. I made it through the work day without smoking.
I head home and contemplate on having a cigarette in the car. I
get home and contemplate sneaking to the backyard. I cancelled
our nightly walk because it was "too cold outside". I don't feel good. I'm sick. We'll walk tomorrow.
I continued to have junkie thoughts for about 24 hours after buying the cigarettes. I told myself that I'll
just smoke ocassionally. Maybe I can have a cigarette once a month. It
can't hurt me, just once a month, or once a week. Or just with my morning
coffee. Maybe just after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And that's it.
Or I can be a social smoker. I know many social smokers, and they're fine. They don't buy cigarettes. Or I'll smoke through December to get me through the holidays
and then I'll go back to not smoking again. I can quit in January and truly make quitting smoking my New Year's resolution. There's
a whole pack of cigarettes in the glove compartment. I paid for them.
I can't just let the cigarettes sit there. I'll smoke tonight
and quit tomorrow. I'll just have one and it will taste so bad that I won't want another cigarette ever again.
Yeah that's what I'll do.. and on and on.
In retrospect, I was not in a very stressful situation. I was dealing with normal day to day life situation. I made it bigger than it actually
was so I can whine and cry and have an excuse to smoke. I don't know how I did it but I didn't smoke.
And I'm so glad about that. I would've hated
myself afterwards and would have had to start over. I want this quit so bad and I'm not giving in. I just can't believe the power of
nicotine.
It's scary to have something that strong control you. I hate
how it controls people.
I hate how it dictates people's lives. I hate how it's killed and destroyed so many people's lives. It's like the devil.
A monster lurking in the shadows, waiting to get you.
Fucking cigarettes. Fuck you. Motherfucker.
We're going to spend Thanksgiving with my father in-law and his girlfriend Brenda. During the holidays I always had to go outside to
have my "fix" while everyone else was still sitting at the table relaxing and socializing. It'll be great to be able to
sit with everyone and not get antsy. I can actually stay at the dinner table afterwards and hang out with everybody. Bill
said that friends of theirs are supposed to be there for Thanksgiving too. I wondered if any of them smoked. He didn't know.
I'm just wondering. It doesn't matter. It won't bother me if they do. I just always wonder now if someone smokes.
I still can't believe it sometimes. It's nice not to have to worry that you're almost
out of cigarettes. It's nice not to have to go through the ashtray and pick out old cigarette butts because you thought the last
5 cigarettes in the pack would hold you till morning. I
don't worry and wonder anymore whether my quit is gonna last. I have quit for good. I've never been
more sure about anything in my life.
I don't wonder when I will get to smoke again and will I ever smoke again and on and on.
I'm just free. Free to do whatever I want without cigarettes.
I'm back doing the after dinner walks again. After the state fair I got lazy. My excuse was that I walked enough at
the fair so I can afford to miss a couple of days of
walking.
Well, the couple of days turned into almost two weeks. Yikes. But we're back to walking regularly again. Thank god because my
pants were getting tighter. It's cold out now but it
actually feels good walking outside in crisp cold weather. And the girls don't complain anymore.
The first time we noticed, Bill and I looked at each other at the same time,
surprised. No one was complaining
about walking! Wow. We want to continue our walking routine for as long as we can. I do worry a little about the approaching cold weather. I'm thinking about
getting full face ski masks for all of us for
when it starts to get really cold outside. I'm not sure they'll wear them though. We'll see. So far we've been ok.
I was surfing around the usual places and found this one today. It's long but really worth reading. I believe
I'm at this stage in my quit. Here are excerpts:
"The tangible struggle fades. Triggers happen, but they're fewer and farther between. We know how to deal with them
now, and we recognize that they're temporary. Physical withdrawal seems a distant memory. The excitement is over. It's
just me and my life, and it's time to get on with it. And, nicotine isn't a part of it. Neither is "quitting" -- I DID quit. In some
ways it's like the aftermath of hosting a big party. The madness of preparation, the fun of the festivities... then, everyone's
gone home, and there's just clean-up to do, and work the next day."
....."I've smoked through everything. Every celebration. Every crisis. Every monotonous moment of boredom, every study
session, after meals, during the drive, after shopping, after making love, at the bar, in the bathroom, at my desk, on
my porch, with Jim Bob, with Sue, with my lawyer, with my doctor, after work, during breaks, at football games, at
weddings. Smoking was part of my life through every difficulty, no matter how horrific, or inconsequential. I wanted
to quit badly, but deep down inside, I wonder, "can I really do this forever? Can I really manage to forge a new life for
myself where I do all of the things that make up my day-to-day living without that constant security blanket?"
Here it is in its entirety.
Turning the Corner... Acceptance
Seems to be a common occurrence... Usually, somewhere between say 4 weeks and 4 months, sometimes a tad earlier,
occasionally a bit later, we reach a hurdle. We've been through withdrawal. We've gotten ourselves really good at
reconditioning triggers. But, something's still lingering. I've seen it described as a sense of doubt, a dread, a dark cloud.
It's threatening. It's frightening.
Here's my take. And, it's based in part on the grieving process associated with giving up nicotine described in this post
(Emotional Loss Experienced from Quitting Smoking), but not entirely. I believe the hurdle we reach has to do with the
bridge from depression (the 4th phase of the grieving process) to acceptance (the 5th and final phase). Crossing that
bridge is the final major hurdle, and many of us find ourselves with our feet stuck in the muck of depression as we
struggle with what appears to be a daunting crossing.
During our pre-quit, our withdrawal, and our early trigger reconditioning, we deal with heavy doses of the first 3
stages (denial, anger, bargaining). It's not always pleasant, but it IS something we can sink our teeth into. There's
something to push against. As long as we've got a tangible enemy to fight, things tend to be, if not pleasant, exciting
and clear-cut. Meet your enemy head on.... defeat it with truth, and sometimes sheer stubbornness.
Then.... gradually, the struggle lessens. Comfort begins to kick in. We discover, "hey! this is doable!"
BUT...
as we sit there, face to face with the prospect of our own success:
--The tangible struggle fades. Triggers happen, but they're fewer and farther between. We know how to deal with them
now, and we recognize that they're temporary. Physical withdrawal seems a distant memory. The excitement is over. It's
just me and my life, and it's time to get on with it. And, nicotine isn't a part of it. Neither is "quitting" -- I DID quit. In some
ways it's like the aftermath of hosting a big party. The madness of preparation, the fun of the festivities... then, everyone's
gone home, and there's just clean-up to do, and work the next day.
--We ponder our success. We ponder our identity. We're on the verge of making a transition. We've been a "smoker who's
quitting" for weeks, maybe months. But, now we're feeling the comfort. We know it's doable in terms of winning the
battles. We've won so many.... but, now we're at the point where something is suddenly becoming very real.... our identity
as an ex-smoker... Success.
This is acceptance... and for many of us, it's terrifying! In some respects, it's simply another form of junky reasoning.
But, in this case, it hits where we're still most vulnerable... our identity... our self-confidence.
"I've smoked through everything. Every celebration. Every crisis. Every monotonous moment of boredom, every study
session, after meals, during the drive, after shopping, after making love, at the bar, in the bathroom, at my desk, on
my porch, with Jim Bob, with Sue, with my lawyer, with my doctor, after work, during breaks, at football games, at
weddings. Smoking was part of my life through every difficulty, no matter how horrific, or inconsequential. I wanted
to quit badly, but deep down inside, I wonder, "can I really do this forever? Can I really manage to forge a new life for
myself where I do all of the things that make up my day-to-day living without that constant security blanket?"
We question a future where celebrations and defeats, excitement and boredom are experienced without the presence
of the powerful drug to which we were actively addicted for years. We question our mettle. We've made it this far, and
we've proven to ourselves that it's doable. But, now we're playing for keeps. This is for good. This is permanent. Can we
imagine the rest of our life as an ex-smoker?
It feels particularly difficult when we're going through it for a couple of reasons.
1) we haven't had to struggle that hard lately, and it catches us unprepared.
So, what to do?
The truth is that dealing with this transition is not really all that different from how we deal with all the
other hurdles we've faced since we quit.
We make this transition by getting back to the fundamentals that got us to this point.
Honesty.
--Was smoking really a part of my identity? Did it define, in part, who I am? Or, was smoking a way to relieve the
discomfort of nicotine withdrawal every half-hour or so?
--Are my memories of smoking drifting toward the "ahh" cigarette, and neglecting all the other, mindlessly smoked
ones, forced into the cold to poison myself, late-night runs to the liquor store to spend hard-earned money on a fix,
staining my fingers and teeth, making me reek, giving my children scratchy throats, turning colds into bronchitis,
threatening me with early death and disfigurement with every puff?
--If I smoked today, how would I truly feel tonight? Tomorrow? Next year... Ponder it for a bit. Envision yourself
back on the other side of the line, looking back across it at yourself now. Picture yourself with the stick in your
mouth, inhaling, knowing the full-measure of what that cigarette was doing to you. Question whether you'd rather
be reminiscing about the odd "ahh" cigarette once in a while, or be reminiscing about the few weeks/months of
comfort you achieved when you quit.
--Remind yourself that there is no such thing as one, and extrapolate it out over the years. Shine the light of truth
on it. Have a look around at elderly smokers (the ones who've made it to old age). Put yourself in their shoes. Remember
which side of the line you're on. Remind yourself why you chose this side of the line.... why you want to stay on this side.
One day at a time
Permanence is frightening. But, it's achievable in small doses. Just because you're an "experienced quitter" doesn't
mean the basic principles change. Today is doable. The next hour is doable.
Never stop celebrating
Quitting smoking is a tremendous gift you've given yourself. Unlike many other gifts, this one should never lose
its luster over time. In fact, the opposite is true. Over time, this gift becomes more important, more impactful.....
Measure it in terms of health, self-esteem, life, freedom..... but MEASURE IT. Celebrate every day of this gift. You've
earned it.
Acceptance is an Embrace
Finally, don't simply accept your new status -- "ex-smoker"; Embrace it. Sit down and look at it honestly. Compare
this new identity to the old one (whatever label you want to attach to what you were when you smoked.... I was a
slave). Separate yourself for a minute, and observe the 2 "yous" as an impartial 3rd party. Look them over thoroughly.
Which do you want for yourself? Choose one. And, then, embrace it. Life will go on, there will be good days, and bad days.
Terrible sadness, and joyous elation. Regardless what life is bringing you at the moment, embrace this thing that is only
positive. Embrace your decision for life.
Here's the
link.
I'm still smoke free. I haven't smoked in over a month.
I've gained about 5 pounds but I needed it (I was told more than once not long ago that I
was too skinny). I could probably afford to gain 5 more pounds or so and I'd be ok. And also, maybe it's just my imagination, but
I've noticed that my face looks better. My complexion looks healthier and my eyes look more lively. I look and feel
better (and smell better) and
it seems that my hair has more bounce to it.
I was looking at
some pictures of me from a year ago and I can see the difference. I looked older and haggard before I quit smoking.
I also noticed that
my teeth are a shade lighter now. My teeth are still yellow but not as much as before. I'm now
thinking about going to the dentist to get my teeth whitened. I'll have to look into it and
see how much it costs.
I had a bad craving yesterday. I was excited about leaving work a
few hours earlier than usual so I can get home and finish carving the pumpkins. I get in my car and head home
and wasn't even on the road 2 minutes when suddenly I had this really strong
feeling of anticipation. I quickly realized that I was anticipating lighting a cigarette.
For about 3 seconds, if that, I actually thought I was gonna have a cigarette (in my mind) and was really looking forward to it!
How the hell did I forget that I quit smoking?
The whole thing, from anticipating a cigarette to the point of realizing that I've quit probably
lasted about 5 seconds total, but that brief feeling was so powerful. I've been quit a whole month!
Why the hell am I having strong cravings all of a sudden? I know I'm not gonna
smoke. Ever. It was just surprising that I had a sudden craving like that after a month of not smoking.
I'm posting various stories here so I can read these again whenever I get an urge. I found the below stories
from emphysema.net. I hope I have quit smoking
early enough so I never get emphysema (or anyone I know). These stories are really sad.
Jan Costilow
Glenda Jones
When I was a young person, I never realized that smoking could diminish the most important factor in my life my
breathing. When you can't breath you begin to realize how insignificant a cigarette can be in meeting your daily habit.
I wish now I had never had a habit of smoking. I realize now breathing is a life function you can not live without,
but cigarettes you can. If you had endured the pain I have suffered throughout the last ten years, you would never
smoke a cigarette. I have had several collapsed lungs. I have had my back cut open, and had my lung partially removed.
I have also spent months at a time in a hospital away from my family. The suffering is still not over; I now have to have
my other lung partially removed. This procedure will prolong my life, for a later lung transplant.
Now, do you think I have suffered enough for my desire for a cigarette? If you smoke you could truly experience my life.
I would never wish this disease on anyone. Please, think twice before you smoke. If you smoke now, please stop and
remember the story of a lady who destroyed her life for a cigarette.
We are sorry to report that we lost Glenda on January 15th, 2000
Brenda
I still love to play. Things are a little different now, though. I can't sing now. I don't have enough breath to sing.
I don't have enough breath to walk across the room without stopping and gasping for breath. I don't have enough
breath to do much of anything well, unless I can do it sitting. I don't smoke anymore. I quit long ago. But it was too
late to save my lungs. They are as gone as Jerry Garcia.
Don't blow it..........Get a life!
We are sorry to report that we lost Brenda on November 28, 1998 at the age of 50.
Myrl
In early spring 1970,I began to tire easy and get out of breath. That winter I had pneumonia. While in the hospital, I
was diagnosed with emphysema. I didn't know what that was and didn't ask. Getting my strength back took 6 weeks.
Two years later, we had to give up farming because of my health. I was coughing so bad from the dust and barn odors I
couldn't breathe. In Feb.1988, I had pneumonia again. This time, I spent 3 weeks in the local and Nashville hospital --4 days in
the CCU . Since then, my lungs have slowly deteriorated. Now, I'm a 71-inactive-young at heart- in end stage of emphysema
caused mainly from smoking since I was 14. Nicotine addiction has taken a very active, energetic person to one who is a
dependent burden on her family. I now sleep on a hospital bed with the head elevated. Beside that bed is a potty chair
I use when I have the breath to get on it.
When I can't ,my husband puts a bed pan under me. A simple cold puts me in the
hospital for days. I am on oxygen 24 hrs. a day--Take nebulizer treatments 4 times a day. Use an inhaler and take
a handful of pills. A meal gets cold before I can eat it because of shortness of breath. Still, after the way smoking has
altered my life-I want a cigarette after I eat. I move around the house in a wheel chair .
There is no cure for emphysema.
Only medication to make existing a little more comfortable . I don't know which is worse as there are so many side effects
to the medicine. One drug I take causes loss of concentration. There are times I forget what I'm saying in mid-sentence.
The most embarrassing is the weight gain and thinning hair You will learn about the more serious ones once you're hooked
on nicotine and can't kick the habit. My golden years turned to tarnished brass while my fingers were being stained with the
cigarette I held in them. Smoking isn't really the in thing. Be chic and say "no thanks" Don't let cigarettes make you
a spectator--be a player.
Myrlt@Blomand.net Myrl
We are sorry to report our loss of Myrl on 2/25/01, she is one of our angels now of EFFORTS
Cristy
I just feel like I'm not a whole person anymore, if that makes sense. I have a two year old daughter that I love dearly,
But I have such a hard time with her. I just want to pick her up and hold her. And the sad thing is that I hurt to much.
my husband can sit her on my lap or she can climb up, but I can't pick her up.
This all has happened because I was too stupid to stop smoking until now. I quit smoking during the time that I was in the
hospital. I didn't want to smoke because my doctor told me that I was lucky cigarettes didn't kill me. I just want to shout
to everyone , stop smoking while you can! If not you will lose everything, your family, friends and most of all, your life.
I just feel like I should go talk to people about quitting smoking, but I worry that they will think I'm crazy. Maybe if students
knew this, they would stop.
Please give me your feedback, Thank you all
Cristy from TN cristy@INTERMEDIATN.NET
The girls decided a couple of weeks ago that
they want 'homemade' costumes for Halloween this year.
Not sure which one got the idea that "homemade costumes are better than store bought ones" but we've been buying store bought
costumes for years now. When the costume subject came up, I thought, nope, no way, I'm not making
costumes. I'm in the middle of my quit and I don't need any unnecessary stress right now. When the girls asked me,
I reluctantly replied, "y-yeah...oh..kay".. I was hoping they
would change their minds and opt for ready made costumes from Party City or Target, instead of homemade ones (bad mommy).
But that didn't happen. sigh.. Great.
I don't sew. I know how to do simple stuff like
sew buttons and hem but that's the extent of my sewing skills. And I don't have a sewing machine (wouldn't know
what to do with it even if I had one).
Thank god all they wanted were tutus. I googled How To Make A Tutu and found some really easy
instructions that required only tulle material and ribbon. No sewing! I couldn't believe it. I bookmarked that baby right
away! (link at the end of this entry).
So we went to JoAnn's Fabric store over the weekend and the girls
each picked some tulle material for their tutus. We spent a long time inside the store. It was so much fun. We took our
time picking out the right colors. We had a really good time and I was relaxed. It was great not to have to sneak outside to smoke.
I wasn't waiting for a chance to go outside. I wasn't
telling the girls to hurry up or we have to leave soon just so I can have a cigarette. We also went to Starbucks
and got some frappucino and coffee.
And then we headed over to Party City for accessories and on to Target for leotards. I was out and about having a good time as a non smoker, or as an ex smoker. Whichever. I wasn't smoking. I was a
non smoker! I AM a non smoker. It was a good day.
The tutus were so easy to make that we bought some extra material so we can make more tutus.
The girls thought I should have a tutu too. Not to wear for halloween but just so I have one for myself. I thought,
cool! I'd love to have a tutu! Now I wanna make a hundred! hehe. I think
every girl should own a tutu (or guy if that's your thing, hehe.. whatever it's cool).
Below are the girls' homemade tutus. A black and white tutu and a multi-colored one.
The website where I got the tutu instructions from has a
really good close up picture of a tutu. Check out the picture and instructions
here.
I found this on an msn message board.
Not Much of a Smoker
The fog lifts as the day breaks here in Quitsville. I see some things clearly for the first time. Worse than the Holier Than
Thou Ex-Smoker, for years I was "Not Much of a Smoker". Please forgive me and my big, fat ego.
I smoked a lot in the late 70s and 80s. Around 1988 they implemented laws against smoking in the workplace here.
That cut into my smoking time somewhat.
In 1988 I also took a Behaviour Modification psychology course. I did my personal term project on 'Nicotine Fading'.
The professor advised me against quitting as a project because he wanted me to study something that had a "better chance
of success". I spent four months systematically alternating between my brand of cigarettes and brands with less nicotine
and tar until I was down to the Canadian brand with the least of both. I also 'faded' down from about a pack a day to about
10. I documented it beautifully, wrote a tremendous paper and got an A.
Afterward whenever I wanted to quit, I would marvel to my doctor, "How can it be so hard for me to quit? I barely
smoke compared to most people I know!" She would say, "Someone who uses 5mg of heroine a day is just as much an
addict as someone who uses 200mg a day."
I enjoyed every cigarette all these years, or so I thought. I didn't understand the chain smoker except for the nights
I played cards and smoked like crazy. Then I would wake with such a headache the next day, and I thought I understood
them less. Those heavy smokers never seemed to enjoy their cigarettes like I did; they lit one after another unconsciously.
Almost all of mine were an event. I did not know that I was psychologically reinforcing smoking behaviour with every
single 'event' as well as maintaining the physical addiction.
Since I waited between each smoke, I was allowing my craving for the physical fix to build up and build up. The
enjoyment I thought I felt was relief to the torture I was putting myself through, being in almost constant withdrawal.
I was in fact reinforcing the addiction by making each cigarette special. For the addict, it is as fabulous a relief to smoke
after waiting a few hours, as it is to finally stop after you have been banging your head against a brick wall for a while.
I am embarrassed to confess but I will. I really enjoyed my unspoken status amongst smokers as the one who was Not
Much of a Smoker. My smoking friends knew I could hang on longer than they could. I think some secretly had contempt
for me and my high horse, suspecting (rightfully) that I had a little contempt for their hard core addictions.
Funny things happened. One - the last few years I have increasingly become a binge smoker. Although maintaining my
regular pattern most days, I started smoking more and more in the evenings. I've suffered great insomnia from time to
time with longer bouts the last few years. I would smoke and smoke in the night. I wasn't enjoying them all so much any
more. I have had cyclic energy problems for some time and when my energy was low, I would smoke and smoke. What
was causing what here?
Secondly - it seems that all around me most of the hard core smokers I knew have managed to quit the last few years
with me having at least as hard a time, if not harder. You would have thought that I, here on my high horse, would have
had it easy, would have been one of the first to quit. I am one of or the last to quit in each of my social circles.
And lastly - I have not escaped the physical deterioriation being Not Much of a Smoker. I have weakened my lungs and
reduced their capacity by smoking. I have coughed and hacked every day for years like a sick person. I should be in top
form at just 41, not wheezing up a single flight of stairs, not wondering if I have developed Bronchitis each winter. I am
fatter than I should be because as my lungs have gotten weaker, I have walked less and done less other exercise because
it is so uncomfortable.
Yes, the fog is lifting as the day breaks here in Quitsville. I've retired my high horse to pasture. I am humbled and grateful
to finally understand what has happened and what I have been doing to myself all these years. And once again I ask of
myself, forgive me and my big, fat ego. I am an addict. I am in recovery. And now I understand.
Thank you Freedom for giving me a place to work it out.
The above can be found
here.
One thing I'm glad about is I don't have to
make sure I have cigarettes before I leave the house anymore. I can just walk out the door without making sure I have cigarettes
and a lighter in my purse and I don't have to spray perfume on my clothes and hair to try to mask
the smoke smell. After years of smoking and quitting cold turkey out of the blue I really didn't think it would be this easy.
I feel like a brand new person.
How Long After You Quit Smoking Does Healing Begin?
After 8 hours:
After 2 days:
After 3 – 4 days:
After 2 weeks:
Within 6 to 9 months:
After 1 year:
After 5 years:
After 10 years:
Within 15 years:
I found the above
here.
I will be one month quit next week. I feel great and I
can confidently say that I'm a non smoker now. Other than that, not much going on here.
Quitting smoking turned out to be dull and boring so I really don't have much to report right now. Yeah I still get urges
and they always pass and I haven't given in blah blah blah. If I think of something else to share regarding quitting smoking I will update this website and post something. Bye.
I'm so hungry all the time lately. After a meal my stomach is
growling 20 minutes later. Seriously.
What's up with that? I haven't gained any weight since quitting smoking though. I'm not worried about it. A little
weight gain won't bother me. Been there done it. I can always lose it.
I might join a gym once I get settled with not smoking. Maybe in a month or so.
I'm walking every night so hopefully that'll keep the
weight off for now. I'm drinking lots of water too. I just hope I don't retain all the water I'm drinking.
We went to the state fair over the weekend. I was surprised at myself for not pigging out. I ate a slice of
pepperoni pizza, a roasted corn on a cob, fried dough drizzled with chocolate syrup sprinkled with powdered
sugar, and
a large cola icee. That's it. I really didn't eat as much as I thought I would.
The kids had a great time. We let Monica go off on her own with a couple of her friends who went to the fair with us. I was too worried about
Monica to enjoy myself. I called her every half hour. The reception was so bad that I
could barely understand her through the cell so
that made me worry even more. I didn't know if she was saying, "help me mom!" or maybe she was saying
''leave me alone mom!" The crowd was getting bigger and I was afraid we wouldn't be able to
find each other when it was time to go.
I kept telling Bill, "Maybe
we should tell the girls to go ahead and meet us at the ferris wheel now." And Bill would say,
"Leave em alone don't worry they're having fun they'll be fine." He looked so calm and relaxed and meanwhile I'm
looking at every little group of teenagers to see if it's Monica and her friends. I hate fairs.
Everywhere we went there was someone smoking closeby. Surprisingly, the
smoke didn't bother me at all. There were a ton of smokers at the fair. I saw this woman tell her
family, "Wait, let me have a cigarette first..." That was me 3 weeks ago.
Towards the end we met up with the girls at the ferris wheel. Whew. I was relieved. We
walked together and plowed our way through the crowd. More cigarette smell everywhere. It's ok, doesn't bother me.
The girls were laughing and acting silly and having a great time.
I was worried over nothing. They threw darts at little balloons and they
each chose a fluffy stuffed hamtaro for their prize. We got some homemade ice cream then headed back.
It was a long walk to where we parked but a nice walk nonetheless. It was about 65 degrees outside.. a beautiful night for walking.
My brother took this picture. This is an incredible picture. The lighting and everything is just perfect.
Below is a picture of the steep and narrow Exorcist steps located in DC, in Georgetown near Key Bridge and Rosslyn. My brother passes
these steps everyday on his way to work. I remember getting my first
fake id when I was 15 and the place I got the id from was about a half a block from these steps.
I wasn't a regular smoker yet, just bumming cigarettes from friends every now and then. Within 6 months,
I was a full fledged smoker and was buying my own cigarettes.
Anyway, I think this is a great picture for Halloween so I'm posting it up here.
Why is it that all the fun stuff is bad for us? I have a good life. I just wish I could smoke and eat anything I want. Just sometimes.
Here's what Victoria Gill says about quitting smoking. I found this one in Times Online
here.
"Quitting is like losing a lover. Initially, you don’t know how to survive. Smoking is the first thing you think of
when you wake, then there is that terrible sorrow that it has gone. It pops into your head throughout the day and
reminds you of its attributes over its flaws. But, after time, you learn to live without it, to push it from your thoughts.
And, eventually, you wonder what the hell you saw in it in the first place. On my last night, someone asked whether I now
hate cigarettes. “It’s not hatred, more indifference,” I explained, and that’s the best mindset of all." - Victoria Gill
I went to Lowe's to pick up some clearasil because I've gotten 3 huge zits on my face within one
day (I'm sure it has something to do with quitting smoking). There were a couple of
employees smoking outside the Lowe's and I thought for sure that
it would smell good and give me a major craving but that wasn't the case at all.
I was actually irritated by the
cigarette smell and I found myself holding my breath while passing them.
This is called My Cigarette, My Friend by
Joel Spitzer
My Cigarette, My Friend
How do you feel about a friend who has to go everywhere with you? Not only does he tag along all the time, but since he is
so offensive and vulgar, you become unwelcome when with him. He has a peculiar odor that sticks to you wherever you go.
Others think both of you stink.
He controls you totally. When he says jump, you jump. Sometimes in the middle of a blizzard or storm, he wants you to come
to the store and pick him up. You would give your spouse hell if he or she did that to you all the time, but you can't argue with
your friend. Sometimes, when you are out at a movie or play he says he wants you to go stand in the lobby with him and miss
important scenes. Since he calls all the shots in your life, you go.
Your friend doesn't like your choice of clothing either. Instead of politely telling you that you have lousy taste, he burns little
holes in these items so you will want to throw them out. Sometimes, he tires of the furniture and gets rid of it too.
Occasionally, he gets really nasty and decides the whole house must go.
He gets pretty expensive to support. Not only is his knack of property destruction costly, but you must pay to keep him
with you. In fact, he will cost you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. And you can count on one thing, he will never pay
you a penny in return.
Often at picnics you watch others playing vigorous activities and having lots of fun doing them. But your friend won't let
you. He doesn't believe in physical activity. In his opinion, you are too old to have that kind of fun. So he kind of sits on your
chest and makes it difficult for you to breathe. Now you don't want to go off and play with other people when you can't
breathe, do you?
Your friend does not believe in being healthy. He is really repulsed by the thought of you living a long and productive life.
So every chance he gets he makes you sick. He helps you catch colds and flu. Not just by running out in the middle of the
lousy weather to pick him up at the store. He is more creative than that. He carries thousands of poisons with him which
he constantly blows in your face. When you inhale some of them, they wipe out cilia in your lungs which would have helped
you prevent these diseases.
But colds and flu are just his form of child's play. He especially likes diseases that slowly cripple you - like emphysema.
He considers this disease great. Once he gets you to have this, you will give up all your other friends, family, career goals,
activities - everything. You will just sit home and caress him, telling him what a great friend he is while you desperately gasp
for air.
But eventually your friend tires of you. He decides he no longer wishes to have your company. Instead of letting you go your
separate ways, he decides to kill you. He has a wonderful arsenal of weapons behind him. In fact, he has been plotting your
death since the day you met him. He picked all the top killers in society and did everything in his power to ensure you would
get one of them. He overworked your heart and lungs. He clogged up the arteries to your heart, brain, and every other part
of your body. In case you were too strong to succumb to this, he constantly exposed you to cancer causing agents. He knew
he would get you sooner or later.
Well, this is the story of your "friend," your cigarette. No real friend would do all this to you. Cigarettes are the worst
possible enemies you ever had. They are expensive,
, addictive, socially unacceptable, and deadly. Consider all this and - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!
Joel
I didn't really plan to quit. Well, sort of. I was tired of hearing my daughters always tell me that I stink of smoke, or that I'm
gonna die if I don't stop. When they
were little, we never talked about my smoking. But Jasmine is now 12 and
Monica is 14. They're getting smarter every year. sigh.. And then I found myself making promises. I will quit
at the end of the month, I'd say. I think I started saying 'at the end
of the month' back in March. Everytime I went to the backyard to smoke, it seemed that one of the girls was always looking out the window
to give me that look like, Uhuh..we see you, sure mom sure you're gonna quit, yeah right.
I would usually shrug it off or laugh about it, or think awww how sweet, my kids are worried about me.. awwww. But
sometimes it would piss me off. I'm an adult goddammit. I'll do whatever I damn well pleased. Did you clean your room? Then go. Now! Hrmph.
Then one morning I woke up and thought, I think I'll quit today just to see how it goes. At breakfast that morning I announced, "I'm quitting smoking."
The girls were eating their cereal and then they paused, looked at each other then both
looked at me and said, "ok whatever".
Bill walked over and hugged me and said, "I'm proud of you." He's always making a big deal of stuff. I was just gonna quit
for one day just to see how it goes. No biggee.
Well it's been 2 weeks since I quit. It's getting easier everyday. I do have bad days but it's not too bad really. I have cravings here
and there but they always pass. I'd hate to turn back and start smoking again when I've come this far. Plus
I don't wanna disappoint my family. Some days I think, big deal it's only been a couple of weeks. So what. But then other days
I think, this is huge. This is really big. Everything I've ever done was always
followed by a cigarette, or preceded by having a cigarette. Everything. Everything was always scheduled around a
cigarette or I always had to fit my cigarettes into everything. Everything. For 27 years of my life. Damn right this is huge.
I don't know how long I can do this. I just know that I have to continue to not smoke every single day. If I think of
it in terms of forever, it's a little overwhelming. So I'm just taking it one step at a time. Or one minute at a time.
Now when I get home from work everybody always asks how
my day was. I know they really want to say, "so did you have a cigarette?"
I simply
tell them that my day was great how about yours? I don't know, it seems that everybody is happier these days and I'm
glad about that. My kids have been hugging me a lot lately and my co-workers are very happy about my quit. So, how are
you Victoria? No I did not have a cigarette. Geez. I think Bill is worried that I'm
gonna start again because he feels the need to always tell me that I'm doing great. I'm happy that everybody's
happy. I just feel lost sometimes. Being a smoker was part of who I am, was. It was part of my personality. I just feel sad
sometimes and I don't wanna let my family down. Ok I'm starting to sound like
a whiny baby. I'm done whining. Ok I feel better.
Here's a story I found online. This is the link to
Cheryl's Quit Story
in
about.com
or
you can read her story
below.
Hi Everyone, My name is Cheryl, and I have been here before in one of my many attempts to stop smoking. I believe I lasted 3
months that time. This is a very good site for great information and support. This site, and the good people I knew here,
did not fail me. I failed myself. It just wasn't enough for me. I went back out to smoke yet again. Of course I had reasons
why my quit attempts did not work. They were many and varied, but the bottom line was this: I didn't try hard enough.
...Nicotine withdrawal was too hard.
Well, all my reasons and excuses finally led me to a place where I hope no one ever has to go.
I caught pneumonia in October, 2003. When I saw my x-rays, I knew. The doctors still wanted more tests and biopsies, but the
fact was plain as day when I saw the x-rays. I believe I knew months before that I had cancer, but I would not let myself
think about it.
I was diagnosed with limited small cell lung cancer and squamous third stage B, on November 19, 2003. It's inoperable and
incurable. I had finally pushed my luck as far as my body could handle. These last weeks have been nothing short of horrific,
and I have had endless bouts of self-hatred. I brought this on myself, but it will be my family who will suffer the worst of it. I
am married with three children, and five grandchildren. I am the ringleader in the family. I usually make all of the
arrangements for vacations and trips. Well, this time I lead them down a path that none of God's children should ever
have to walk. I have selfishly jeopardized their happiness and security with my weak choices. More than ever, I am so
grateful for the support my family and friends have given me. They have been my salvation. In spite of it all, they stand
with me.
God knows it is so very hard to quit this brutal nicotine addiction. But now, as I look back, I was too lazy, couldn't
stand the nicotine withdrawal, and wanted the easy way out, which in my case was to continue smoking.
Life was so simple and lovely before I was diagnosed with cancer. I could do what I wanted, our children were all
productive, happy citizens, and the grandchildren were wonderful. I could travel, have fun, and enjoy the fruits of
our hard labor from our younger years. Guess what life is like now? Guess whose fault it is? Who else but the biggest
dummy in the world...ME!
Now my life and my family's lives are very stressful, painful, expensive and inconvenient for everyone. I have to drive
over 100 miles a day to go to radiation treatments five days a week, with weekends and holidays off. I guess cancer has
it's own union..*weak smile*. I do this for five weeks with two weeks off, and then two more weeks of radiation. It hurts
and burns. It gives me spasms that are as painful as heart attacks. I got thrush from the chemotherapy, and at times I can't
even swallow water. I have to be driven by someone who loses that many hours a day of their life/work time because I am
too ill and tired to drive myself.
I will do four rounds of chemotherapy during the radiation process. Chemo three days every three weeks. It's pure poison,
and it makes me so ill I can't breathe, eat or drink sometimes. When all of these treatments are completed, and if I live
though it, they will test me to see what the cancers have done. They will have either grown more and gone to my brain,
liver, or bones, or if I am fortunate enough to be blessed, they will be gone.
"It's harder to have cancer than it is to quit smoking"
But wait...they will come back...my kind of cancer always does. The pulmonary doc said I had three to four months to
live without treatment. The oncologist said he might be able to buy me one or two years, but it's up to the medicine
and me as to how well I do. I know he must be sick of seeing people who are dying because they chose to smoke. He's
young and looks very weary for his age. I actually worry about him. The radiologist said if I kill these tumors, more will
come eventually. He said he could maybe buy me a year, or even three. Limited small cell cancer is incurable and inoperable.
I have a 50 percent chance of beating this round, he says with sympathy and amazement in his eyes. He sees so many
patients like myself. What a sad job. His amazement is at why anyone...in this day and age...would smoke in the first place.
The base line for me is to stay well enough to endure the treatments.
I must stay healthy, germ-free, and eat right, etc., for the rest of my life. Right now I can't shop. I can't be in crowds. I
can't even kiss my grandbabies because of their sniffles. I have no immune system anymore, so I should wear a mask
around people. It's sure funny/ironic that everything I did in life (my so called fun/bad habits) was to avoid this exact
healthy lifestyle. Heck, it was no fun to be healthy and vice-free. Too dull for me. I knew I was going to live to be one
hundred. Now that I am ill, I have to do all of those things I resisted or was too lazy to do in the past...if I want to stay
alive and fight the cancers. Now, wouldn't life have been simpler for me to have done those things all along? DUH!
Let's see now...why was it that I preferred to smoke...as opposed to...say...live and not smoke?
It's very hard to forgive myself...
I am trying to let the shame and blame go. It's very hard to forgive myself for what I am doing to my loved ones.
My life now depends on me having a healthy and positive attitude. I am going to give it my best, but it's difficult at times.
I want so much to make something positive out of this horrible state I have gotten myself into. I thought maybe a story
from a person who has smoking-related cancer might help someone. But how could I get my story out? And would anyone
care? I'm nobody in particular. Then Terry from About.com kindly invited me here, and we decided maybe a story on this site
would be seen by others trying to quit. It might make a difference in their lives to see how much harder it is to have cancer
than it is to stop smoking.
Even if it's only one person who might get scared enough and quit, that's a miracle in itself. I am sharing my story for all the
folks who come here to get help in order to quit smoking. I want them to hear firsthand how devastating cancer is, not
only for me, but for my innocent loved ones.
If you use nicotine, then nicotine will get you eventually...
...unless you are murdered or have a fatal accident. It will give you a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. It can happen; it
happened to me. It happens every day. The real crime is that a drug which is that addictive is legal in the first place.
I am writing all about this cancer and how my life has completely changed in my personal journal. Actually, it's the
same journal I used for my "stop smoking" journal. Now that's a wee bit ironic and morbid, don't you think? But so is death
at 56.
The shrink says to tell my eight-year-old granddaughter I am ill, but not to use the word cancer. I don't have to tell her.
She knows on her own. She saw me working with scarves for the day my hair will be gone (which it is now), and said, "Oh
no you don't! That is not a cool look on you, grand-mom."
Remember when only the cool people smoked? I was terminally "cool."
Thanks for reading my story. I have to go take some of the 900 dollars a month's worth of medication now. It's the only way I can sleep with minimal pain.
Cheryl
Unfortunately, Cheryl passed away on June 30, 2005 . Here's what I got from about.com.
From you Guide, Terry Martin: I had the honor of meeting Cheryl in December of 2003,
shortly after she'd been diagnosed with stage IV small cell lung cancer. It was her wish to do whatever she possibly could
to help people quit smoking, so she wrote this article, along with another detailing her thoughts and life after diagnosis
called The Healing World. I think she accomplished her goal many times over. Her stories have been read by thousands of people all over the world, and many have found the inspiration they needed to stop smoking for good after reading what she had to share.
We all lost a very courageous and loving woman when Cheryl succumbed to her cancer on June 30, 2005. Please read her story, and take her words to heart.
Rest in peace Cheryl and thank you.
I haven't had a cigarette in 2 weeks. Wheeee!
It's amazing
how much better I'm breathing. I do feel like
I'm hyperventilating sometimes. It must be all the fresh air.
I've been reading smoking related stories online and that's really helping me stay focused on quitting smoking.
It's actually become an obsession lately. I thought about printing a picture of a really ugly lung to put in my purse
as a reminder. I can pull out the picture and look at it everytime I have a strong urge.
I also downloaded a few lung pictures and I was gonna choose one to be my computer's desktop background picture. I
spent one hour testing the pictures on my desktop to see which one looked best, and then decided against having a lung
background at all. The current bliss picture with the blue sky and fluffy white clouds can stay. Like I said, I'm obsessed. I had quit spending too much time online early this year.
But now that I've quit
smoking I find myself on the computer more than before, trying to find everything I can on quitting smoking.
Some stories are very sad and some are success stories.
I've thought about what if it's too late to quit.
What if I didn't quit in time? What if I get emphysema even though I quit smoking already? What if I
was gonna get lung cancer anyway? What if I get cancer next year? Or in 10 years? I realize that
there is nothing I can do but live for today so I'm not gonna worry about the past anymore. Quitting smoking
is no guarantee that I will never get a smoking related illness. The fact is, I smoked... for years. That can't be
taken back. But my hope is that stopping at least increases my chances a great deal rather than the almost certain death if
I continued smoking.
Anything can happen to
us whether it be cancer or something else. At least I know that I didn't make it happen because I continued to smoke.
I don't ever want my family to see me die because I was too weak to quit smoking. I will not do that to them.
I'm
really not craving cigarettes that much anymore, because I don't want one at all. I just miss them.
I had a dream last night that I smoked. It's so strange that you can't stop your unconscious brain from wanting to
continue smoking. In my dream, I have no control over smoking. I just do it as if obeying an order. I find myself in the
dream scolding myself for starting up again, but I kept on smoking. When I woke up, for those first few moments, I felt
the guilt and shame of falling off of the cigarette wagon. Thank god it was just a dream.
I woke up sick. Physically sick with a fever too. I think my body is regrouping. Getting rid of all the toxins and
junk. I'll drink lots of water and get plenty of rest today. I feel like a junkie or something, having to detox.
I feel good today. I had a few cravings but they passed quickly. I had
decided that as soon as we're done with dinner we're all going for a family walk, so I won't gain too much weight and to keep
my mind off of cigarettes after dinner. Plus it'll be good for all of us. Bill quit smoking 4 years ago so he's been
a great influence in my wanting to quit. When he and I met 15 years ago, he smoked more than I did. Alot more. So I figured if he
can quit, I can too. He has never, not once, asked me to quit. He said he figured I would quit when I was good and ready. I guess I'm
good and ready.
I made it through another day without smoking. Yippee!
I quit smoking on Monday October 1, 2007. Cold turkey. Hell week has passed me by and I'm more encouraged than ever to continue
with not smoking. It was not an easy week but I hung in there and I did it. Not one puff. Yay me! The urge to smoke a cigarette is there but only for a few seconds. I believe
that my desire to quit smoking is stronger than my desire to have a cigarette, so I have a feeling that
I'm gonna beat this addiction once
and for all.
I figured each craving I have will only make me stronger for the next.
I'm so excited about this. I feel so happy about not smoking. As
dramatic as this may sound, I'm going through the biggest battle of my life. It's exhilarating and scary at the same time.
This is life changing.
I know I can do this but it won't be easy. I've
smoked every single day for 27 years of my life and have quit twice. Both quits lasted
for a period of 9 months each and then I always started back up for one reason or another. There was always an excuse.
I'm too stressed out right now not a good time to quit, just started a new job can't give 100% to quitting, etc.
Well I'm done with excuses.
This is it. I've quit this time for good. I haven't smoked for a week. A
whole week!
I can't wait to get to the point of measuring my quit in years!
It feels great to breathe again.
December 23, 2007 Sunday
December 5, 2007 Wednesday
December 3, 2007 Monday
November 20, 2007 Tuesday
November 18, 2007 Sunday
November 11, 2007 Sunday
November 9, 2007 Friday
2) the very nature of the transition -- acceptance of yourself as an ex-smoker -- is rooted in permanence.
Where before, the struggles were day-to-day, this is suddenly about me vs. eternity.
November 4, 2007 Sunday
November 1, 2007 Thursday
This is the way having emphysema makes me feel. Take a deep breath, blow out 20%, now walk around holding
the rest in forever. Do you like to shop for new clothes? For me it is like running track while getting dressed, only
you have to stop 3 or 4 times before you finish. It changes your whole life, nothing remains
the same! Jan Costilow garyc@pcsystems.net
Special Note: Jan has now received a lung transplant and is doing very well!
I have a disease known as emphysema. I would like to give all teenagers a brief description of my life as a person with
emphysema. The facts that I provide to you will be a true-life experience of my trials and tribulation of my disease.
Young people sometimes do not realize that smoking can destroy their future. They do not understand the problems
that can develop from smoking. They do not understand the affect it can have on their health.
My name is Brenda. I am 50 years old but my heart feels much younger. I adore music. I have played the
guitar for more years than I care to remember. I love nothing more than to get out my guitar and play and sing.........alone
or with others. I grew up on Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead. I remember all the times when I was learning to play guitar,
all the hours I sat practicing till I got it just right, puffing one cigarette after another. I thought it was just way cool
to stick my lit cigarette into the end of the guitar string, and let it smolder there while I was playing. What great times!
What fun that was! I was young and invincible.........I thought I could quit anytime.
My name is Myrl. I was a teen , maybe just like you. I liked hanging out with the gang at the corner drug store
for burgers and shakes--and a cigarette or two. I played basketball 7 years, was on the softball team. Spent summers
swimming and fishing with friends--and sneaking a smoke now and then. After high school, I was girls basketball coach
at the local grade school for a year. Then went to work at Sears in Atlanta. Met and married a wonderful man who loved
the outdoors as much as I did. We cashed in our profit sharing , borrowed the rest and bought a farm. We started small
and grew. Working together in and outside was a joy. My favorite thing was raking and bailing hay.
This is Cristy from TN. I'm wondering if I could get some advise. I am 25 years old, I used to smoke cigarettes, but not
anymore. Two years ago, my left lung collapsed and they had to put in a chest tube and found out that I have emphysema.
Now I'm recovering from another bout. In February, my right lung collapsed, they put in a chest tube and put me in the
hospital, three days later, my left lung collapsed again and they put in another chest tube, two days later, they decided that
I needed surgery on my left lung. When they went in they discovered that emphysema had ate up my upper lobe of my
left lung. They had to remove that part of my lung. I then developed pneumonia in both lungs. I still have to have surgery
on my
right lung. And my doctor has discovered that I have a floating rib.
October 29, 2007 Monday
October 28, 2007 Sunday
October 28, 2007 Sunday
* Carbon monoxide in your body drops.
* Oxygen level in your blood increases to normal.
* Your sense of smell and taste will improve. You will enjoy your food more.
* Your risk of heart attack begins to decrease.
* Bronchial tubes relax and your lung capacity will have increased, making breathing easier.
* Blood flow improves; nicotine has passed from your body.
Within 2 weeks to 3 months:
* Circulation will improve, making walking and running easier; lung functioning increases up to 30%.
* You’ll experience less coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of breath.
* Your risk of heart disease will be about half of what it would have been if you continued to smoke.
* Your risk of stroke will be substantially reduced; within 5 to 15 years after quitting, it becomes about the same as a non-smokers.
* Your risk of dying from lung cancer will be about half of what it would have been if you had continued to smoke.
* Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas will also decrease.
* Your risk of dying from a heart attack is equal to a person who never smoked.
October 26, 2007 Friday
October 21, 2007 Sunday
October 18, 2007 Thursday
October 17, 2007 Wednesday
October 17, 2007 Wednesday
October 16, 2007 Tuesday
October 15, 2007 Monday
...I figured I could always try again.
...I had plenty of time.
...People in my family never had cancer, and they all smoked, so I was safe.
October 14, 2007 Sunday
October 11, 2007 Thursday
October 10, 2007 Wednesday
October 9, 2007 Tuesday
October 8, 2007 Monday
October 7, 2007 Sunday