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Posted by apstaats on Mar 11, 2007 · Member since Mar 2006 · 661 posts
Hi everyone,
I was just thinking about all of the people that have posted lately, seeking support in quitting smoking, and helping friends who are ill.
I was just wondering how everyone is doing. If you have been trying to quit smoking, how's it going? If you are nursing someone back to health or praying/sending positive vibes for a friend in need, how are they doing?
I believe just by keeping all of you and your friends in our thoughts, positive things can happen! :)
Thanks for posting this apstaats... I have also been thinking of those people and wondering how they were doing.
Let us know! We care!
Well as you can see I have been pretty quiet about smoking lately because I still am. I did a lot of soul searching this weekend. A lot has happened in my life lately. Fourteen years without smoking and 3 1/2 months of smoking. Cali being deathly ill, two of my beautiful budgies dying, a relationship that ended, one of my best friend's brother passing away suddenly, my constant ongoing renovations and on and on.
This is what my soul searching produced. I am smoking my last cigarette before I go to sleep tonight.
I want to quit for ME (number 1 reason). I want to quit because if I get sick, my furred and feathered companions will be without care. And, I want to quit for the new person in my life. As I only smoke evenings and weekends and outside, there is no excuse for me not to quit.
Nothing and I mean nothing was worse than my new BF telling me tonight he has never kissed a woman who smoked! I know what that is like. It is like licking a dirty ashtray.
I told him I was going to quit and he said, you have to do it because you want to. Not for any other reason. I said, I am going to quit for me. That is my number one reason. My health.
So, wish me luck as I embark on a smoke free life starting when I wake up in the morning.
Other than this board, only 3 people know I am smoking again.
I constantly had bronchitis when I was a smoker for years. I now have a disgusting cough. Glad I do as it is a constant reminder of how bad smoking is for our health.
As well, I am still sending positive thoughts to all the people trying to quit and the ones with loved ones that are ill or have huge stresses in their lives.
On the bright side, my BF's next kiss will be tobacco free! ::)
Thanks for the post. It is nice to know we are all looking out for one another.
Diver-Di -
If you can make it through this tough time in your life without that crutch you are a strong, strong person and I admire you for that! Good luck! :)
Diver-Di -
If you can make it through this tough time in your life without that crutch you are a strong, strong person and I admire you for that! Good luck! :)
Thank you Jennifer! I will keep you posted.
On the bright side, the person I am seeing now doesn't eat much meat and fully respects my decision not to eat it.
The person I recently broke up with was a huge meat eater and could not understand why I didn't eat meat although he not not push it with me. Like someone could!
Just had my last cigarette. Went and brushed my teeth and just threw out the ashtray! Today IS the first day of the rest of my life!!!!!
merrick has been fine since wednsday but now my mom is getting over it. she has been puking and all that since friday. lol, when we went to krogers to get milk and diapers on our way out we bought some girl scout cookies and one of the scouts put the box beside merrick, he tried to open the box right there so i took it away and he started crying (it was b/c he was tired and probbably thought he was in trouble). b/c of that i was laughing on our way to the car.
I've been smoke-free for 1 month and 4 days now...and I've honestly never felt better....
You can do it Di..if I did (and i was a 1-1/2-2pk a dayer) anyone can!
So I am still smoking, BUT (Di, you may be interested) I had a break down a week or so ago (we've been unbelievably busy with the shop and it was a good break-down) and was talking about how much quitting smoking sucks with a good friend. This friend has been my "smoking buddy" for a long time. She smoked the entire time she was pregnant (trying to quit the whole time) and now that he's 2, she's kicked it. She gave me a 20 minute power pep talk and told me about this book that she'd read (as corny as it is "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr; she said it was recommended by Ellen and it clearly had an effect on her). So I bought it (and bought one for my friend with breast cancer).
It kinda cuts through a lot of nonsense and confronts the "lie" that we smokers tell ourselves so we keep inhaling foul, unnatural things into our lungs. There are thinking exercises that you work through {ie: light a cigarette, take 6 pulls and now think about how good it tastes - the kicker being (for you non-smokers)it doesn't --smoking doesn't taste good} that kind of stuff. It kinda goes at the throat of the will-power method and he says this a lot "Get it into you head..." which works.
I am taking a professional certification exam in three weeks and I am trying to decide if I want to completely quit before then. Part of me thinks it's dumb to quit before a major thing like that, but I don't want to be sitting in an exam room for two days with a bunch of professional colleagues pining away for a *&%^& cigarette. If it occurs to me that I want one, I want the answer to be "NO!" So there I am, with about 60 pages to go in the book. I also picked up some Chinese herbs to help with the bitchiness, but that remains to be seen (with our schedule right now, I don't think it is the cigarettes that are causing the bitchiness).
Congrats to you majicka414!
And thanks to you all for the positive energy ;)
My friend with the cancer surgery and the weird hang-up on carbs is doing quite well. Without getting into too much detail; the biopsy was much more intense than they had planned, but they may have gotten everything and she may skip the chemo. She'll find out soon. It's not really breast cancer; it is the re-emergence of a carcinoma in the lymph node behind her left breast; meaning it isn't really behaving like lymphatic cancer, breast cancer, or carcinoma, so the treatment schedule is not as apparent.
I've been smoke-free for 1 month and 4 days now...and I've honestly never felt better....
You can do it Di..if I did (and i was a 1-1/2-2pk a dayer) anyone can!
Woohoo! Way to go!!!!! Well, I made it through today and had many cravings because I was at home and not at work. None the less, I made it through today. I won't see my BF for a couple of days now and I can't wait to give him a smoke free kiss. Something to look forward to!
Congrats Majicka!!!!! You are doing amazingly great!!!! Way to go!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!
Hugs
Di
Me and you have to get on track. Time to quit. I quit today. Well I guess actually yesterday, Monday. Very hard day because I was home. I have no problem being at work and not smoking. I can never touch a cigarette to my lips again because I know what happens...I become a smoker again. I was 14 years smoke free. Now 3 1/2 months of smoking. My goal, to be smoke free for the next 70 years although I will be dead by then! ;D
Pick a time that it is good for you but remember, we all make excuses. I am very good at that and I am praying I can get through this week. If I do...I am a non smoker again!
I also swear, I will not kiss my sweet BF again with an ashtray mouth. I know that is gross because when I didn't smoke, I dated smokers. YUCK!
Good luck everyone!!!!!!!!!
Hugs
Di
Thank you so much for sharing, everyone! Congratulations on your successes! Please keep posting updates. We are all cheering for you!!!
No soda, quite a bit less Splenda/Aspartame consumption, and still binge-free! :D I feel really great-- it feels awesome, never feeling bloated or pained. I have so much more energy when I'm not dragging a swollen gut around. I just hope I can remember this feeling after Lent is over. I feel like I'm so much closer to leaving all these ED issues behind me, and I'd give anything to just forget about them and move on with my life!
Oh, yeah, I forgot that I gave up artificial sweeteners too! I have been using stevia in my coffee, and I don't miss the Splenda at all. In fact, I think I am slowly changing my taste buds to not like sickeningly sweet stuff anymore.
I used to drink the store brand Crystal Light stuff. Don't know what I was thinking there... more chemicals, please! Instead, I have bought 100% apple juice frozen concentrate, and I mix 1/4 cup of that with a half gallon of water and keep it in the fridge. What I end up with is extremely diluted apple juice. It tastes like I'm having something more special than plain water, but it is hardly any different. I think that should be better for me than the artificial stuff. I am going to start experimenting with fruit juice and dates in my baking in lieu of white sugar.
Way to go Mizzoukitten! I know how you feel about wanting to move on with your life. I wish you luck!!!