Gosh it's hard to do this plus do Atkins. Been on it for two weeks. Saw a post here about a website whyquit.com. Looked at some of the pics of people who had died. There were two pics of people who had died - one a woman who was recently married and never made it to her child's 1st birthday. The second was a construction worker who was once an attractive man and the cancer made him look like an aids patient.

After seeing those pics I put my cigarrette out it as I thought what am I doing to myself? Yes cigarrettes are a great relief but for my life! I think not. My son has wanted me to quit as he says Mommy it'll kill you. And if it did who would raise my son? I'm a single parent. I want to raise him under my beliefs not someone else's. Why do we think that we won't be affected by cancer? That it will pass us by? The man who died said the same thing and he died at a young age. I was talking to my son on the way home last night. I told him I really want a cigarrette. I was so grouchy and he said mom's its a risk consequence thing. If you smoke you can die. I thought that was such a profound statement for a nine year old. It put things into perspective for me. I so want a cigarrette. I miss the puffing and exhaling there is nothing like it. Can anyone relate? Day 1 no smokes.

Congratulations on making this important decision for yourself and for your son. He certainly sounds like an exceptional and very special boy. So you must be special too.

Would it help to think that, like carbohydrates, nicotine is a physical addiction, not just a lack of will power?

Go see your doctor and get the help which is available for this chemical dependency: patch, gum, medication. Try them all.

It's not that you are weak, it's that the nicotine addiction is strong. But if you stay away from it, the cravings will become weaker as your body recovers.

I certainly wish you complete success on both fronts.

Thank you. Day two smoke free.