Fri, Oct-03-03, 22:30
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Registered Member
Posts: 74
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Plan: NHE
Stats: 225/180/175
BF:22/12/8
Progress: 90%
Location: DFW, TX
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A Milestone
Today marks a milestone for me. I quit cigarettes 7 years ago on Oct 3 1996. I had smoked since Jr. High school until age 43 anywhere from 1-3 packs a day. I have heard several times that the body regenerates every cell in the body every 7 years and that was a defined goal for me.
It took a serious bout with the flu or possibly pneumonia (which my wife thought I had) which scared her to death and kept her awake all night. I realized I didn't want to put her through that anymore. Illness had never stopped me smoking before, but she acquired a box of sample nicotine patches from a doctor to see if I would use them. I did. I ran through the samples in a few days and when I went to get more from the drugstore I was shocked at the cost (although nothing compared to the $ I was spending on cigarettes). I bought them reluctantly and went back home and cut them into different sizes, large to small, to make it through. I replaced my smoking habit with exercise and a different lifestyle.
It was a like a line drawn in the sand and I never considered going back although there were some tempting moments. If anyone reads this listen up and listen tight. YOU CAN QUIT, PERIOD!!! There are many methods available to help you do it but you must make your mind up that you can and you will. You must link it to intense pain and give yourself no alternative. The pain may be physical (in my case), monetary, social, relational, fear or whatever. Let me say that it should outweight your love of cigarettes. Failure should not be an option. Honestly, if I can quit, I believe anyone can. They were so much a part of my life it was incredible.
Let me also say that it was the single most significant thing I ever did for myself. It literally renewed my physical body. It took about six weeks before I stopped thinking about smoking all the time, around 6 months to pretty much forget about it all together and around a year for my lungs to return to halfway normal capacity. I see people smoking now and my heart goes out to them. I really wish I could tell them all my story.
Take time to quit whatever you must do. It will be so worth it, I promise you. You will feel like a million bucks in a just a couple of weeks and thank yourself for it. Throw away your cigs, lighters, ashtrays, any memories of smoking and freshen your house, your clothes and your car. Stay away other smokers if you possibly can or get them to do a quit challenge with you. Reward yourself everytime you need to for what you are accomplishing. Don't give in and don't give up.
Send me a reply or IM if I can help or be an encouragement
Steve(fb)
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Here's mine.
you are doing good
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