Almost immediately after covering from the infection, I realized how much more energy I had. I could walk up stairs without huffing and puffing. Heck .. I could just WALK without getting out of breath. I then realized how much my life had been structured around smoking. My clothes always had to have pockets so I could carry the cigs & lighter with me. Sometimes I would even wake up during the night and need to smoke. It was ghastly.
Now, I truly think of myself as a tobacco-holic. Part of me would still would love to smoke, and I don't dare take even a small drag on one. I am like the alcoholic who would fall off the wagon with one beer.
My two daughters had quit for about 7 years and one night they decided to go out to a party and have just that ONE cigarette. It made them regular smokers again. You can never just have that one. I pray every day that I will never be stupid enough to ever pick one up and light it.