Non-Smoker In Training, Daily Journal

my own personal Hell | 21OCT03 | King Prout

[King Prout]

A net-buddy of mine was recently diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer in the upper lobe of his right lung: stage 3a, locally metastatic, possibly operable, possibly terminal. His odds are not good. He is 53, married. He has been a 2-pack/day smoker for 30 years. I -and others- have begun sending him surplus cash to help him and his wife keep beans on the table and a roof overhead as he pursues treatment. Something about the situation struck me as beautifully symmetric: I smoke, spending about $30.00 every two weeks on cigarettes; I intend to send him at least that amount every two weeks. In order to do so, I have decided to cease purchasing cigarettes. De facto, this means I am quitting. I have smoked for some 12 years. This will be interesting. I'll be posting daily notes here as this goes on. Today is Day 4 of no cigarettes.

[King Prout]

yeah... but, WHOSE head?
:)

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Bless you. I wish you and your friend all the luck in the world. A couple of prayers won't hurt either.

Welcome to your new life.

[King Prout]

What shall allow me to succeed is my vanity.
I am extremely vain about my given word.
I gave my word to a gravely sick man.
That's about as strait a bond as I can imagine.
I am not "quitting smoking", I am merely honoring my word.

[King Prout]

I never smoke indoors, so that's no problem.
De-stinking my pickup truck, though... hrmn... any way to steam-clean a pickup's cab?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Apples are a great way to help with beating tobacco. I recall chomping apples, pears, etc and this helped me a lot.
I had previously reduced the nicotine content in the cigarettes I was buying (went from red Winstons to gold Light Winstons to white pack Ultra Light Winstons) but this resulted in buying more packs. When you're hooked, you're hooked. There are no half-way measures to get unhooked.

[King Prout]

well, as to being a "non-smoker" and adopting all that that label entails, I'll draw the line at being a sactimonious prick to smokers ;)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

That will be tricky.

[King Prout]

Thanks, and I'm sure Dean welcomes your prayers.

[King Prout]

I don't have any advice for you in your struggle.
I am stopping cold.
The last time I quit, I stopped cold and stayed smoke free for 18 months (until I went out drinking one night with some friends who smoked... "one cig won't hurt" is such a mistaken notion). That was nine years ago, thereabouts.

Nicotine as an addictive agent is comprable to heroin.
That's a big baass monkey to shrug off.
Some people stop cold, and it works.
Some people use patches or gum, and it works.
Some people try everything under the sun, and nothing works.
I don't know why this is.
For me, this time, it is a matter of honoring my word to a gravely ill, perhaps moribund, friend. My word to nicotine addiction is as King Kong is to a spider monkey.
For me, this suffices.

Good luck in your eforts to quit.

[DixieCapricorn]

I smoked pack/day for 40 yrs. Quit Mar. '98. The patches got me through altho I still miss cigarettes. In Sept. husband was diagnosed with oat cell cancer (from smoking) altho he too quit Mar. '98. Undergoing chemo & radiation now. Just hang in there. You can do this.

[Gabz]

I'll draw the line at being a sactimonious prick to smokers ;)

Bless you.

Your friend will be in my prayers.

And I wish you luck with stopping your smoking habit.And my suggestion is that you look at it that way, breaking an old habit in order to keep your word to your friend. Looking at the task as just an annoying habit is a mind game. By slightly altering your routine it will be a bit easier. if you liked a cigarette with your morning coffee, have a glass of milk or a cup of tea. if you smoked when you had a beer, drink a glass of wine instead. Think about the "triggers" and alter them.

Again, all the luck to you.

[shattered]

When you want to be quit (free) more than you want to smoke, you will be able to quit. That does not mean it will be easy at all. It is a mindset, a mind game, even if you are using nic. replacement. Nicorette and www.quitnet.com helped me the most.

It is sad when we can't even quit for the most important people in the world (our children). When my ds was 5 he said 'will you teach me how to smoke?'. Even that didn't stop me at the time. I did quit though, in January - and he is 7 now.

Good luck in your struggle. Many of us have been there, but it really is a great feeling to be free..just a struggle to break free.

[shattered]

I wish you luck in your battle. You seem to be ready, that is, you have a reason to quit. One that is very important to you. I think that will see you through.

(If you are feeling horrible, please don't feel that it is a cop out to use a replacement. I did use the Nicorette gum and it helped out a lot. After a couple months I just didn't need it anymore, no problems.)

[GovernmentShrinker]

My boss had failed at multiple attempts to quit, over a number of years. A little over two years ago, he did Zyban and hasn't has a cigarette since. I hope it works as well for you as it did for him.

[CaptRon]

I (smoker for 30 years) and my father (60 years) both quit 5 months ago. Believe it or not, we used SmokeAway (you might have seen it advertised on cable TV) and it really worked.

[Grit]

It probably didn't hurt that tea contains nicotine, either. :)

[Lurker]

I quit five days ago.

I haven't hurt anyone, yet but boy do I want to.

L

[Grit]

well, as to being a "non-smoker" and adopting all that that label entails, I'll draw the line at being a sactimonious prick to smokers ;)

You will be an EX-smoker not a NON-smoker. No sanctimony required. :)

Good luck to you, sir. I'm sure that you will do it. Besides, quitting is easy - I've done it 100 times. ;)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Me too. I think it was try Number 102 or so that finally did it.

[Grit]

Believe it or not, we used SmokeAway (you might have seen it advertised on cable TV) and it really worked.

I am curious -- what exactly is SmokeAway? The commercials that I have seen really give no clue as to what the product actually is.