After 43 Years, The Nicotine Habit Is Broken

The Intelligencer Wheeling News-Register ^ | 5-1-07 | Fred Connors

[ConservativeStLouisGuy]

In the early days of life without nicotine I am focusing on the positives associated with quitting.

The greatest thought is an incident that firmly planted the quit smoking seed into my mind. Even before my diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease surfaced, the wheels were put into motion by a most unlikely source.

It came out of the blue from my 9-year-old grandson.

As part of the Thanksgiving observance last year at his school, he noted what the holiday means to him. What he posted on the wall in his third grade classroom was priceless.

He wrote, “I am thankful for my family. Also, I hope my cousins will have a great Thanksgiving. I hope that God will help my grandfather to stop smoking. I hope that everyone stops doing bad things. I praise the Lord for everything.”

This simple, innocent message began ringing in my mind like one of those songs people get stuck on and can’t quit singing.

When push comes to shove and I feel weakness slipping in, I will revisit my grandson’s words.

I’ll also go to another uplifting reference.

The American Lung Association says when a smoker quits, within 20 minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.

- At 20 minutes after quitting: blood pressure decreases, pulse rate drops, body temperature of hands and feet increases.

- At eight hours: carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal, oxygen level in blood increases to normal.

- At 24 hours: chance of a heart attack decreases, ability to smell and taste is enhanced.

- At 72 hours: bronchial tubes relax making breathing easier, lung capacity increases.

- At two weeks to three months: circulation improves, walking becomes easier, lung function increases as much as 30 percent.

- At one to nine months: coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases.

- At one year: risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker.

Day One

The sun came up without incident. I sensed excitement in the air as opposed to secondhand smoke being exhaled from my poor lungs.

I realized about nine hours had passed since I destroyed my last half pack of cigarettes. That, according to the ALA, means my blood pressure decreased, my pulse rate dropped and the body temperature of my hands and feet increased. Also, the carbon monoxide level in my blood dropped to normal and my oxygen level rose to normal.

All this — and all I did was wake up and get out of bed.

It felt good walking into the newsroom alone rather than being accompanied by the stench of tobacco.

A few early birds, part of my ally brigade, acknowledged my quit day with well wishes. One thoughtful staffer went so far as to leave a beautiful, encouraging greeting card on my keyboard.

It was a rather routine news day for the paper but a great news day for me. I did not smoke. Truth is, I didn’t want to.

Quit day. It’s all good.

The next couple of days were surprisingly uneventful. I thought about cigarettes, but there was no real strong urge to light up. This may be attributed to my determination to use the medication and lozenges exactly as directed.

Referencing the ALA 72-hour milestone, it’s nice to know my lung capacity has increased, and I tend to think my bronchial tubes have relaxed because I am breathing easier.

A recurring thought tells me that lighting up now would undo the precious few health improvements I have gained.

Why go back to block one?

Here I am, one week into a way of life that seemed so out of reach. I’m convinced the excitement of this accomplishment by far overpowers whatever rush I might get by giving in to nicotine.

In conclusion, everything covered in this series contributed to my success in becoming nicotine free. The defining factor, however, was my mindset. When I honestly decided to end a 43-year addiction, the rest was doable.

Some studies say a person has truly quit if that person uses no form of tobacco for 30 days. Others suggest it could take six months.

That means the jury is still out on me. It might as well come back in.

I quit.

[Lx]

As my mom lay dying from smoking related causes I had a long talk with the respiratory tech and she said that basically, if you quit by 45-50, your body will rebound almost 100% in a few years, quit after that and the benefits go down.

Nevertheless, stopping smoking whenever has to help.

Good luck!

[mysterio]

In the next month, I’m done smoking.

[Tucker822]

My husband and I getting our first prescription of Chantix this Friday - our quit day is May 12.

We’re excited and ready.

I wish great luck to your husband.

[Ben Chad]

Thirty years after quitting, I think I still have some lung scars which manifest when boisterous laughing turns into coughing.

[stopem]

It really works, they have support calls daily.
Thanks good luck to both of you.

[advertising guy]

I knew a man who smoked five packs of Marlboro Lites a day

He quit

Got runned over by a t’bacca truck

[kanawa]

Thanks for the ping.

[TomServo]

I quit on December 8th, 2004.

2 hours before I had a heart attack and flatlined.

Haven’t had one since....

[ErnBatavia]

That’s about the time you relinquished your title as “Chief of Thread Cop Police”, IIRC!!

[TomServo]

LOL!!!!! Yeah....had to give up the badge and gun after that! :-)

[Zman516]

Good luck to all of you who are quitting.

It’s a helluva fight, but well worth it.

Your heart and lungs will thank you later.

[Hot Tabasco]

Thanks for the ping, picked up my presc. of Chantix today, tomorrow will hopefully be day one of a new life.....

I'm already trying to talk myself out of doing this. Strange stuff indeed.........

[radiohead]

My husband and I getting our first prescription of Chantix this Friday

Good luck to you. My stepfather died of lung cancer a couple of weeks ago. I understand him smoking up to the end, he knew the end was coming.

What I will never understand, and will never forgive, is my mother sitting there and smoking with him. I hope we don't have to go thru w/her what we went thru w/my stepfather.

[Ditter]

What a story! Any particular reason you quit? Premonition?

[ErnBatavia]

Ping me as to how it works for you....my doc gave me a PX for it after my physical 2 weeks ago, but I'm holding off due to the expense......that, and the fact that their literature indicates 30% of users can expect significant nausea (by my quick reading).

There are two things I really hate - and puking is both of 'em....

[Ditter]

My husband chews tobacco and the E&T gave him a prescription for Chantix yesterday. We just looked it up on the Internet and it says if you are on insulin and blood thinners you might not be able to take it. I guess he will have to speak to his diabetes doc before he takes it. Too bad, he has been wanting to quit chewing. It may be cold turkey for him.

[TomServo]

nope...I was suffering the heart attack during the two hour period.

didn’t want a smoke...;-)

I finally called my wife to take me to the hospital.

dropped dead 5 minutes after getting there. Doctor told me, ‘Yup - you’re having a heart attack’...then bang...

woke up with burn marks on my chest and the prettiest little nurse hunched over me and holding an oxygen mask over my face...

Thought I was in Heaven there for a moment...:-)

[Riverman94610]

My mom quit in 1980 with acupunture behind the ears!
She’s almost 90 now and I am almost certain she would not be with us had she not quit.
Cigarettes are vile.I did my share of drink and drugs in my younger days but at least I had half a brain enough to leave the nicotine alone.

[Eva]

Congratulations! My father was never able to completely quit smoking, even after a nearly fatal heart attack at 47 years old, that the doctors partly attributed to his smoking. When he didn’t die in the hospital, they sent him home, thinking that he would die shortly. He fooled them and got out of bed for the first time, six months later, and then started sneaking a smoke when he thought he could get away with it. He died at 51. It’s not worth it. Just stick with it.

[Ditter]

You are a luck guy! Did you have a near death experience? I have never talked to a person who had one, I have just read accounts and have always been curious.