"I am an Old Fogey, and Damn Proud of it!"

One year ago tonight, I took the first step in becoming a healthier, happier
person. I sat here that this very same desk, typing on this very same
computer and crushed out my last cigarette. I had done this before, although
not recently, and had failed or given in to the strong grip of the tobacco
companies, costing me more and more money with each unsuccessful quit.
Tonight was different because I feared for my health, and I was too young at
37 to have to worry about my heart. Heart disease does run in my family, and
I've already been warned about my high cholesterol. Smoking wasn't helping
things either.



My plan was simple. On my home from work that afternoon, I stopped by the
drugstore and purchased a box of 21mg patches which had done well for me
before. I would go to bed after finishing off the last cigarette and would
begin wearing the patches the next day. My wife was didn't think I could do
this. but that was just a little more motivation for me to keep this quit.



I never smoked when I first woke up, and I'm usually half way to work before
I would reach for one that I always carried in my left shirt pocket. This
morning though, as I was driving in, there was the patch. I pulled it out
and glued the thing to my left arm.



At work, I couldn't concentrate on anything but not smoking. I guess I had
one of the last offices in this country where I could still smoke any time I
felt like it, so that needed to change. I posted no smoking signs up at each
entrance and threw out all of the ash trays that I could find. Then I sat
down at my computer and started researching anything and everything I could
find that dealt with becoming a nonsmoker. I was pleased to find out that
there were many support groups available, and after hanging out quietly in a
few of them, I made a few reply posts to test the reaction.



AS3 was the first people to notice that I was there and asked me to do a
formal introduction. I believe it was robbb that invited me first, but
everyone else made me feel right at home as well. I believe that I spent the
rest of the day reading every simple post that was made as far as my news
server went back. I also spent a lot of time on Quitbuddies.org which made
me laugh so much I forgot about smoking, at least for awhile. The sense of
humor that this group portrayed did make me feel right at home.



I read somewhere that the patch had an 80% fail rate and was stunned! I was
certain that I wasn't going to fail with this quit and decided that if this
was true, and I have no way to confirming this one, that I wasn't going to
use the patches and went cold turkey after that. The one piece of
information that I held on to was knowing that all of the nicotine is out of
your system after three days. If I could make it that far, the rest should
be easy. Yeah right.



The biggest test of my quit came the next month while fishing in a
tournament that our tackle company sponsors every year. Once again, my
determination saw me through this week, even though I was told that all I
had to do was ask for a cigarette. I was actually prepared to come home a
smoker again, but kept in mind how my children would see me as a failure.
That wasn't a pretty sight.



As time passed, the cravings became less and less intense and farther and
farther apart. Some days I wouldn't even think about a cigarette, but there
were other days where I would. I thought about how stupid it would be to
start again and really enjoyed being about to breathe deeply again. I even
bought a bicycle since I wasn't getting winded as easily any more! Five
months into my quit brought on another challenge. Actually, it wasn't
because as I was laying there on the ground with that broken pelvis, my mind
immediately told me that I was glad that I wasn't a smoker. Plus, the five
weeks that it took me to recover from that, I couldn't really leave the
house.



I'm not going to say that my first year was easy, no way! But, the hell that
I went through for the first week or two is something that I never want to
go through again. and that helped me a lot. Plus, how could I come back into
AS3 and admit that I blew my quit? How would it feel to reset my beloved
meter back to zeroes? How could I face all the people that I told that I
quit? There was only one option that would keep me from all of that, and
that was not smoking.



I can't tell you how many times that I've seen it posted in AS3 this past
year where people say, "If I can do, you can too". But those words really do
help. You guys have been a MAJOR part of making this work and I feel that I
owe you guys a lot. I'm not usually a man of many words, but hell. tonight I'm
celebrating and you are a part of it. But what I mean is, I know I can help
others with their new quits and I'm going to promise to do whatever I can to
repay this group. Once again. you guys are amazing!



Well, I've ran my mouth. err, fingers long enough and I've got a bunch of
people (non-smokers) waiting for me. There's a party goin' on around here. a
celebration, to last through out the year. So bring it on! The Hot Tubs are
going to be rocking tonight, so watch out!



Thank you AS3, and for any newbies reading this crap. Listen to the advice
given here, drink lots of water, take breathing lessons, walk, bike, run,
jog. ANYTHING that takes your mind off of smoking. It's a huge lifestyle
change, but one that not impossible. I had to change my route to work just
because I always had my first smoke on the way to work. Find your triggers,
and defeat them. I believe that's one of the most important things I can say
to you right now, other than to be sure to listen to the others here. They
have helped me. and most of the time they never knew it.



Heading to the tubs,

Charles Summers



PS: Party report to follow





One year, 2 minutes and 19 seconds.

9125 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,437.19.

Life saved: 4 weeks, 3 days, 16 hours, 25 minutes.





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Relevant Pages

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    ... unsuccessful quit. ... I would go to bed after finishing off the last cigarette and would ... I couldn't concentrate on anything but not smoking. ... back into AS3 and admit that I blew my quit? ...
    (alt.support.stop-smoking)
  • Re: "I am an Old Fogey, and Damn Proud of it!"
    ... unsuccessful quit. ... I would go to bed after finishing off the last cigarette and would ... I couldn't concentrate on anything but not smoking. ... back into AS3 and admit that I blew my quit? ...
    (alt.support.stop-smoking)
  • Re: "I am an Old Fogey, and Damn Proud of it!"
    ... unsuccessful quit. ... I would go to bed after finishing off the last cigarette and would ... I couldn't concentrate on anything but not smoking. ... back into AS3 and admit that I blew my quit? ...
    (alt.support.stop-smoking)