MarylandQuitter

Step aboard, Becky. Hope to see you soon...:)

Tracey, I'm sorry that your Dad was taken from you so soon. He sounds like he was an incredibly strong man. I hope you're getting lots of hugs today and hope you can feel the ones being sent in cyberspace.

That would be Julie. She said that she's going to post the video of her while (whilst, for our UK members) she's practicing it as well. She's a good sport that one I tell ya. :)

I just checked his profile last night and he hadn't posted in a couple of days. Hope he checks in soon...

The good thing about this is there is no time requirement. You can have this epiphany the day you quit or anytime thereafter. :)

I was almost 2 months quit back in Feb 2013 when I visited the dentist for the first time, in a very long time. I dodged a bullet. I don't know, must have been about 3 weeks prior to my visit when I noticed a spot on two of my teeth and decided it was time to see a dentist. No pain, no issues but I hadn't seen a dentist since April 2004 when I had a root canal done. I had read on the internet what smoking can do to our teeth, gums, oral cancer etc. Although I always brush my teeth twice a day and floss at least that many times, I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst. I made an appointment with a dentist as it was time to pay up for not only skipping so many dental visits but also for smoking. They did x-rays, the whole nine yards. The dentist was asking me some questions about prior dental work, my medical history etc. and I told her that I had not been seen by a dentist in almost 9 years and that I just quit smoking about 1.5 months ago. I knew what the next question coming was and I answered I've been a smoker for 28 years, a with a couple of long periods of being smoke free. She congratulated me for quitting and even mentioned it was a very hard thing to do and seemed genuinely pleased. She explained to me that her mother was a long-time smoker and once she quit, she ended up getting some implants to fix her teeth. Even with proper dental care, smoking can still wreak havoc on our teeth and gums. My x-rays were front and center on the nice HD TV screen in front of me and I had to know. I asked her how bad things looked. She said not bad at all. You have two very small cavities which you already know about and I'm surprised you even saw them and there is one more small one on the bottom. I said well what about planing (scraping under the gum-line), deep cleanings etc. She said none of that. You don't need anything else done. She said she could tell that I brush my teeth way too hard because I'm pushing my gum-line down/up. I said that makes sense because I use a new toothbrush every 3 weeks and the one I'm currently using is only a week old and is already parted down the middle. I was relieved with the good news and to be quite honest, could have cried if it weren't for the dental hygienist and dentist right next to me. Had I been left alone for a moment, I would have. I was that relieved. Next was the oral cancer exam, neck exam etc. All was well. Next was an inspection of my mouth with the pick etc. lol She asked if I had ever worn braces to which I responded no and asked why. She said because my teeth were so straight and each side was an exact mirror of the other. I kind of gave this puzzled look and she said that's a good thing. We don't see this very often. You ready to get your teeth cleaned? You bet I am! After the cleaning and polishing was done she said she can tell that I drink a lot of coffee because she removed a ton of coffee staining. I was hoping that would come off!! Anyway, she said to get a rechargeable toothbrush because they do so much better at removing coffee and food staining, a much better job of removing plaque and would be much, much easier on my gums because they have a pressure sensor that only lets you press so hard and a timer for each quadrant of your mouth. Sounds good to me. She told me the brand etc. to get. The one I chose was expensive ($220), but the investment is worth it to keep my teeth as clean as possible and help prevent any future issues. She and the hygienist use the same model so I figured it must be worth it. My teeth have never felt or looked better! No whitening needed either. What a good feeling. If anybody reading this is worried about going to the dentist, go anyway. I was prepared for the worst. I was expecting loosing those two teeth that I had seen the spots on. I had expected deep cleanings/planing and whatever needed to fix my neglect. Again, I dodged a bullet but was willing to pay up to get everything fixed. Not to mention, what an incentive to never smoke again! Spending as little time as possible sitting in the "mercy seat" is quite the motivator to keep my quit!

I've got a good one, LB. You would think that certain things we encountered as smokers would have sealed the deal and forced us to quit. Ever heard the old tale that putting a horse hair into a cigarette would surely make anybody quit? I have one better. I would always save a little water in my water bottle or a little soda in my bottle to put out cigarettes while driving. You know where this is going but follow me anyway. As the liquid was absorbed by the cigarette butts, I would keep adding water or whatever I had until my make-shift ashtray was completely full. A full bottle of fermented nastiness. One night I was driving and I had two diet ginger ale bottles in the side-by-side cupholders in my truck. One bottle was chock full of tobacco hooch and the other was a fresh, cold bottle of groovy ginger goodness. I was so thirsty and in my haste, I lost track of which bottle was which. It was dark. I grabbed the wrong bottle. I chugged it. At first I didn't notice until my throat started to burn (yes, I swallowed it). And then came the moment the instant after I chugged it that something had gone terribly wrong. I pulled over and commenced rinsing and spitting far longer than what was needed. I thought for sure I was going to get sick but I didn't. So what did I do to remedy this FUBAR [1]situation? Nope, didn't quit smoking and instead lit one up once I finished my 10 minute exorcism. Over the lips through the gums look out tummy here it comes. Footnotes: [1] FUBAR is from a Clint Eastwood war movie and a General asked Clint how things were going on the battlefield to which Clint replied, "FUBAR, sir". The General asked what that meant and Clint said, "****** up beyond all recognition, sir."

El Bandito, Your tag for your thread, "Guard The Quit" couldn't be more accurate. You've recognized junkie thinking and although recognizing it doesn't change the fact that you want to smoke right now, it is protecting your quit right. I'm bookmarking this thread because so many people in this situation would have relapsed and is a good wake-up call that we're all addicts and always will be. I hope you start to feel better and I bet you're glad you didn't smoke. I know I am! :)

No smoking for me.

30-40 per day. Sometimes more if I was pulling a double at work. Sometimes on midnight shift I'd smoke an entire pack in 8 hours.

No two better men to kick you in the butt when you need it. I'm glad that Jonny5 & Sarge had the words to break through your addiction to get you over that hump. :)

This is what makes me smile. :)

When I admitted to myself that smoking was more important than anything in my life. That was unacceptable to me but it was true. I left my children in the house while I went outside to smoke many times per day. I smoked while driving with the window down, dumb enough to think they weren't breathing any of it. They watched me smoke. Yet I continued on knowing what I was doing to my health and that I was cutting their time down with me. My Dr. told me "don't sit here and tell me that your daughter is the most important thing in your life because she's not. Cigarettes are." That was a tough pill to swallow but after I thought about it and what he said to me, he was right. I couldn't let my addiction to smoking come before my family ever again. Never again will my children smell smoke on my breath or see me with a cigarette dangling from my mouth. Never.

You know what, Tiffany? When my Dr. called me an addict I was pissed. He wasn't buying what I was selling and laughed when I asked him if he was serious when he called me an addict. How ignorant I was. Once I accepted that I was a nicotine addict and would be for the rest of my life, it became okay for me to think about smoking. Thinking about smoking and wanting to smoke is different for me. I think about smoking everyday but I don't want to smoke everyday.

Yep. The bottom left corner of the page you see "change theme" and you can use whichever you'd like. :)

You can go to the bottom of the page and choose your theme. :)

The compound miter saw put the radial arm saw into extinction pretty much. I have one and it's so freaking handy I love it!

Jumping rope is hard, at least for me which is why I never do it. lol It's not the same as when we were kids. :) Jumping rope is great and WILL get you in shape. No doubt about that.

lol :P

I quit smoking so I won't be sucking any smoke into my lungs today.

ermagawd. lol

2 examples:

Click on the "Downloads" link in between the "Calendar" & "Blogs" buttons and you'll see 4 images for you to use in your tickers, if you want to. ;)

Nook [1], Kindle & 2 Android tabs [2] Footnotes: [1] This is mine [2] I have a family and I need peace, hence each their own

On the other wall where my weights are, there is an LED TV [1], stereo for the tunes, sectional for when I'd rather lay down and a really, really cool handmade teak/oak/red oak desk [2]. Footnotes: [1] The LED TV is hooked up to Netflix as well as the internet, FIOS so I can watch the Baltimore Ravens & Orioles [2] MQ would rather throw the treadmill away than part with desk