Daisyjane2014

My husband and I just celebrated our 12 year wedding anniversary in Reno. We were on a very limited budget this year because we’re saving up for a big move. We still wanted to do something special together and get away for a weekend. We scored super cheap rates in two different resorts in Reno with Groupon specials. I was excited about the resort swimming pools and spa. I was looking forward to eating good food, swimming, enjoying the spa and sipping champagne together. I was admittedly nervous about the cigarette smoking going into the trip. I knew Casinos were notorious for being dens of pure smoke. I convinced myself that this wouldn’t be a problem but It WAS. I want to say “Oh yeah I didn’t falter at all” but I have to be honest… Reno was a hot bed of triggers. It was a lot harder than I anticipated. I feel like I almost fell of the wagon and my husband admitted that it was hard for him too a times. If quitting smoking were a video game, Reno would be the BOSS LEVEL in order to win the game. It’s really THAT bad. At least it was for me. :( I’m just so happy we didn’t relapse. My husband and I are now six months smoke free as of today. I’m grateful for that. Here's what happened in Reno: As soon as we got off the bus and stepped into the taxi, the fun started. The taxi driver was a smoker and the car reeked of smoke. It was in the air, in the upholstery, just all over. I rolled down the window and stuck out my head for some fresh air. When we entered the resort we were immediately hit by a wall of cigarette smoke. It was so thick you could cut a knife through it. My husband immediately started coughing. He turned to me with watery eyes and whispered “Damn…” I just nodded regretfully. All around us were ashtrays and people smoking in the lobby. I had been hoping that the smoking would be reserved for the casino area only. NOPE. EVERYWHERE. They were smoking on the line to check in. They were lounging around in the surrounding chair sucking on their cancer sticks. Everywhere I looked was another smoker. The smell really bothered me at first. The person waiting on line in front of me was smoking and I tried to avoid the tufts of smoke billowing into my face. I felt irritated. My husband was pissy and went to go sit down. At that moment I truly believed our anniversary trip was on a clear path to disaster and disappointment. This was NOT how I pictured it to be at all. I finally made it to the receptionist desk after a 20 minute wait on line. I think she sensed I wasn’t feeling well because she immediately gave us a complimentary upgrade to a suite for our anniversary. That was truly kind of her. We head to the 22nd floor. Low and behold.. We’re on a smoking floor. There were two people smoking in the hallway outside of their room holding an ashtray. I guess they were locked out.. or they just preferred smoking in the hallway over their hotel room. I don’t blame them if that’s the case. Who wants to hot box carbon monoxide? The room was gorgeous and actually smelled fresh. It was a HUGE suite bigger than our entire apartment in San Francisco . It had big windows displaying panoramic views of the surrounding mountains of Nevada. The bed was massive and there was a JACUZZI in the bathroom! We were pretty giddy. It was like winning the lottery. What an awesome room to celebrate our anniversary! At night we fell asleep to the twinkling lights of Reno and the sea of stars overhead. We had received $30 complimentary free play for the slots. So we decided to head down to the casino to see if we would get lucky. We DID! We won $76.00 on a 50 cent machine. We used that to have a fancy dinner that night at the resort steakhouse. Lobster, shrimp, king crab, oysters and Filet Mignon! It was awesome! :D So here is where things started getting bad… We had a nice buzz from the wine we enjoyed at dinner and decided to throw another $20 in the slot machines to see if we got lucky again. As you can imagine, there was smoke everywhere. Every slot machine had an ashtray next to it. As soon as we sat down, a waitress appeared asking us if we’d like some drinks “On the house” – So we ordered so drinks and played the 5 cent machines for fun. The free drinks kept rolling in and We were getting pretty toasted… A young woman sat at the machine next to us and lit up a smoke. I suddenly felt a seductive pull to do the same. There was an old school cigarette machine literally 4 steps away to my left. (I haven’t seen a machine like that since the early 90’s!) There was the brand I used to smoke… Camel Lights just staring at me from behind the glass… I saw my husband looking at her too. Our eyes met and I knew he was thinking the same thing. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and sucked hard on my cocktail. The straw in my mouth helped but suddenly the drink was gone. I put it down, focused back on the machine and kept playing… She pulled out another cigarette and lit it up. She was chain smoking, the way I used to back in the day. Suddenly the smell that was so abhorrent to me earlier was now intoxicating, familiar and fun… I was leaning in to inhale it. I REALLY REALLY wanted a smoke. I started rationalizing in my head “Maybe just one, I mean when in Rome, right? At this point I’ve inhaled enough nicotine just in the air! I’m already getting second hand smoked So what the heck is the difference, right? What’s the big deal??” Then I looked at the machine again. “Maybe I should just buy a pack. Hubby and I can split it. Just one night of excess. No one has to know. It’ll be fun, like the good old days when we were young and didn’t care. It will just be for nostalgia sake. It’s acceptable here. It’s different here. It’s okay!” My husband saw me looking at the machine. I smiled with a guilty expression. That’s when the waitress came by asking if we wanted more to drink. I said “Yes please” and then turned back to my husband. He saw I was looking at the machine and he gave me his disapproving stern look. I sighed and returned my attention to the 5 cent slot machine. The woman lit ANOTHER cigarette. I watched her inhale and blow the smoke out slowly all luxuriously. She was beautiful and young... I didn’t realize I was blatantly staring at her cigarette until she suddenly offered me one!! I had this one drunk moment where I thought about taking one from her. She was holding the pack out to me. There were ten fresh cigarettes in the pack. I could just slip it out of the box and slide it in between my lips. Just like that. The thought gave me a feeling of drunken bliss. My mouth opened and closed like a fish that had jumped out of her tank. I felt like I was flopping helplessly on the ground. My resolve was slipping. I just wanted that cigarette SO BAD! I felt like every nicotine trigger in my brain woke up and was screaming all at once. There was so much going on in my head at that moment, like those flashes of images they show in a movie when someone is about to die. I thought of the hours spending reading “The Easy Way to Quit Smoking” out loud together with my husband, I remembered drowning the cigarettes in a cup of murky water, I thought of this message board and all the encouragement we’ve received from all of you, I thought of how close I was to six months smoke free, I thought about Jwg’s passing away from Lung cancer, I thought of my husband coughing and wheezing at night in bed, I thought of these 2 commercials which always scares the Sh*t out of me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxs4Pwn6f9c I imagined my husband’s disappointment with me followed by him also relapsing. I pictured him putting the cigarette between his own lips… I could hear this imaginary doctor later saying “We found a mass on his lungs…” I saw my husband emaciated in a hospital bed with large sad eyes. no no no no.. It helped me get my footing. I shook my head and said “No, thanks! I quit actually.. so no, but thanks” “Oh is my smoking bothering you? I’m sorry” She said. She looked genuinely remorseful. I had this weird urge to talk to her about quitting smoking and help her, but then I remembered that I don’t actually know her. We were perfect strangers and we’re in a casino. The last thing she would want is a lecture about the evils of smoking. “Not at all” I reassured her. “It’s fine, really” I turned around in anticipation of the look of approval from my husband…. but of course he was across the room cashing in his winnings at the ticket exchange machine. He didn’t even see me refusing the cigarette. He didn’t witness my potential relapse moment and overcoming the temptation. That was definitely the worst temptation I had in Reno, but it didn’t go away entirely after that. I don’t feel good about the cravings and the hours spent in smoke filled casino rooms/bars/dance areas. I really feel like I took in a lot of second hand smoke and that a part of me was starting to enjoy it. I was on a slippery slope in Reno. I felt like my resolve was not as strong, especially after a few drinks. I just felt kind of out of control. I felt anxious like I needed something, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I hadn’t felt like this since hell/heck week. A lot of old feelings were surfacing. It was weird because all cravings had pretty much subsided after month 3 smoke free. Here I am at 6 months smoke free and I’ve learned that you can’t let down your guard too much. You shouldn't get too confident and cocky in your quit. (I kind of was so this took me by surprise) Another thing I learned is to avoid Reno at all costs if that’s possible. I’m happy that we’re still smoke free despite the experience in Reno but I’ve been dealing with bad headaches for the past few days since I got back from Reno on Monday. My husband has been complaining that he feels a tightness in his chest, like his lungs from all the second hand smoke inhaled. So despite not smoking, We still feel negative side effects from being in nasty smoke-filled rooms for 2 days straight. So although we enjoyed the beautiful suite, the Jacuzzi, the lobster and filet mignon dinner, the pool… I don’t think we’ll be returning to Reno for quite a while. It’s just not a good place for a former smoker that’s still relatively early in their quit. No more Reno for us. At any rate, Sorry that was long winded. I just wanted to share that experience. -DJ

When I was a smoker, I thought I was absolutely Invincible. Nothing could harm me. Sure, I knew in the logical part of my brain that smoking was bad for me and that smoking caused lung cancer. I knew it but I chose to wear blinders and push that knowledge to the furthest recesses of my mind. It popped up occasionally when my husband had a coughing fit, or when he started wheezing in his sleep, or when I woke up with a horrific sore throat after a night of chain smoking with friends. I would look in the bathroom mirror and say to myself: “You need to stop smoking. It will kill you if you don’t.” Then I put my blinders back on and turned off the bathroom light. I joined my husband on the fire escape and smiled when he handed me a cigarette. La-dee-da. I convinced myself that me and my husband were immune to the negative effects of cigarette smoking. I would think “Hey, Look at George Burns, he lived to age 100 and smoked every day, It’s all good. We’re FINE.” But then I woke up. It was a combination of things. An article containing a list of celebrities that died of smoking related diseases. The list went on and on…I was shocked because I had not realized that smoking was the cause of all these deaths. Reading “The Easy Way to Quit Smoking” by Allen Carr, Joining this website, discovering my husband was already displaying early symptoms of lung cancer and reading about Bryan Curtis http://www.smh.com.au/national/dead-man-bryan-tells-his-lifes-tale-to-all-smokers-20121218-2bl7w.html Suddenly the blinders were ripped off of me rather dramatically. The light of harsh reality came flooding in. It was so bright and painful that I had to wince. I had to come to terms with the fact that I had been inhaling poison into my lungs for 15 years. I had been sucking Cancer causing TOXINS into my body. All I could think of was “HOLY CRAP!! WHY did I do that?!” The full realization of my own mortality crashed over me like a tsunami wave. :( The reason I KNOW that this quit is my sticky quit is because I don’t want to die. That’s really all there is to it. Well… that combined with my newfound hatred of tobacco corporations. (RJ Reynolds in particular) There is no part of me that believes cigarettes have anything to offer me anymore but death. That’s what it boils down to and I don’t want to die. When someone offers me a cigarette at a bar, I immediately back away from them as though they’re offering me a loaded pistol to point at my head. I’m NOT going to play Russian Roulette with my life anymore. That’s really how I see cigarettes now. I understand why my mother called them “Cancer sticks”. That’s literally what they are. The romance is over. In the past 5 1/2 months since I quit. I know of 3 people that died of lung cancer. I knew of ZERO before I quit. Now THREE IN FIVE MONTHS! 2 of my friend’s parents and JWG on the previous board. All instances were quick. Diagnosis, 2 months… gone. I had no idea lung cancer was like that! I just found out recently that the pulmonary embolism that killed my grandmother before I was born was caused by smoking! She was fine and then she was rushed to the ER. She died before my father could get to the hospital to say goodbye. Just like that. I look at old pictures of my grandmother and marvel at the similarities of our features. This woman I’ll never meet because of cigarettes. My friend was just diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. I never even heard of that before. The doctor told her it was because she had been a smoker. She quit 5 years ago and she’s only 43 years old! I Am. Scared. Sh*tless. I was not an anxious person before I quit smoking. I was pretty happy go lucky for the most part. I experienced tragedy and I had struggles, but I handled it pretty well. (At least I would like to think so) Now I am very anxious and fearful about death. Last week my husband was folding laundry with me. He suddenly leaned over in pain and clutched his right arm. “Owwwww”, he winced and folded over. I panicked in a way I never felt before. My heart rate doubled, I broke out in a sweat, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I immediately thought “OH MY GOD! THIS IS IT! HE’S HAVING A HEART ATTACK!!” I reached for my cellphone to dial 911. My husband was like “Who are you calling??” I told him “911”. He laughed and told me to put down my phone before I could press send. He said he was fine. He kind of stretched out his arm and then lifted it over his head. After a minute he said it was just a pinched nerve and that he bent it the wrong way. Then he kissed me and said “I’m fine. I’m going to live a long life with you together. You need to relax” Then later on that week, He woke up with a sore throat, back pains and started coughing. He’s been coughing for 5 days straight now. He is so weak, his voice is all gruff and broken. I immediately thought it was early signs of lung cancer and that he needs to get that CT Scan. “I just have a COLD, It’s been going around the office. I’ll be better in no time. I’m not dying. You need to stop with the Web MD.” He told me when I had started to cry. He held me close and comforted me. I’m a ball of anxiety and I can’t seem to shake the fear that I’m going to lose him to a smoking related disease. I’m so afraid that we waited too long to stop smoking. The fact that his mother died of cancer in her 40’s doesn’t help to curb my anxieties. (He’s older than me, He’s turning 40 soon) I’ve been trying to do deep breathing exercises and yoga to calm my nerves. I realize I sound like a complete basket case and I’m not even sure I’m going to post this. I figure I might as well, most of you know me from the beginning so this shouldn’t be much of a surprise that I’m experiencing these fears. I just need advice on what to do when I feel a wave of anxiety wash over me. Has anyone else experienced anxieties and fears like this after they stopped smoking? It’s not like I walk around anxious all the time. Please don’t get me wrong. It’s not all-encompassing or anything dramatic like that. It doesn’t interrupt with work or social life. When My husband is in good health, I’m fine. As soon as he gets ill. Panic strikes. I just worry. A LOT. Probably more than I should. I know a lot of you will probably suggest seeing a therapist and getting a script for Xanax. Maybe that’s the best solution, but before I resort to drugs… does anyone else have a natural suggestion on curbing this anxiety? Does anyone else ever feel like this?

Week 1 was a milestone. That was the longest I had gone without a cigarette in 15 years. Suddenly it was really REAL. I expected the "reward" of a cigarette and then realized that this chapter was officially over. This was pretty huge for me. I had a moment of mourning and then a real big feeling of excitement for my future. 3 months felt good too. I'm looking forward to being a "Young Pharte" in a few weeks and then reaching 1 year. After that, 15 years will be a big milestone. :)

Amy - Glad you're getting back on the horse. "The Easy Way to stop smoking" by Allen Carr helped me reach the point where I was finally ready to quit. Before that, I thought I enjoyed smoking. That book stripped away any illusions I had about smoking. Glad to hear you're reading it too. How do you like it so far? Keep the quit going, You can do it! You have a lot of support here and people rooting for you. It's the best thing you'll ever do for yourself and it's worth it. :)

Awesome Action! I'm happy for you! :D

That's awesome that you opened up to your sister and told her your secret. I'm really proud of you for quitting and for talking about it with a family member. I can relate because I kept my smoking a secret from my family and my co-workers for a long time. My sister and brother saw me smoke a few times and I made it sound like it was a super rare event. "Oh I only smoke once in a blue moon when I've had too many drinks or I'm depressed or something" I never smoked around my father or mother. I hid it from my co-workers but found out they knew because they could smell it on me. I was always ashamed. I completely understand where you're coming from and YES, I hate cigarettes now too. HATE them!! Glad you were able to have a weight lifted off your shoulders and happy that you're smoke free! :)

Sarah - Yep. My husband and I quit together, so that was an awesome perk that we didn't see coming. I'm surprised more people don't write about this benefit to quitting smoking to be honest. ;)

Love this thread. I'm not over 40 yet but I can relate and remember so much of what you all have described. On the weekends I watched the Saturday morning cartoons until noon (i.e. Smurfs, He-man, Carebears, Strawberry Shortcake), then went out to play until the street lights came on. Our neighborhood was mostly boys, so I had to hang with them even though they made fun of my Pink Huffy bike. We rode our bikes through the trails in the woods, built forts and played with G.I. Joes in the mud. I was always stuck with Scarlett or Lady Jay. I remember the icecream man and buying little boxes of Jaw breaker candy for 10 cents and 25 cents each. Running through the sprinkler system during the summer and racing down the hills with my sled, navigating around the tree stumps during the winter. Life seemed simpler back then, recording Michael Jackson songs off the radio with my tape recorder and dancing to Madonna. I remember playing E.T. on Atari at my older cousin's house. My first console was the Sega Master system. I didn't have a cell phone in high school. Nobody did. Times were so different then. I miss my lunchbox ;)

Jake, I can relate. I was not feeling so hot at 6 weeks. That's about the time I started gaining weight (20 lbs for me!) and feeling bloated. I was feeling anxious and a little depressed too. I didn't feel right in my skin. Nothing fit anymore and I felt like an overcooked sausage. I was frustrated by everything and feeling like I needed nicotine to feel normal again. Just give it time. I promise you it gets better. Day by day it gets better. In the beginning everything that felt wrong in my body was attributed to quitting smoking, as the months progressed my body began to feel like my own again. I started walking more, working out and eating more healthy. My outlook began to change and I started feeling better about myself. It wasn't an overnight thing. I can't give you a specific date and say that's when it all gets better. It was a gradual progression where suddenly I stepped back and realized I felt okay. I realized I hadn't thought about smoking cigarettes in a long time. You'll feel better I promise, just take it day by day. Keep it going!

Hey Juan, I'm glad you're back on the train. Update us and let us know how it's going. You can do this! I know you can!

LOL!!! too cute!! :D

Good for you! That was my favorite part about quitting in the beginning, I let my sweet tooth go nuts and enjoyed the taste of chocolate again. I was always munching on something. All of that is better than smoking 100% better! Keep it going! You're doing great :D

Great! Thanks TAC! We're actually staying at the The Peppermill resort, so that's good news! :)

haha! Love this thread. It's a legit question though. Ran into the same issue after quitting and came up with a creative substitute. Our solution was a shot of Fernet and a glass of ice water. It works like a charm. The Fernet is only reserved for that occasion, so it makes it kind of special. It tastes WAY better than cigarettes and gives you a nice little extra buzz. ;)

Thanks guys for your feedback! We’re going to go ahead and celebrate our anniversary in Reno in 2 weeks. We’re both secure in our quit so we don’t have anything to worry about. We’ll be spending most of the time in the suite and at the pool area. It doesn’t matter where we go, we always manage to have a good time. No amount of cigarette smokers can take that away from us. I will take your advice and bring scented candles just in case. My friend is concerned and she means well. She doesn’t fully believe I’m capable of keeping my quit. She feels Reno will be too tempting but I know myself. When it comes to quitting smoking, I’ve encountered two different groups of people in my every day life. 1. There are those that UNDERestimate how difficult it is to quit smoking. These are almost always non-smokers. They’ve never touched a cigarette in their lives and they have no concept of nicotine addiction. They see smoking as a dirty habit similar to biting your nails. They pat you on the back when you quit “Good. It’s about time. Congratulations” and then they don’t want to hear about it again. As far as they are concerned, stopping smoking is as easy as tossing out a ratty old shirt from your closet. They expect you to just immediately get over it and move on. If you ever bring it up in conversation they’re like “Um, Didn’t you quit smoking like forever ago? Why are we still talking about this?” 2. Then there are those that OVERestimate how difficult it is to quit smoking. These are almost always current smokers. They want to quit, but they just can’t because they believe it’s WAY too hard. They tell horror stories about withdrawal symptoms akin to Leonardo DiCaprio trying to get off heroin in the “Basketball diaries”. (This was ME only 6 months ago) When I tell them that it’s not nearly THAT bad and that anyone can do it. You just need to want to quit more than you want to smoke. It’s mind over matter. It’s hard at first but over time it becomes your new normal. They shake their heads and tell me “I’m not as strong as you. I’m more addicted. It’s different with me. I can’t stop. This is my one vice. If it kills me… so be it.” Then there are the non-smokers that have a smoking friend/family member that they witnessed firsthand pass away from a smoking related disease or struggle with a smoking related illness. They’ve seen friends or family members try to quit over and over. This is my friend. My friend’s father passed away from lung cancer and she’s struggling to get her mom to quit smoking. Anytime her mother is around other smokers, she immediately relapses. As a result she assumes the same will happen to me in Reno and she’s trying to warn me. I understand that and I appreciate her concern. My heart breaks when I think about how she lost her father so young. He was only 54. It’s also terrible that her mother is still smoking despite that and won’t quit. Quitting smoking isn’t easy. Okay, Maybe for some people it is easy but I believe it’s really a different experience for everyone. I went through a difficult time the first few months, but I feel confident now in my quit. I know I should never let my guard down but I also know it’s NOT something that I ever want in my life anymore. A smoky casino will only remind me of how disgusting cigarettes are and cement my quit even further. It won’t ruin our trip though. I’m sure we’ll have a good time. Thanks guys!! :D

Hey Action, I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you and sending good vibes your way. It's always good to get checked out. I agree with everyone that told you to avoid WEBMD, I agree with them. I've gone done that rabbit hole one too many times. Now my husband has banned WEBMD from our computer. lol. Please let us know how it goes with both the doctor's appointment (hope everything checks out and your mind is put at ease) and your dentist. (hope you don't have a painful procedure!). Best wishes from me and the hubby here

WYE - I know right? :( Thanks Leahcar ;) - Unfortunately everywhere else within that distance in California is a lot more pricey with fewer amenities. Ava - That's what I wonder too. Las Vegas & Reno seem to cater to smokers, heavy drinkers and gamblers. I don't fit into any of those groups. The hotel looks REALLY nice though... It's been months since I've swam in a swimming pool... and a jacuzzi in the hotel room... Champagne... oh so tempting... Beacon - Yeah, the stench of smoke part is what I'm not looking forward to. Even if I stick to the pool and suite, I'm probably going to have to walk through the smoky casinos to get to the restaurants and such. There IS a nice spa there and the massage packages are pretty affordable. That's a nice idea! I have a friend that is mormon. She doesn't drink alcohol, coffee, gamble or smoke. She loves Vegas. She goes for the shows and the food. Although I'm not sure how Reno stacks up to Vegas in that regard. ;)

Hey guys! I have a bit of a dilemma. It wasn’t a dilemma until I spoke with my friend about it. So I wanted to get your opinion. My husband and I are saving up for a big move that will hopefully be happening this September. As a result, we don’t have much money left over for splurges these days. We wanted to do a little SOMETHING for our 12 year wedding anniversary coming up. We decided on a super cheap weekend mini-getaway from San Francisco. We just wanted to getaway for 2 nights to somewhere a little warmer than San Francisco. A resort with a swimming pool and a nice big plush king bed in the hotel room. We thought about Palm Springs but all of the hotels are super expensive and the airfare costs an arm and a leg. We thought about Carmel, Monterey, Napa Valley but all the hotels were $150 + a night and most of them didn’t have a pool. Finding an Anniversary getaway on a super strict budget is NOT an easy task… I almost threw in the towel. Then we stumbled on a Groupon special . There it was… a resort with 2 heated pools and a Jacuzzi in the bedroom and tons of restaurants and a bottle of champagne brought to your SUITE! Only 55$ a night with the Groupon coupon. There it was! That’s what we were looking for! The Catch… This lovely resort is in RENO. Reno is just a 3 and a half hour drive from SF and for a price that good, we figured “Heck! Why not?” It’ll be fun, affordable and it’ll get us out of the city for a bit. We’ve never been to Reno. So we booked it. Then I talked to my friend about our plans and she made a face. “Reno?! I thought you quit smoking!” I looked at her in confusion “Yeah, I did. What are you getting at?” “Reno is a Smoker’s paradise. That’s ALL they do is smoke. Smoking is allowed EVERYWHERE in Reno. As soon as you enter every casino and every resort you’re hit with a thick cloud of cigarette smoke. Bam! Straight in the face. Last time I went my room reeked like an ashtray. It’s not like here in San Francisco. Temptation will be everywhere. Why would you put yourself in that situation? Why would you put your husband in that situation?? It doesn’t sound smart to me. It’s also really dirty there. You don’t want to go to Reno. TRUST me. I hightailed out of that city as soon as I could and I would NEVER go back” Suddenly I had this flashback to a bachelorette party trip to Las Vegas a couple years back. I remembered loving the smoky casino, I sat with a cigarette dangling out of my mouth and pulling on the handle of the quarter slot machines. A lady brought endless drinks to me and my friends as we watched the wheels spin. I remember chain smoking one after the other with my friends… I remember the ash tray filling up and the waitress replacing it with a clean one. It’s all a hazy memory that involved countless packs of Camel lights, a lot of vodka tonics, a very sore throat and a throbbing skull the next morning. I had a nasty phlegm-rattling cough for about a week after that trip. Of course Reno is going to be like Vegas… probably worse. Vegas is starting to introduce smoke free casino lounge rooms but Reno is the gritty little step sister. I’m wondering if my friend is right. Maybe Reno is not a good idea. Maybe I should listen to her. On the flip side, We’re almost at 6 months quit and we’re secure in our quit. The only time I even flirt with the thought of a cigarette (in a very abstract memory instinct kind of way) is when I’ve had one too many glasses of wine. I can recognize the urge for what it is and I never succumb to it. I see cigarettes as death sticks. I don’t want anything to do with them anymore. The chapter of my life that involved inhaling poison into my lungs has ended for good. (I remember how hard it was in the beginning to quit so It feels really good to say that now!) It’s just a little weekend getaway. We’ll probably spend most of the time at the pool and in the suite. I’m not a big gambler. The most I’ll do is stick $20 in a quarter machine. That’s more than enough gambling for me. I really don’t like the smell of cigarettes though and I don’t want to subject myself to second hand smoke any more than I need to. I was walking down the street behind a women that was smoking last week. I had to stop and let her walk further ahead of me because the smoke blowing directly into my face made me nauseous. It’s really weird that I have this reaction now. I used to be entirely unaware of the stench of the smoke I was blowing into everyone’s faces when I was a smoker. How things have changed... So what do you guys think? Is Reno a bad idea? Has anyone been to Las Vegas or Reno since they quit smoking. What was the experience like for you?

Hey Action, Frez, El Bandito, Ladybug, Colleen, Doreen! Great to see you guys! :D Rachel – Hey quitbuddy, I’m so happy we’re both still going strong. :D I really like you’re new avatar pic! :) Action - I like yours too ;)

Hey Nancy! Good to see you too, my Puerto Rican sister! :) Hey Beacon! I like your avatar! :D

Hey MQ - Glad to see you too! This website looks great!! :D

Hi Sharonsiff! Thanks for the greetings! :D Hey Markus! Sweet! I brought some Bacardi rum from Puerto Rico. I'll just put it in the fridge with the wine. ;)

Hey guys, Just checking in! I see a lot of familiar faces. Thanks for the invite. This all feel very underground ;) … It looks so much like the old place but with some new improvements… I’m going to meander around a bit and check out the new furniture… I like it here! How cool! I guess I should introduce myself for those who don’t know me. I’m just strolling in here acting like everyone does. Lol! I’m DJ. I’m 35 years old. I live in San Francisco with my husband and two kitties. My husband and I both smoked for 15 years. We both quit smoking almost 5 months ago. We’ve avoided 8,853 cigarettes between the two of us and saved $2,434.00 since then. Some of which was used to pay for a vacation to the Caribbean in February. Now we’re saving up for a big move. At this point being non-smokers is our new normal. I never imagined that being possible when we first quit. Thanks to Allen Carr and all of your support I realized that cigarettes had NOTHING to offer me. I’m never going back to inhaling poison into my lungs. Now I’m just trying to get rid of this pesky post-quit weight that I’ve gained. Otherwise, I feel better than I have felt (health-wise) in a very long time. So that’s all for now – I just wanted to say “Hi!” Hope everyone has a great weekend! :D -DJ