My quit story (sorry its long)

[joe]

Just thought I would share ...In a nut shell, quitting smoking isnt as hard as you may think....its all about knowledge and commitment...the first step is quitting......

 

Looking back on my smoking "career" I wish I knew then what I know now....I CAN quit smoking!

 

   I think from the first cigarette i smoked as a 15 year old kid I knew that I shouldnt be doing this and that it would eventually kill me.(I think we all knew this)..how-ever, at the time everyone I hung out with smoked, so I HAD to also. My friends changed as I grew up...and most of my new friends didnt smoke...but...now, I HAD to.

  

  In my early 20's my Mother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer..I told myself that I should quit....but, I also knew I couldnt!...so why try. I continued to smoke. I met my wife and in '84 we were married (30 years coming up :) ) We now have 4 daughters..i dont, nor ever did smoke in their presents. I always smoked in the detached garage while working on my old mustang...(I spent alot of time in that garage :( ).So now, with daughters of my own...and my mother dying as a result of smoking, I really should quit....but..i heard it was hard, so I dont think I can..better not even try.

 

10/29/1990 My Mother dies (49 years old)...I should quit smoking but, again, I dont think I can.No sense in trying...maybe some other day.

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 06/09/2000  My father dies (59years old) from a blood clot after minor surgery.  I think to myself, that I should quit smoking so my girls dont have to lose either of their parents at a young age...Wont quit today, but I will think about it...(I heard its almost impossible)

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I should note, both of my parents were smokers...  :(

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  Fastforward a lot of years. My girls have all graduated high school, 3 of them have gone on to graduate college...2 with a masters degree and the 3rd working  on hers. The 4th daughter chose to raise a family instaed and so now I am about 50 years old 3 of my daughters are married and I then had 4 granddaughters..Non of my girls smoke and I am SOOO happy for that. I tried their whole life to not smoke around them...I didnt hide the fact that I smoked, instead I let them know I was embarresed that I did and it would some day kill me and i didnt want them to ever start.... I really should quit...

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  move forward to the fall of 2013 and I have made the descision to retire from my job.. I have the time in i need to start to draw a pension, so I make plans to retire effective Jan.1st ,2014...(I am too young to totally retire (52 years old) I plan on getting another job, and re-investing my retirement check each month)..At this time, I am not officially retired, but I do have about 2 months worth of vacation accumulated that i need to use before the end of the year..so, The months of Nov. and Dec. i spend "on vacation" (sitting at home)...before I retire, I have a few 'medical" concerns I want to get answers for so i make an appointment...nothing major, as it turn out I am getting old and arthritis is my biggest problem...While at the drs. office the "normal" questions include "do I smoke'..of course I say yes ..and he asks if i ever thought about quitting? DUH...doesnt EVERY smoker THINK about it? He perscribes Chantix and an injection in my shoulder to help with the old age crap...lol...When I get home, I consider filling the perscription, but want to know more about the side effects....so I get online and start reading...one page leads to another....alot of side effects that concern me...I dont think i am going to fill this perscription...but I DO continue to read...thankfully

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   i " stumble" onto whyquit.com... click on different links and find myself watch Joels Library for 1/2 a day...or more...In the middle of a video, the dogs start "bugging" me, so I figure it would be a good time to take them for a walk...besides, I "needed" a cigarette anyway...

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As soon as we hit the back yard, I reach into my front coat pocket and pull out my pack of smokes and light up...but, damn!..i only have 2 left...gonna have to go get some.....wait.........I have an idea.......why dont I just QUIT NOW!...what a concept!

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 I worked with some guys that I always said that they worked HARDER at avoiding work than they would have if they just did their job...so, I adapted that way of thinking to my quit...instead of quitting being hard, I was going to make smoking hard...for the next couple weeks, i spent as much time in areas i didnt smoke as I could...in my house....my wifes car...out to eat...shopping....in the shower (I was REALLY clean ;) ) ...sleeping...I was making it hard to smoke..

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That was Nov.20,2013....the day i smoked my last cigarette...I look back at the last 35+ years and realize that I was making quit smoking harder than what it was...once I got in the frame of mind that in order to quit, all I had to do was....quit.....it became easy!..

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A few weeks after my Drs. visit, my wife was headed to the drug store and asked if I wanted her to fill my Chantix perscripition....I told her no....she asked if I descided to not quit smoking....i had to inform her that I quit nearly a week earlier  :) ..cold turkey......and they said it couldnt be done  ;)

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 Dont get me wrong...we all know there was cravings and withdrawls, but i found with the knowledge i gained from my reading and Joels videos i knew how to deal with them..the biggest hurdle is ACTUALLY QUITTING...just stop...period...NTAP....NOPE..

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On Nov.29th my 5th granddaughter was born and sometime after the first of the year (daughter#2) informed us of granddaughter #6 joining us in May...who knows...maybe I will stick around to see them grow up...somebody has to screen the boys they will want to date....

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And on a sad note, my younger sister was diagnosed with lung cancer in Jan of 2014...She has endured Chemo and radiation trreatments the whole month of March...she is strong and has a good spirit...

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my daughters all live a few hours away, so they were  not around to pat me on the shoulder (dont get me wrong..they are extremely happy I quit)..and my wife works a strange schedule (12hr shifts and every other week-end), so I didnt get a bunch of support at home....so when i found a message board for support to help stop smoking, it was a huge help...imagine, a (virtual) room full of others who was also starting out in their quit...its like they knew what i was going through....lol...I firstt joind when i was 2 1/2 months quit, and came to THIS board in my 4th month....

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So...any newbie who has endured my suspect writing skills and read this to the end, i would encourage you to make the descision to quit and use the resorces here to experiance the freedom you can feel by finally quit smoking......

[leahcaR]

awesome story.  Thank you for sharing.  :)

[Nancy]

Thank you for sharing your story, Joe...

[Tink]

Thanks Joe

 

Great message to people thinking its just to hard to try! - it isnt

 

 

 

 

 

on  a personal note - prayers for your sister and please keep us informed of her progress (hug)

[JackiMac]

speechless Joe thank you so much for sharing your wonderful story, you have more than 6 good reasons to KTQ, so sorry to read that you lost your parents so young, "it will never happen to me" comes to mind when reading how you choose not to quit after they passed, your daughters will be so proud of their Dad, its terrible how we really justify our need to keep smoking to ourselves before we quit, not realising that its not so scary to jump after all, sending thoughts to your sister please let us know how she is doing x

[El Bandito]

Joe - Powerful story. Thank you for sharing it.

 

I was just starting a thread about quitting as you were posting this.

 

Great minds think alike..... :)

 

Or

 

Fools seldom differ :(

 

One of the two!

[Still winning]

Joe, what a heart felt piece of writing. Made me cry, but makes me stand strong and for that I thank you. x

[beacon]

Joe, great story, thank you!

[Doreensfree]

Thanks joe,a great post....

[Soozie]

thankyou for posting this Joe 

[babs609]

Thank you for sharing that Joe...so happy you quit! 

[sharonsiff]

Very powerful story Joe, really enjoyed reading that. Am so pleased for you as you come across very solid in your quit.

[Trish]

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Joe.  Really touching.  So glad to see you here on this board!  Still keeping your sister in my prayers. (((Joe)))

 

T

[SueBeDoo]

Very touching, emotional, from the heart story, great read Joe and well done on your quit because all those girls need a man/their dad/grandad around for a long time to sort out those dirty boys;)

Soo sorry to hear about your parents and thinking of your sister, please god all will work out well for her.

Sue xxx

[NeedforSpeedHM]

Very Inspirational, and can help alot of new people wanting to QUIT and that have quit. Pure driving force for people to see, it is all totally doable{ Sorry I know some don't like that word, but it was taught and drilled  into me}  " Whether you think you can or can't, you are right" That shows both sides in this post..... Way to go Joe I am so happy you are quit!!

[beazel]

I loved reading your story Joe!........... (4 years later. Lol)

[Rozuki]

^^ Me, too! Thanks for sharing, Joe! 

[jillar]

Thank you for sharing your story Joe and I too am sorry you lost your parents at such a young age. I hope they caught your sister's lung cancer early enough and that she's doing good today...... 

[notsmokinjo]

Thanks for sharing Joe ?

[joe]

Wow...what a throwback ... 

 

and here i am I am a few years later, still smoke free and no desire to even tempt fate by lighting up...My life is SOOOO much better now...

 

as as for my little sister,  they caught the lung cancer very early, and removed a 1/2 lobe of one of her lungs. She has had a couple setbacks over the last few years but so,far has always come out good... Unfortunately , after about a year quit, she Relapsed and is smoking again...  ... Just shows what kind of grip the addiction can have and that you have to always keep,your guard up... 

 

Maybe be someone should start a thread to post your quit adventures so maybe some newbies might read them and relate to what they are going through..I am certain most, if not all would be an interesting read... All the journeys are different in hopes to reach the same destination....

[jillar]

Thank you for the update Joe. I'm so happy that they caught your sisters cancer early enough but so sad to hear she is smoking again. This truly is a nasty addiction and hopefully she'll be able to beat this addiction before it's too late.

[onthemark]

Hi Joe, thanks for your post and for your updates. Smoking is such a cruel addiction. It is wonderful to be free of it.