1 year

[RedNed]

Keep up the good work Jeff. Quit smokes 25 years ago. Quit drinken 10 years ago. Can't quit this tractor habit I have a serious problem.Look @ all the money we saved ? Instead of green we see RED

[Rudi]

Excellent Jeff, i am still working on that one, and will get there soon. Running out of options. Quitting drinking was easy, smoking is different. But as many have said, you gotta want it. John

Doc,

I realize there isn't a bigger bore than a reformed smoker when he preaches, but I used a simple method of my own that was a big help that I'm willing to share with anyone who asks. I doubt I could have quit without it. Just ask... It may help.

George:

Yup, I know what you mean, cause I am a typical reformed smoker. I tried for years to quit. I was especially frustrating for me cause Em woke up one morning and said that was it.. and never touched another one. That was back in 1984, just before Sabrina was born. She tried to help me quit for years.. but no matter how hard I tried.. I could go for a while, but never was able to make it permanent.

However, this time it was really easy. I had a massive heart attack on the 27th of November 2004.. as most of you all know. What I don't tell a lot of people is what happened just before. About 10pm I went down stairs.. I was on the 4th floor of the hospital.. and went outside to have a smoke. I had a friend smuggling up smokes to me.. what a stoopid thing to do... but anyways.. I went and had my smoke. Standing outside.. about -15 or so C... my tush off... I had about 3 puffs. After the 3rd puff I didn't feel so good, and I looked at that butt, said what the hell am I doing.. and for the first time in my life I said... "that is it -- I am done", and flicked it away.

I then headed up to the 4th floor.. got to the elevator.. and I was having problems.. chest pains, and no breath... got in the elevator, managed to hit the button for the 4th floor, and as the doors opened, I was barely hanging on. I managed to get around the corner, and caught a nurse's eye... that was it.. I couldn't stand any more.. but before I could hit the floor, 4 nurses.. they were tiny too.. just wee ladies.. had grabbed me, picked me up and were summarily carting me off to my room. All I remember hearing is "Code Blue 4D, Code Blue 4D, Code Blue 4D".. the next 30 mins I guess sure felt like 3 hours were the most painful in my life

I have never touched another cigarette. Now, I do not recommend my method to anyone, as was prety drastic. I needed a sextuple by-pass,

and ended up with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Thank God, the fibrotic mass did not metastisize.. so I am not a "C" patient... After suffering the smoker's hack after my surgery and the pain I went through.. is enough to ensure that I never smoke again.

But 2 years later.. I am in pretty darn good shape, and this Sunday we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.. which I was never supposed to see... so... I figure since the first 25 were kinda iffy.. the next 25 should be a piece of cake

Jeff -- just keep on trucking.. after 1 year you done got her beat.. so don't give up.. keep working at it.. and you will be a lifelong reformed smoker..
God Bless you and yours
Peace (+)

[ljw]

Congrats to everyone that can quit. You don'tt realize haw much it had affected you until after you've quit for a while. I quit over 30 years ago, by chewing gum and smoking Hav-a -Tampa's. Remember those cigars with the wooden tip? I finally weaned myself from the cigars and quit altogether, Each has his own way of doing it. My older brother had bypass surgery three years ago and quit after smoking his entire life. My younger brother still smokes and will never quit, but who knows?

Did you ever blow a puff of smoke through a white hanky?

I respectfully request people not to smoke in my house or truck. I am just sensitive to the smoke anymore.

In spite of all that, I voted against the banning of smoking in public places here in Ohio last election. The law passed, but is being contested. I feel that it is infringing on our personal freedoms a little too much. If I don't like the smoke, I'll move to another table or frequent another establishment. The smoker that abuses this freedom is few a far between.

Congratulations, Jeff! Us smokers and ex-smokers know how you feel.

LS/MFT

Larry

[Merlin]

Yep, smoking is not a very smart thing to do. I wish I had it to do over and not start at all. But, I did and I live with it. I did quit one time a long time ago. That was the longest 15 minutes of my life. After 5 heart attacks and being sent home twice to die, it looks like a person would learn something, but noooo, not me, just continue to be stupid. All my ancestors smoked and lived into their 80s and 90s except one brother that never smoked a cigarette in his life and died at 48 of a heart attack. (maybe second hand smoke.) Three of my siblings did quit in their 70s and they are in their late 70s and 80s now. But I have had 2 Cardiologist tell me not to quit at this late date because the damage has already been done and the stress of quiting would be worse than the smoking.
Smoking can be good for the rest of your body though, especially your back, because you won't have to pack all that money around any more. And its not only just the cost of buying smokes. I lost a very, very lucrative consulting position when the airlines stopped smoking on airplanes. I had to fly continuously throughout the USA, Puerto Rica, and Aruba, but old hardhead here refused to fly until they permitted smoking again. My boss couldn't wait that long. He had a full house to my pair of deuces and I called him anyway and went straight to the unemployment line.
Now the plus side. Four of our five kids smoked, but three of them has quit permanently (for two years or more) and the last one has quit for a year at a time and has told us he will do so permanently within the next few weeks. We're shooting for a five out of five being smoke free. Grandkids? We have ten now and another one due next month and we're hoping, no, betting and praying too that all will be smoke free when grown.
Don't do as I do, do as I say do.
Oh, and some say coffee is bad for you too, so I am slacking off that some also. I'm down to 30 cups a day now.

[ljw]

Merlin wrote

Oh, and some say coffee is bad for you too, so I am slacking off that some also. I'm down to 30 cups a day now.

Yeah, they say that coffee is bad for you, but it depends on what day of the week and who wrote the article.

Interesting what you said about smoking and longevity. My dad, God bless him, lived to be 81 years of age. He smoked Pall Mall's his entire life. I watched him light one off of the other. The doctor told him to quit smoking cigarettes, so when he was about 65, he quit them and started smoking the cheapest, nastiest smelling, cigars he could find. I think cigs may have been better for him.

I've always tended not to believe in destiny, that life is what you make of it. But the older I get, the more I wonder that maybe some things are "written", and our Creator make events happen for a reason.

We''ll find out one of these days.

Larry

[Hengy]

Jeff,

Congratulations on your 1 year anniversary of being smoke free! I am one of those unfortunate, evil people who am still among the ranks of the smokers. I wish that I had never started...isn't that what all smokers say? I have tried a couple of times to quit, but each time I went back again.

I have heard it told that Nicotine is one of THE most addictive drugs out there on the market. Think of it...how many of you who are or were smokers actually ENJOYED your first smoke or chew? I certainly didn't, but yet, I went back again for another one, and so it started...

My problem is that I enjoy smoking way too much. It is a habit, yes, but boy do I like those drags off of a cigarette... That is the part of the habit that I wish I could break...

Mr GW...I would very much like to have your method of quitting...maybe I could try that...

Mike in La Crosse, WI

[George Willer]

Jeff,

Congratulations on your 1 year anniversary of being smoke free! I am one of those unfortunate, evil people who am still among the ranks of the smokers. I wish that I had never started...isn't that what all smokers say? I have tried a couple of times to quit, but each time I went back again.

Mr GW...I would very much like to have your method of quitting...maybe I could try that...

Mike in La Crosse, WI

Mike,

If it's possible to quit even for the first week there is far too much invested to ever have to do it again. That's what I kept telling myself when I went through withdrawal. Once is enough.

I'll send a PM.

[cowboy]

Cool Jeff Keep on keepin' on

Billy

[Jeff Silvey]

Thanks everyone for the commints. One thing I forgot the mention is I have gained about 20 lbs . For some of you that know me I needed to gain. I will see I hope a bunch of you April 13,14. We will have one heck of a time . Got my reservations well I hope I did they did very good engish . For those's who have tried keep on trying to QUIT. One thing someone told me think of your kids graduations high school, collage then their weddings. Then the grand kids.

Jeff

[beaconlight]

Absolutely Jeff That is why so you can see those wonderful occassions. Hate for them to have a party and you not there. I know I do.

[Bill E Bob]

Yep, Quit myself approx. 18 yrs ago. After many tries, I finally got it
right! The one thing I learned is you have to decide you want to do it
for YOU. I set a date (my 40th BD) to quit, and worked toward that
for about 6 months. Had my last one on my BD. 'Course I chewed
toothpicks for about a year, but I weaned myself from those. Other
than 2 beautiful girls, I consider that my greatest achievement.

Bill