Possible alternative for smoking

[JRD]

In a couple days, when you wake up to w@&k, that nasty cough will be gone for good!  ;)

[fragger]

The support from the members here is fantastic - you guys are tops! Many, many thanks :) :-X

The big test for me was last night after dinner, which is probably my most habitual "ciggie time". That was tough and I nearly caved, until I thought about how disappointed and angry with myself I'd be if I did. The weather actually helped as there was a very loud thunderstorm going on right overhead so I wasn't terribly enthusiastic about going outside for a smoke even if I'd had one on me :-\\

It's not easy, not easy at all, but I'm winning. Day 2 has dawned and already I know it's going to be easier to get through than Day 1. I nearly climbed the walls a couple of times yesterday, but this morning I feel much more relaxed and confident.

I haven't entirely ruled out that box of lollipops though...

@Binnatics, good on you mate :) Take solace in the fact that you're not alone in fighting this battle. Let's all try and draw strength from one another :-X

[Binnatics]

@Fragger: Good idea, I feel the support as well, from all of you guys, and especially from the fact that 3 of us are doing the same. We will fight the beast together and we will survive!!!!

I've had my first 24 hours. And I must admid: it's not as tough as I thought it would be. What I remember of 2 years ago (my last serious attempt) was a constant struggle: Smoke again? Dont? Why not, or why yes? I couldn't stop thinking these things.
Now I just sit and let the craving be. Try to even enjoy the feeling of being in need for a smoke. Somehow, then the feeling goes, and I'm relax. That's great. I haven't been relax during 3 months that l;ast attempt, and now I'm experiencing relaxation on my first day allready. Something inside must have really changed me. I'm ready for it!!  ^-^

[nexor]

Guys, I know i'm speaking for the the rest of us, specialy the ones that went through the same hell, hang in there, at the end of it, it will be worth it.

Spoiler

I smoked for 30 years, and nine years after I stopped smoking I was the victim of an attempted hijacking/robbery.
A black man who was working for me worked till dark one day so I decided to take him home, he lives in what we call a "black township" which is about 5km from my home, after dropping him off I drove away neglecting to lock the passenger side door of my pickup, a short distance from where I dropped him off was a crossroad with a 4way stop, on my side of the road at the 4way stop on the corner is a shop and I noticed two youngish black girls standing close to the curb, as I stopped at the stop sign these two girls suddenly yanked the passenger door open and both jumped in, the bigger one of the two was the furthest from me, she leaned over grabbed hold of the steering wheel and pulled causing the wheels to turn left thus causing the vehicle to jam up against the curb. While fighting this woman off the other one got hold of my pants zipper and started undoing my pants, all this was accompanied by a lot shouting in their language, then suddenly my door was opened and a black man grabbed my gun which stuck out from under my right leg, he then back peddled...the two woman jumped out and ran away, I was so mad I jumped out of my pickup intending to beat the living s$it out of this guy for taking my gun.
As I got out of my vehicle and was busy straightening up when I got this kind of dizzy feeling and it felt like someone has just given me a slight push, I looked up and the guy that took my gun was standing about 5 meters from me pointing my gun at me while pulling the trigger.......I knew then that I've been shot and seeing this guy in front of me busy pulling the trigger of my gun caused a few things to flash through my mind, knowing that pulling the trigger of my gun without cocking it is very difficult, and knowing the kind of ammo that's in the gun the thought ran through my mind that I will not be so lucky when he shoots me again, so I turned my back on him and walked away towards the shop getting dizzier as I walked, I could also hear my own breathing and being a hunter I knew that it was a lung shot and that I needed medical attention ASAP, at the entrance of the shop a well dressed black man came out of the shop and the last I remembered I asked him to get help and that I was shot.
It turned out that there were two men, and I was not shot by the man who took my gun, the bullet entered my breast breaking the breastbone, damaged the bottom part of my left lung on its way out, the size of the hole and looking at the tissue damage the doctor said I was shot with a 9mm. The bottom part of my left lung had to be removed, I spent three days in ISU and a week in High care then went home. The surgeon who did the operation said to me afterwards that if my lung wasn't in such good condition I could have ended up with a lung problem.

Spoiler

My gun is a Ruger 357Magnum and at a range of 5 meters it would have blown a hole the size of a barn door through me

[fragger]

nexor -  :o OMG!

That story makes our efforts to quit smoking seem pretty trifling by comparison. Our "hell" is a mere inconvenience compared to what you went through. Thanks for the perspective adjustment :)

I'm glad you're still with us today!

[JRD]

nexor - OMG  :o (2)

Holy crap... that was an incredible story, mate! I'm glad you are still here to share it with us.

Nice thing to hear you have such good lungs after 30 years and a 9mm round.  ???  :-X

[nexor]

Thanks mate, good thing I stopped when I did         :-X

[Binnatics]

Nexor - OMG  :o 3)

Incredible. Indeed a tough story. Lots of people say; I can die every minute in this dangerous society; I've got to die of something; but what you described was just another healthy point of view to that perspective.

Indeed good that you're still here sharing this with us!! Glad you made it.  :-X

[mmosu]

357 magnum!!  ???
Holy crap, you are indeed lucky sir, that would have done a lot more than take off the tip of your lung!  Seems as though it just wasn't your time and I'm glad you made it through alright.  Perspective adjustment indeed, I can see how finding out your lungs were in good shape would motivate you to protect what you have left!  :-X

[nexor]

Thanks guys, even though I smoked for such a long time, and the sigs I smoked is one of the strongest on the market I never had a "smokers couch". for some reason the smoking didn't mess up my lungs that much and by stopping at the time when I did, my lungs had enough time to heal before the shooting

[mmosu]

Some people are just lucky!

Back slap for good genetics!!  :-X

[nexor]

 :-X :-D

[Art Blade]

Nexor.. whoa. Hehe, good guy and lucky, too :) :-X Slap on the back, sir  :-()

One thing about my last cig: I didn't glorify it. I went outside on the balcony, realised what a beautiful sunny day (about the last summer day) it was, dragged on my last cig, and thought that I'd remember how I quit smoking on a beautiful sunny day. Rather than remembering how beautiful and wonderful the last cig and drag was.

No.

It was the day which was worth remembering, not the last cig.  ;)

[nexor]

That reminds me of the Goldie Hawn movie Private Benjamin where her new husband dies on their wedding night during sex, at the funeral his mother asked Goldie what where her son's last words, Godie's response was.......
"I'm cu$#%ng"................................  A memorable moment :-D :-D

[Art Blade]

 ^+-+

[nexor]

Just remember, the craving will still be there for some time to come, and that's our biggest test,
the willpower to say no............ \:/

[JRD]

I have an odd relationship with cigarettes nowadays. I can still have a craving for a cig but that would be very, very rare and unlikely to happen. Still, if I smell cigarette smoke or if I see someone smoking in the streets it disgusts me... the smell is terrible, the image of someone walking and smoking at the same time (like I used to do so often) is just wrong... what I mean is: I miss the pleasure I had but I know smoking would never satisfy me any longer as I know how awful it smells and tastes, so my craving is for something that doesn`t exists anymore.  ????

[Art Blade]

Indeed.

It is the nicotine.

Knowing that makes it easy for me. Nicotine is something that neither belongs into my system nor is it part of any natural diet. All it does is making me getting used to it (regular smoker) but it costs money and it is dangerous (imagine, it may cause a slow and evil death). Even if I strip nicotine of all the negative aspects tobacco carries and instead chew nicotine gum, why would I want to do that? Just because I am used to a nicotine-elevated level of "feeling good" and can't enjoy anything without nicotine any more?

No way.  :-()

[Binnatics]

Well, here I am, 1 week without nicotine ^-^

That wasn't so tough. The first 4 days or so, I felt weird tentions in my stomach, like if I had to tighten my abs. And still sleeping is a bit weird; I wake up easily at night, feeling sweaty. That never happened before. I'm a deep sleper. Normally you can launch a Mortar right next to me, I will continue sleeping.

I have the craving every now and then, especially in the evening when I'm relaxing. I try to listen to it and say; "Ah, sure, it's time for a breake. Let's go outside and breathe some "fresh" air instead of smoke" and most of the time it works :-X

Only sometimes it doesn't and I allow a little doubt again: Is it really necessary to quit right now? I can quit later, you know? See, I can do this for a week without any trouble, why not wait a little and do it next year?
Or like this: Maybe I'm just a smoker to the bone and should I stick with it. It's not so bad after all. Look at other poeple with their bad behaviours, why should I bother about a cig every now and then?

I fear these doubts. They make quiting a hell, I remember that from the last try. But it's a lot less this time. And I can face it better. My will to quit is stronger now, and I see the good things. For example; When I have a moment like that, with doubt and all, I look at the trees and plants in my backyard and I see them differently. More clear, more beautiful. And I can smell them! And then I remember moments from before I was a smoker, being like 13, 14 years old. That gives me somehow a natural peace-feeling. Like there are no worries at all. Innocence and joy, something like that I guess.  ^-^

I know the "beeing busy quitting" will go on for quite some more time in my case, but so far, I'm very happy I took the decision!

[fragger]

Well done mate, here's a backslap :-D One week for me too 8) I too am generally finding it easier than I thought. Hardest time for me is still after dinner, which is when I used to enjoy a smoke the most - kind of like dessert. I also deliberately gave myself a stress test last Saturday night by getting in a few beers, another major smoking temptation. I'm happy to report I didn't cave, even thought the grog shop (which also sells cigs) is virtually just around the corner from me. A one-minute walk and I could have undone a week's w@&k. But I know how angry with myself I would have been had I done so, so I didn't.

I think I can now safely declare myself an ex-smoker.

[Binnatics]

That's great, Fragger!!! Backslap for you too!! :-X
I also had a stresstest with some beers, my daughter's birthday was the ideal moment to test that out. A friend of mine went to the garden for his regular smokes and I even accompanied him. That was all supportable. Of course there is craving, but when you're having a good time you just forget about it fast enough.  ^-^

Went to the dentist's assistent last week and she cleaned my teeth, and I just took a llok at my orange fingers; they aren't orange anymore ^-^
Me too I begin to feel like an ex-smoker! :-X

[nexor]

Guys, we the "former smokers" are very, very proud that you made it this far........
from hereon is downhill for you, DON'T forget!!!! the craving will still be there specialy after dinner and when having a drink, and to be in the company of others while they smoke and you can hold out  :bow

[JRD]

Slap, slap and slap at Binn`s, fragger`s and Art`s back for making this far. I`ll second nexor`s words, from now on it`s downhill... the worst part is gone and the benefits of quitting will be more and more evident to you being even stronger than the craving  :-X

Life smells and tastes better now doesn`t it, guys?  ;)

It`s amazing how OWG members are supporting each other during a tough process such as quitting like we see in this topic! One guy`s effort to quit already made three other guy`s join the wagon successfully managing to overcome the worst part of the process - the beginning. It`s an honor to be part of this group!  :-X  8)

[Binnatics]

Life smells and tastes better now doesn`t it, guys?  ;)

Yes, it does!! :)

It`s an honor to be part of this group!  :-X  8)

Praise OWG!!!

[Art Blade]

 :-()

Cheers to all and well done, lads  :) :-X

I don't even feel tempted when out with friends, having a beer (oh yes, I did.. rare occasion, stress test as you call it), people dancing around, good music, food.. I was at that open-air party (Binnatics knows) with everything tempting involved.. all I wanted to and did resist, however, was smoking.

Favourite small-talk of that night:

she: "Excuse me, do you have a light?"
me: "sorry.. I don't smoke. (now piss off, you stinkin' biatch)"

:-D