5 years tomorrow

[Whisper]

I hope everyone is doing well with NOT smoking. It's not an easy thing to do. Thankfully I have been smoke-free now for 5 years. I cannot believe it.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone.

Lorraine:)

[JAVISI]

Lorraine,

First off Happy Easter to you! I am so happy for you and your acheivemeent!I had quit for many years by my ex-husbands insistance not by my own will! I was not ready to quit:mad: ! I would sneak a cigarette every now and then and then finally quit.
My ex was controlling over everything in my life! So when I left I did a stupid thing and started smoking again, I guess just because I felt a new sense of freedom to do what ever I wanted to do.
I know that sounds dumb but I moved in with both of my parents who both smoke. So now I have been smoking for about a year and a half now! A part of me knows that it is not good for me and I want to quit but I keep making excuses and use it to deal with my NUMEROUS problems!

I am truely happy for you:)

[Whisper]

Lorraine,

First off Happy Easter to you! I am so happy for you and your acheivemeent!I had quit for many years by my ex-husbands insistance not by my own will! I was not ready to quit:mad: ! I would sneak a cigarette every now and then and then finally quit.
My ex was controlling over everything in my life! So when I left I did a stupid thing and started smoking again, I guess just because I felt a new sense of freedom to do what ever I wanted to do.
I know that sounds dumb but I moved in with both of my parents who both smoke. So now I have been smoking for about a year and a half now! A part of me knows that it is not good for me and I want to quit but I keep making excuses and use it to deal with my NUMEROUS problems!

I am truely happy for you:)
Thanks a bunch. I understand about quitting for someone else.

My second son has asthma very bad and also bad allergies. I smoked and smoked and everyone kept telling me that he'd be better once I'd quit.

Well, I quit and he was even worse. So after 2 years of not smoking...my son ended up in hospital...AGAIN...I said the heck with it, it doesn't matter if I smoke or not...so I had started again.

I smoked for about 10 more years, give or take a few months.

But this time it was for ME...and I have been doing quite well. My son is thrilled, and he is doing better! Of course he is 22 now and exercises more and eats healthier.

Best to you. You will quit when you're ready!!! I hope it's soon.
Lorraine:)

[JAVISI]

Lorraine,
I am still making excuses:( . I am ashamed of myself. I worked as a Registered Nurse before this illness would not allow me to work anymore. So I know what smoking will do to you! My mom has emphysema. I have had pneumonia i9n both of my lungs twice last year. I hated the feeling of not being able to breathe!

I tell myself that when things settle down in my life I will quit, yet I wonder if they ever will? I swear my life has been one drama after another. I hope that I can gain the strength and the desire to quit one day soon! My illness is bad enough, then adding smoking into the equation it sure doesn't help!

I am proud of you! Good luck, you are an inspiration to me and I am sure many others! Good Job!:D

[Pamster]

Congratulations Lorraine for being smoke free for five years! That's a awesome thing! :D I am going on two years in October, for this run...I quit before a couple of times but always went back. Not this time. I feel so much better now because of not smoking, I mean it's really a difference to NOT smoke and I am so happy I gave them up, it was so HARD but I did it...And that makes me proud. :)

It's ok Javisi, you CAN beat it if you put your mind to it. It's hard to quit when you live with other smokers, but if you are ready to give them up then you will be able to do it. That is the thing, becoming ready to stop, it's not easy to stay motivated and even harder when you live with other people who still smoke, but it's not impossible. That is the truth though about waiting for the right time, there is never going to be a good time to quit really, it's always going to be stressful and difficult, but if you really want to you CAN do it. :)

What got me through it was cough drops and hard candies. I gained a little weight but I think some of that was medication related too, not just because food tasted better. ;)

[Whisper]

Lorraine,
I am still making excuses:( . I am ashamed of myself. I worked as a Registered Nurse before this illness would not allow me to work anymore. So I know what smoking will do to you! My mom has emphysema. I have had pneumonia i9n both of my lungs twice last year. I hated the feeling of not being able to breathe!

I tell myself that when things settle down in my life I will quit, yet I wonder if they ever will? I swear my life has been one drama after another. I hope that I can gain the strength and the desire to quit one day soon! My illness is bad enough, then adding smoking into the equation it sure doesn't help!

I am proud of you! Good luck, you are an inspiration to me and I am sure many others! Good Job!:D


There is NO need to be ashamed! Good heavens...it's an addiction, and one that is extremely difficult to get over. But to be perfectly honest...it was easier when I decided I didn't want to smoke anymore... FOR MY SAKE, not anyone elses.

I also was in the throws of stressful times (disability hearing, spots on my chest Xray, being sick and not having dx...just among the few, but major things going on). But my main motivator was the Xray.

It absolutely terrified me. I sobbed and sobbed and condemned myself for being so stupid and causing these things. I had my repeat Xray on the Friday and on Sunday after crying the whole day...I threw away my cigarettes and lighter.

That was it.

I used sleep a lot to get through the hard times (you can't smoke when you're sleeping) and also the herbal cigarettes to get me through the really bad cravings. I only needed one or two puffs from the herbal and then I was 'ok'...the craving had passed. AND, no nicotine!

Also, when I quit, I used to go to bingo with a friend of mine...she smoked very heavily and I would sit with her in the smoking section and it never bothered me at all....because I was READY to quit.

Anyway, I really hope you make up your mind to quit. And when you do, it won't matter if there are people around you smoking or not...because you'll be ready for YOU.

All my best,
Lorraine

[Whisper]

Congratulations Lorraine for being smoke free for five years! That's a awesome thing! :D I am going on two years in October, for this run...I quit before a couple of times but always went back. Not this time. I feel so much better now because of not smoking, I mean it's really a difference to NOT smoke and I am so happy I gave them up, it was so HARD but I did it...And that makes me proud. :)

It's ok Javisi, you CAN beat it if you put your mind to it. It's hard to quit when you live with other smokers, but if you are ready to give them up then you will be able to do it. That is the thing, becoming ready to stop, it's not easy to stay motivated and even harder when you live with other people who still smoke, but it's not impossible. That is the truth though about waiting for the right time, there is never going to be a good time to quit really, it's always going to be stressful and difficult, but if you really want to you CAN do it. :)

What got me through it was cough drops and hard candies. I gained a little weight but I think some of that was medication related too, not just because food tasted better. ;)


2 years is a long time to not smoke for an ex-smoker! Congratulations. I didn't do the candy thing but I gained weight anyway. Probably just from eating more often instead of smoking. I didn't gain a ton, but I have difficulty getting rid of the excess because I am not active.

I use a cane to walk (walker & wheelchair some of the time) and I don't exercise regularly. In the summer I swim (we put a pool in 2 summers ago) and I usually get most of the weight off then, but in winter...I put it back on.

I'm proud of you too, for stopping smoking. It's not easy, but definitely worth it!

Lorraine:)

[Pamster]

Thanks Lorraine! I am proud that I haven't given in and have continued to be strong. I hope that I am able to get my sleep apnea taken care of, I think it will help with the not smoking because I feel funny when I sleep, like my heart is acting up because of breathing erratically.

I went in for a sleep study last night and had such trouble sleeping...On the way in when I was getting my pillow and pj's from the passenger side of the car I looked down at the pavement and saw a cigarette butt. I was like "yuck, a butt..." and thought about all the butts I haven't made. It was a good feeling. :)

[JAVISI]

Pamster, Lorraine and Whisper,
I want to thank you all for being so supportive. I feel bad for smoking and yet I do it? I really don't understand what I am thinking. I know a part of me is afraid of gaining weight, I know that is so shallow. I have just gained so much weight with my illness. Between the pills and lack of movement. When I was a Nurse I was so fit! Now I look at myself and I don't even know who I am. I have a gastrostomy tube, I have to do tube feedings. I hate it. I crave to taste food!

When my tube was placed my bowel was knicked so I have a huge scar on my stomach. This illness has taken so much from me! Sorry I drifted off the subject. I just really wanted to say many Thanks to you all!

Javisi;)

[Pamster]

I wish things were easier for you right now Javisi, but it sounds like it's really rough on you at the moment. If we could do more then offer our experiences and cyber-hugs I know I wouldn't be alone in offering my shoulder for you to lean on. *hugs* It's got to be rough on you ro not have the physical pleasure of eating, I really am sorry to hear that. How long do you need it for? I hope you're able to resume eating again soon Javisi. Hang in there, if you're ready to give them up you can do it. If you're not ready don't be too hard on yourself about it. :)

[JAVISI]

Pam, you make my eyes well up with tears! You are so sweet. I spent a week in the hospital due to my g-tube. My body was rejecting it like it was a foreign object. So now I have a tube in my nose. While I was in the hospital When they did a catscan My Dr. told me he could see that I had more scarring in my lower lobes of my lungs. I made me think and yet I am still smoking. I hope that one day soon, I can post that I quit. I am sorry I haven't posted sooner, my computer is a peice of junk and the weather probably hasn't helped! Thanks again to everyone for your support!
Love , Javisi