elbows you gave me all kinds of encouragement and advice and here I go completely ignoring your post. I’m a bad bad swampbear! I’m a thirty year smoker here who can use the advice and encouragement too.
In case anybody’s interested:
The size twelve boot means exactly what Angel Pants thinks it means.
Seriously, though, buddy, get your excercise program approved by your doctor before you start it. There’s no point in taking chances.
swampbear, that is some seriously scary stuff man. At least you were granted the opportunity to have a wakeup call, as opposed to something more severe. Someone must like you.
Best of luck with the diet/exercise/not smoking.
Take care of yourself.
Swampbear, it really is time, isn’t it? You seem very motivated. Are you going to use the patch?
When my sixteen year old granddaughter was caught smoking recently, I realized that I would do anything to keep her from falling into the trap.
I offered to quict smoking if she would not do it again. She said that she wasn’t willing to promise not to do it forever but that she is interested in the challenge.
I will turn 60 in July. On the day following my birthday, I will stop smoking. I have promised to refrain until April of next year at which time I will reevaluate. (How can I sit in a sidewalk cafe in Paris and not smoke? sigh
I’m already down to about five a day without really trying. (Don’t know how that happened.)
I’m so glad that you are okay. I’m in your corner!
Swampbear, have you been under unusual stress lately? Also, I noticed you live in a southern state. Was unusually hot and humid? If you’re not in shape (which I definitely am not) you might suffer some unpleasantness until you get used to the heat and humidity. Anyway, good luck. I think you’re one of the funniest posters on the board and I’m highly amused by the rivalry between you and FairyChatMom.
I would like to add my good wishes as well. My mother died two days before 9-11 of cardiac arrest. She had no prior warnings. Someone does definately CARE about you!
Good Luck on quitting smoking. I smoked about two weeks some 18 years ago, coughed twice and wimped out!
Krisfer… who lifts weights and whos hubby is velly velly nervous…
Wow, Swampbear, that was a lucky first “cardiac event.” A good friend’s husband, only 50 years old, recently had a major heart attack – fortunately, he’d been feeling funny and was actually IN the hospital when he had the attack. But he still had permanent heart damage. Consider yourself very lucky, and you’ve got the right attitude!
As a former smoker, I can promise you that the craving for a cigarette, when you get one, only lasts a few minutes. So if you can come up with something that keeps you occupied for 15-20 minutes, it will usually help you get past the craving.
And joining a gym is great; we did a few months ago, and I’m already feeling much healthier. If you can obligate yourself to take someone else to the gym, that’s even better – that forces you to haul your behind over there even when you’re not quite in the mood. Or get in that new pool and swim, swim, swim! But just MOVE, like everyone else has said. Between quitting smoking and getting some exercise, you’ll really be helping yourself!
Ai! Glad you’re okay, man, and exceedingly glad that you’ve decided to quit smoking. And yeah, I’ve heard that swimming’s pretty good exercise.
Good luck!
Oh swampbear my Angel Pants I’m so glad it was just a wake-up call!! I’m saying a lil’ prayer for you right now! We want you alive and healthy to host our pool parties! (I’ve been wondering where you were in the MMP thread!) Good heavens, I’ve got exclamationpointitis.
Please please take care of yourself. We don’t want a world without swampy.
I’m glad it was nothing worse, and quitting smoking is DEFINITELY a good thing. Best of luck with it, and feel better soon.
I’m glad it wasn’t anything more serious! Quitting smoking is a good thing… good luck with it. Hopefully, things will go better for you.
F_X
Okay Swampbear, you’re going to quit smoking. It won’t be easy, but you’ll quit just the same. If you ever feel weak, I’ll send my mom over to show you her quadruple bypass scars and cough her emphysema cough at you. Then I will make big sad puppy eyes at you until you decide it just ain’t worth the trouble. Feel better soon!
Swampbear I’ve had a couple of wake-up calls in the past year. The first big one I had was similar to yours, only I wasn’t having a cardiac event, I had pleurisy instead.
I just wanna say that YOU CAN DO IT! You CAN quit smoking. You CAN get your ass to the gym and start shaking that butt. You CAN eat a veggie every now and then. I don’t know how old you are and granted I’m still kinda young but I’ve learned that no matter how bad your habits have been, it’s never too late to change as long as you’re still breathing!
Go for it! RAH RAH RAH
Swampbear, Swampbear
He’s our man!
If he can’t do it … umm …
Dunno 
Rivalry?? No rivalry on my part. He’s just jealous of me. He feels inadequate around me. And the only thing he can sieze upon is that he’s a few months younger. The fact is, I’m cuter, and funnier, and cleverer, and popularer, and classier, and everything else, and he still hasn’t accepted that he’ll never be as cool as I am.
I bet that’s what caused his event - deep rooted envy. So, get over it, swampy - you’ll never achieve FairyChatMom-like perfection. Just resign yourself, and comfort yourself in the knowledge that you’re the only Doper I’ve ever allowed to buy me dinner. Allowed, suckered into - whatever… So even when you’re completely geezered out, confined to a care facility, drooling all over your Roy Rogers PJs, you’ll be secure in the knowledge that while Rue has my heart, you bought me scallops!
Great bedside manner, huh? Kinda like tough love, right?
Well, I am jealous of FCM’s ability to use a chainsaw to keep The Boy[sup]TM[/sup] in line. And since she does know good scallops when she sees 'em, well, she’s kinda ok then.
Going on four days now sans cigarette. Course this is my first day back at work. Casualties may mount up during the day. Perhaps I should get CNN or somebody to do continuous live feeds from my office today. Or maybe I should just put a big sign on my door:
** WARNING! THIS OFFICE CONTAINS SOMEONE WHO RECENTLY QUIT SMOKING. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GET ON HIS NERVES?**
To everyone who’s sending good thoughts, vibes, prayers and encouragement…MWAAH! They are all greatly appreciated.
Like I said… them dopers, they’re the greatest!
The sign would be a good idea.
This is one of the few times in life where being a quitter is a good thing. Keep it up.
First: At least it din’t kill you. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without Swampy. (Sorry, no “Angel Pants”. Angels wear robes anyway. No pants on angels.)
Second: Good luck on that not smoking thing. And the whole “taking care of yourself” angle. You can do it. I just know you can.
Third: Rats! I wanted to tell you about the grown-up three wheel bikes. Only I was going to suggest getting one of them and them putting on two of the orange safety flags and a basket in front. With plastic flowers on it. And those clacky plastic bead things in the spokes. (Or a baseball card.) It would be bitchin’!
Take care of yourself. I mean it.
Hey! You’re not allowed to check out until after we meet IRL.
BTW, on a related note, swimming is good for building endurance. 
:: Glares at Ellen Cherry and others who are using too much of an intimate tone with MY swampy ::
Congratulations! The first few days are the hardest, now it will start to get easier as the nicotene withdrawal ends. I kept myself off cigs the first few days by reminding myself that if I had one, I would start the withdrawal again, and I didn’t want to go through it any longer than I had to! Now it’s been over a year and I feel so much better. It’s worth it, and keep reminding yourself that you won’t crave cigarettes forever - soon the day will come when you don’t think about them at all.
Plus, think about all the money you are saving! Go out and buy yourself something nice.
Glad you’re ok!
Rue how bout we add a pink flamingo wearing a bandana. He could be attached to the front of the basket. That would be so jake!
Homebrew, not to worry dear, YOU are the doper I’m saving myself for.
Two of my co-workers have already offered to make the sign for me. They call it a precaution.
Oh, and here’s a kicker! One of the things I’m not supposed to do for the next seven days is take a tub bath or immerse my right leg in water of any kind. Something to do with the pressure lowering and raising myself may exert on where they inserted the catherter into my right groin (how’s that for TMI!). That means…
NO SWIMMING!