The Great SD SMOKE-OUT Topic - Part 2

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Shayna, It’s almost a month! Awesome! Did you ever think you’d manage it when you embarked on this great adventure?

You’ll still want a cigarette from time to time, but it’s not hard to fight off the urge now. Remember, not even one puff. Remember how you suffered. Remember that picture of the diseased lung. Remember that you’re no longer a slave. And remember that I’ll be disappointed if you start again.

Amy talked to her friends about smoking in the house and they agreed with absolutely no fuss at all. Amy has asked that I convey her thanks to you for your great advice.

Now if only she would lose that boyfriend of hers. He calls me “Sir”.

I hate that.

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I slowly enter, averting my eyes from all around me.

I have fallen so hard off the non-smoking wagon that when I hit the ground three Chinese people were launched into the air. I lasted less than a day.

I think the problem is in the fact that my job is boring, and a cigarette is my only means of escape from it every hour. Also I live alone, so there is no support there for me. If I want to light up in my house, there is no one to stop me from running to the gas station and picking up a pack. There’s also the problem that my will power seems to be as strong as a three-toed sloth is fast.

Anyone have any suggestions?

63

Yep, I got the Zyban prescription, but can’t start it right away because I just started another medication. So, my doctor said to wait two weeks before I start. I guess I’ll start them on the 9th of june (which is also when I go to get Psy, yay!) So, when we get back, it’s quittin’ time. Estimated quit date of the 19th of June, but I’ll let you know when I actually start the Zyban.

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How is everyone this fine, gloomy, overcast morning? I’m having my coffee with NO cigarette!

Grace, I’m so proud of you for not smoking. What’s that? You don’t smoke anyway? Well feh! You need a vice, girlfriend! :wink: Thanks for checking in on us, sweetie.

purplebear, thank you, too! And {{{{{HIGS}}}}} right back at ya!

ruadh, I just don’t know what to say. How can I tell you how thrilled I get every time I see you post in here that you’re still smoke free and that you are physically feeling so much better? You absolutely rock! Keep it up!

Jeannie, even though you’ve taken a few puffs or had a cigarette here or there, you’ve refrained from going out and buying a whole pack and starting up the habit full time again. You should still be proud of accomplishing that much. I’ll sponsor you again this week if you need me to. Stay strong!

Wally, honey, lover, darling! I hate it when you go away - I miss you so much! No, I never thought I would get this far. Never. Every day I realize how much further and further away I am from having had that last cigarette and it sortof blows my mind. Thank you for everything you’ve done to get me here.

And tell Amy I’m so incredibly proud of her for standing up for her convictions and trusting her friends enough to speak honestly with them from her heart. Clearly she has made some very wise decisions in the friends she’s chosen. They obviously care about her a great deal. You should be proud not only of her but of yourself for having raised such a bright and caring daughter.

And about the boyfriend – keep your mouth shut and he’ll go away eventually. At that age, they always do. Just don’t tell her I said that part or she’ll have a kaniption (sp?) fit. They always think the world will end if their hearts break at that age. She’ll get over it. :slight_smile:

BratMan!!! Welcome back, buddy! No reason to hang your head in shame. Look at how many of us here have stumbled and fallen trying to quit this addiction. I may not have this time, but I have every other time I’ve tried to quit, so believe me, I know exactly where you’re coming from. And I, too, am single and live alone with no one to stop me or bug me about smoking. That is precisely why I chose to do this so publicly this time around. I knew if I had to “face” everyone here, it would be just as good as if they were right in my livingroom with me.

My suggestion to you would be, if you are really serious about wanting to do this, let us all sponsor you one day at a time. Let us be your rock. Pretend we are there watching you, coughing and fanning our faces from the putrid smell of your smoke every time you light up. Let us in and we won’t let you down. But you have to want to do this and you have to be willing to fight the hard battle that’s ahead of you. Let us know what we can do and we will be there for you, ok?!

I've actually gone over the 4 week mark. When does the meter change to read "One month"? Well anyway, here are my stats to date...

4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 26 minutes and 25 seconds.
352 cigarettes not smoked, saving $54.67.
Life saved: 1 day, 5 hours, 20 minutes.
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Sorry to disappoint you, but that putrid smell isn’t the smoke. I had chili for lunch.

Anyway, I’m going to quit and be real about it this time. The thing that really bugs me is that I KNOW I can quit, cuz I quit cold turkey for 6 months before. This time though, I have to avoid drinking beer with my buddies and convincing myself that just one cigarette won’t hurt. (That’s what started me up again last time, going out with my friends on my birthday.) And, to avoid the same trap as last time, I’ll wait until after my birthday to quit.

My birthday is Thursday, June 1st. I will be smoke free starting Sunday, June 4th. Wish me luck everyone, cuz I won’t be able to be online again to let you know how those first couple days go until the following Tuesday.

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Shayna wrote:

I’m not going to diminish your accomplishment by taking any credit for this, Shayna. You did this and nobody else.

It was also you that started this this thread. And the sponsorship thing was your idea as well.

Be proud.

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Hey no! Watch it girl. Don’t make me use my 46% bitchiness on you. ::giggle:: I’ll have you know that I do have a vice. Harassing all these wonderful non-smokers is a very difficult and hard to break habit.

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Ok, I’m all for quitting (again). So how does this sponsor thing work? Anything I need to do for that? Should I go cold turkey or try to wean myself off my smokey-treats?

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I understand the first part. It’s the last word that confuses me. The first thing that popped into my head was “pee” but I don’t think that’s right. Is it wiggle?

Sorry, I don’t make a very good mexican.

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Just wanted to check in as an about-to-be quitter. My husband and I started Zyban on May 23 and our quit date is June 2.

I think the Zyban will really help. Cigarettes already don’t taste very good and leave a nasty taste in my mouth for awhile after. Also, I spend my days pretty relaxed now :slight_smile:

trisha

71

Checking back in to lend my support! Anyone who needs me as a sponsor on Saturdays through Wednesdays can either post here or e-mail me at evilbeth@hotmail.com

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I have a confession to make. Please try to understand, even though I can’t explain it.

Last night I smoked cigarettes. Not just a couple. I was chain smoking! I have no idea what brought this on. Over ten years smoke free, and now this happens.

I feel like such a hypocrite.

I haven’t had a dream like that for years.

So, how’s everybody doing? You’re going to like being a non- smoker. Trust me.

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It means wiggle. If it meant ‘pee’ that’d just be gross.
And I don’t make a very good Mexican either. I know just enough Spanish to get around in a bar and get my face slapped.

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BratMan, the ‘sponsor’ thing started in Part 1 on, I believe, day 3. I was a complete basket case and Wally made me promise him that I wouldn’t smoke that whole day. I made that my mantra; “For Wally, I will not smoke today.” Every time I thought about having a cigarette (every 5 seconds), I’d think of my promise to Wally and my desire not to let him down and I’d ride out the cravings - intense as they were. When Eve saw that I had promised Wally not to smoke for him that day, she came up with the idea of getting different people to ‘sponsor’ me every day and asked that I not smoke for her the next day. I can absolutely assure you that I would never have made it through this if I hadn’t had everyone here pulling for me so hard.

We have plenty of people here all ready and willing to sponsor you for as long as you need to use us as a crutch. I’ll take Sunday, June 4, if you’d like. If you accept and promise not to smoke for me that day, any time you think about wanting to light up, think about me and the promise you made. And I’ll be sure to be around on-line so if you need to come here and rant or freak out, just post and I’ll talk you through it.

How does that sound?

As for the method, different things work for different people. I’ve tried every method there is, and nothing worked. This time I used Zyban. It not only didn’t curb my desire to smoke, it made me anxious which made me want to smoke more! I quit taking it around day 5 or 6. So pretty much, I went cold turkey. ruadh is using the patch and that has taken the edge off for her tremendously. Doing it that way has helped her get over the “habit” of lighting up, sucking in the smoke, etc., without freaking her body out from the nicotine withdrawal. She has since gone without the patch for at least one day that I know of and, although it was hard, managed to make it through the whole day without smoking. I don’t think merely cutting down is worthwhile at all, but that’s just my opinion. If we sponsor you, you can’t smoke at all. It’s not about cutting down here, it’s about quitting. Deal?

Wally, I’m not gonna let you diminish your own contribution here, either. Yes, I’m extremely proud of myself. But as I’ve said before, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would never, ever have made it without you. Who loves you bestest? {{{{{{{{{{{{{{Wally}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Oh, but Wally, love, I coulda done without the heart attack so early this morning. Don’t scare me like that again!! :D:D

jazzmine, WELCOME! And congratulations to you and your husband for making this decision. It’s so great that you guys have each other there for support. If you want to do the sponsor thing, though, let us know. And keep checking in to let us know how you’re doing. We’ll all be pulling for you!

Oh, and jazzmine and BratMan, download a quit meter. It really is inspirational to see those numbers growing and growing!

My meter now reads:

One month, 8 hours, 0 minutes and 27 seconds.
364 cigarettes not smoked, saving $56.42.
Life saved: 1 day, 6 hours, 20 minutes.

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That sounds great, except I won’t have access to a computer until Tuesday, the 6th. My computer was damaged when I moved and until I get a new one I have to wait until I’m at work to be online. So thanks, Shayna, but there’s no need for you to wait around for me to flip out all day Sunday. I will promise you though that I will not smoke all day Sunday. :wink:

Deal. :smiley:

And where would I find that?

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Alright, BratMan, I’m going to take you at your word for Sunday, and I’ll be there with you in spirit.

Also, take evilbeth, purplebear, Grace, et al up on their offers to sponsor you as well. Check out the smoke-out topic Part 1 (linked at the beginning of this thread) and scroll through to see how we did the sponsorship thing. That’ll give you an idea.

Click here to download your meter.

[hijack](BTW, I’m originally from St. Louis. In fact, I was just home visiting for a week over the Easter/Passover holiday. Too bad you hadn’t started posting to SD before then, we could’ve hooked up for a drink. Well maybe next time!)[/hijack]

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[hijack] OK, now that I know that, I have to ask the question - where did you go to high school? It seems only St Louisans understand that question. And are you from the city or the suburbs? I’m a suburban boy, but I say St Louis cuz no one knows where the hell Florissant or Hazelwood is. [/hijack]

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LMAO, Brat! That is such a St. Louis question! You’re right, nowhere else in the country do they ask you where you went to high school. And if they ask you where you went to school at all, what they want to know is where you went to college. If a St. Louisan asks you where you went to school, you automatically answer with what high school. Too funny.

I’m also from the county. Grew up in Chesterfield before it got so huge. Went to Parkway Central - both Jr. and Sr. Then I moved to the city, right off Skinker across from Forest Park, then back to the county to Maryland Heights near Creve Coeur Park. My dad still lives in Chesterfield and one sister still lives in Maryland Heights not too far from Westport Plaza.

I have really close friends in Florissant and I go see them every time I’m in town. They live in a subdivision called Chateau Du Mont, off McDonnell Blvd if I remember correctly. Small world, huh?

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I thought it was gross so I ruled out “peeing” right away. But…you never know. You’re pretty much in the same boat as me as far as speaking spanish goes. I didn’t grow up speaking spanish at home. The only reason I know any now is that I took two years in high school.

And speaking of high school…

When Shayna was here last summer, she was telling us about St. Louis and how people there ask this question. People do that in Austin too. I wonder why?

BTW, I’ll be happy to sponsor you when you quit smoking. Go back and read some of things posted in the first topic. Not smoking will seem difficult at first but it does get better. If you need a sponsor on one of those tough days, just let us know. You’re very lucky that this time around you’ll get a lot of support from everyone here on the board. The same goes for Democritus and Jazzmine. If y’all need help, just let me know.

And Wally, don’t scare me like that! You had me going there for a second. Okay, maybe more like a minute or two. Whew! What a relief that it was only a dream. I have plenty of those. Funny, YOU aren’t smoking in them though. Sorry I can’t reveal what you are doing. A girl’s got to have some secrets, ya know?

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But I got no time to update anyone, and no real good news to share. I’ll be able to check in in detail tonight.

Oh, and FWIW, In Baltimore the question “Where did you go to school?” Always means high school. Thought WE were the only ones.