[desirae]

I'm done with cigarettes, I'm done with nicotine, I'm done with this addiction, and I'm really done with waiting for the day I discover I have lung, mouth, or throat cancer......I want to live, and I want to do this for my kids.

Tonight are me and cigarettes farewell tour. Tomorrow morning I start my new day as a non smoker...cold turkey, it's the only way for me. If I can quit cold turkey for both of my pregnancies, I can do the same now.

Please cross your fingers for me....and if I get mean forgive me.

[Raynaadi]

WTG Des!!!! I have been unable to do this...I wish you luck!

[Kalamity]

I quit cold turkey 10 years ago. I'm here to support you when you need it. One bit of advice, keep reminding yourself of the benefits of quitting. They far outweigh any struggles caused by quitting.

[Edgewood]

Good Choice! As hard as it seems, a year from now you will look back at your old habit and think "I can't believe I did that for so long."

I quit cold turkey about 4 years ago, after smoking off and on for 14 years. Your life will immediately improve.

I find at 40, that many of the career smokers who are my elders are having (or HAD) serious health problems.

Good Luck!

[Sujin]

That's fantastic, Desirae! You are doing a great thing, not only for yourself, but for those sweet children of yours!

Love,
Zen

[mlyn]

way to go!!!!!!!!! smober is the way to go!!!!!! 2 yrs and 7 months smober here.
mlyn

[desirae]

Okay okay, I got through the usual early morning cigarette. I still haven't smoked, even through the coffee, after breakfast fullness, and screaming mad babies. I'm a little anxious, but I think I can do it. I hope I don't slip up because an evil part of my is saying....just one just one just one........It's driving me nuts, but then there's the other part of me saying...you have the choice, you have the choice....so far I've been strong.

Thanks all for your support, and I hope I can get smober too....lol mlyn.

[Sabrina]

Well Done!!!! I have given up 3 times. I also had to go cold turkey. It wasn't easy though. To this day I still sometimes miss smoking.

You are doing very, very well!

[desirae]

Yes, I think mentally smoking sticks in your mind, even after the physical symptoms have vanished. It's become a part of daily life, like when I drive I smoke like a mad man. I'm definitely avoiding the car today, I just want to get through the first 24 hours before I do anything drastic.

Anyway, I think I will miss parts of smoking, I find it social, calming, and somewhat cool.....don't we all?!? But it's life is what's most important in this case, I kind of promised myself after my Grandmother passed away from cancer, caused by 30 years of heavy smoking, that I would quit and survive. I didn't do it, I failed in my first attempted. I think there's a stronger force with me this time, lately my life has changed for me, I feel myself gaining strength and knowledge. I hope I can do this, and with the support of all of you, and never ending understanding and compassion, I believe I can.

Thanks so much.

[Sabrina]

Allow yourself time to grieve giving up. When I acknowledged that I had just lost the best friend I ever had, it became a little easier. When I say best friend, by that I mean ... What is always with you EVERY time you need it, never lets you down, never ever judges you and even calms and soothes.

My psychological attachment was harder to break than the physical.

Again, you are doing very well. Be very proud of yourself.

[Rhapsody]

- HURRAY!!! for YOU -

[desirae]

Okay....so far, so good.....every time I need a cig I am going to post here, so it's going to be a lot...just work with me.

Right now, to keep the kids occupied, and easier on me, I'm letting them draw all over the house with chalk....there going crazy!!.....it's okay, as long as you wipe it up soon after the doodles it comes off very easy, plus those Mr. Clean magic erasers are friggin great, they work on everything. They're loving the freedom.

I have a headache right now, and my stomach feels a little queasy, I'm thinking a good lunch will help out, and I need to lay off the coffee too.

Thanks all soooooooooooooo much for your support, don't worry, you don't have to reply every time I type...just listen, that's all I need right now.

From the bottom of my heart you all are truly great people.

Oh oh...Sissy needs a freshening up.

[Kalamity]

You're doing great! Keep posting, espcially if it's helping you.

[Sabrina]

The headache and queasy feelings are quite normal. Especially for the first day or three.

I have a really nice elliptical trainer and everytime I wanted to smoke, I worked out for the 10 minutes I would have spent smoking. That was an enormous help.

I am rooting for you hon! You're doing great!!!!!

You can do this! We'll all try to help!

My mom called me one day as I was lighting up and told me she had lung cancer.

I quit right then.

You always think it won't happen to you. You convince yourself as you're taking a puff that you'll quit soon and before you know it...

They removed her entire left lung and a third of her right lung, six years ago. So far she is doing great.

Was it easy to quit? Hell no. Do I still miss it? Yup. BUT it was the right thing to do. Your kids are lucky that you care so much about them.

PS. That nicotine gum got me through some pretty rough spots. It helped take the edge off the cravings until they subsided.

[Raynaadi]

So proud of you!!! You're inspiring me and giving me tips for when I'm ready. I thought I was ready but I wasn't. My mom died of lung cancer when I was 20. You'd think I would stop. Powerless. Just can't quite turn it over yet. You're awesome. Congrats on this first day of smobriety!

[desirae]

Thanks a lot for your support guys, it really is helping me out. It's a quarter till 2 and still no cigarette. After lunch I had an intense craving, I actually started looking for my lighter and was getting to walk outside, I think my body has become accustomed to this. I did it though, I got through it by wiping all the chalk off the walls!!........lol....See even my babies are helping a bit. My main goal today is to clean clean clean, take a walk with my babies, exercise, and if I have to eat lots of candy.....at least till this first 24 hours is through.

I can do this, I can do this.........grrrrrrr......I can..but it's hard.

I'm sweating real bad although the ac's on....must be some symptom or something.

Okay, I'm going to clean down stairs, although it's clean, I'll find dirt someplace!!....then all three of us will squeeze in a bath and go for a walk. I'll be leaving my cigarettes behind, I'll have to avoid the laundromat because I stop there to smoke a lot. I can do this.

Even though I sound like a nut, I seriously appreciate your understanding and support....I couldn't do it without.

Just this first 24 hours, that's all I'm asking for...one day at a time!

[desirae]

MINTS.....I FOUND MINTS!!!!!...WOOHOO

I'll be leaving my cigarettes behind

Uh-oh. You should toss 'em out right now.

Can't smoke 'em if you don't have 'em.

[Sabrina]

Clean away!!!!! A good distraction (so to speak).

Great on the mints, but maybe also get some sugar free gum?

You are doing so well!!!!!!! Many hours already!! Way to go!

[Raynaadi]

I agree with Petunia. You still have cigarettes? That's like makin a reservation. If you make a reservation at the Hilton, that's because you plan on stayin there. Toss the smokes!!

[Sabrina]

How's it going Desirae?

[desirae]

Okay.....I did it!!.....I made it through the first 24 hours without one puff of smoke. I'm so proud and happy I accomplished this. Now I have to get through this day today, but this time I have gum and some sour chews for the real bad cravings. I think the first 24 hours are the worse though, and I got through that.

My husband left me a bunch of cigarettes yesterday, not knowing I wasn't gonna smoke. I hid them when I saw them, so they weren't in view. I think he took them all today, so even if I wanted to smoke....there's no cigarettes.

He's happy I quit because I'm sure he's sick of supplying my cigarettes for me.

Thanks all for your support. Jeez, I'm still gonna need it but thanks to all of you I got through the worse!

[Sabrina]

You are doing so well. Sending you lots more strength.

[Kalamity]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Raynaadi said:
I agree with Petunia. You still have cigarettes? That's like makin a reservation. If you make a reservation at the Hilton, that's because you plan on stayin there. Toss the smokes!!

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Not necessarily. I hung on to mine for months after I quit smoking. I kept the ashtrays for years and I still have two of my lighters 10 years later.

For some people I think it actually helps. You have them so you don't start obsessing about not having them, which may make you want to smoke that much more.