Thirty years ago I has a series of small strokes (TIA's) that did no damage. I didn't smoke and drank beer only occasionally. My bloodpressure was sky high. I had to give up a lot of things I liked (Salty snacks, peanuts , popcorn). No reoccurances. Three months ago my Dr. told me my Glucose level was elevated to the point that I was pre diabetic. That scared me half to death. He suggested I lose some weight. I had to again give up on things that I liked (cookies, cake, candy, soda, white bread, potato's, white rice and a couple of others). I went on a diet of my own and began walking for exercise. I started with one mile a day (A twenty minute walk) and i'm now doing 4-1/2 miles (1hr & 20 minutes) a day. In 11 weeks I have lost 27 pounds and the diabeties is no longer an issue. I have saved so much money not buying cookies and candy and soda that I bought myself a loco this week to celebrate my weight loss. I got my mother to quit smoking, cold turkey 30 years ago. She saved $975 that first year and probably extended her life by 20 years. You can do it and good luck.
Here in Virginia, a pack costs $5.55 (see what it costs in your state). If you were to smoke a pack a day, that would work out to... $2,025.75 per year! Just think of how much train stuff that would buy! Not to mention being alive an extra 10-30 years or so to experience life, be with your loved ones (heck, even us!), or maybe build that dream layout!
I used to roll my own, as did you. In the end, I was smoking store-bought 555s, though. It got to the point where I was not getting enough out of smoking to justify continuing. At that point, I was ready to give it up. I cut down gradually over six months, until the only cigaret that I was smoking was the one after dinner. That lasted a month. After setting off my illegal fireworks on 4 July, 1998 (the best slow match in the world is a lit cigaret.) I left a pack with about eight left in it on the end table when I went to bed. I got up the next day, got into the bathtub, shaved and everything, had my morning coffee and dressed. At that point I prayed that God would not let me smoke that day. I say that same prayer every day. I have not smoked since. Funny thing, in early September, 1998, GF asked me for a cigaret. I pointed to the pack that was still sitting on the end table and told her to take it. She said that they were probably stale since they had been sitting there for some time and asked for a fresh one. I informed her that I had not smoked since 4 July. She thought and remarked how she had not seen me with a cigaret in some time. She remarked that there were still ashtrays with butts in the train room. I was never much for dumping ashtrays, so I had just left them there. Also, as she still smokes, I have ashtrays for when she comes into the train room. Some of the advantages of having stopped: 1. Have you seen what those @#$%&*+=$%% things COST????????????? 2. I can climb stairs and hills at my age with a minimum of panting. 3. I have rediscovered bicycle riding and am able to ride for long distances. 4. I do not have to alienate people with my tirades against anti-smokers. I am still no supporter of the anti-smoking movement, but smoking really is not an issue that is important to me, anymore. I have more important things on which to expend my words. 5. I do not have to stand out in the rain or the heat to smoke. 6. I can actually taste my food. I admit that after all these years, I still want to smoke from time to time, but I know what to do if the urge hits me. I would not even touch a stogie, as before long, I would have a cigaret, again. Hang in there, we are pulling for you.
Congratulations! The only way to quit, is to QUIT! Been there, done that. Never looked back. Also, had more money for other things (trains!) and more days ahead in which to do them! Boxcab E50
Thanxs for all the encouraging words guys :thumbs_up: They have me on 14mg nicotine patches for 2 weeks...then down to 7mg for 2 more weeks. First patch went on today! Also...a friend who quit years ago found his old E-Cigarette setup. It no longer makes fake smoke vapor or does any nicotine. Just the thought of having something to hold or a 'smoke' to put in my mouth...is helping loads !! I havent even reached for the pseudo cigaretete that much today...been busy working on some train stuff :thumbs_up:. Every journey starts with a single step in the right direction ! I called my kids...all adults now and told em the news. All 3 cried. My youngest daughter told me there is no way in Hell I am gonna die before she decides to have kids of her own and they get to see "Grandpa". I refuse to fail. I will prevail !! :thumbs_up: Once again...thanxs for the support guys :thumbs_up: .
Hip-Hip-HOORAY!! Hey George... need to borrow my Bulletproof Unitrack Ninja Armor to help fend off the smokes?
Back in June of 2004, the nurses & my father were trying to pull me into the emergency room, as my head was out the door with a cigarette in my mouth. I've since quit. My motto now is "buy more trains!" I have more $$$$ to do so. Good luck in your future & good health.
George, hang in there, you can do it. After 41 years of smoking non-filters, I quit cold turkey at your age, with a LOT of help from our maker. It was probably the most difficult thing I ever did. As many others have said, you still crave one once in a while. My wife continued to smoke until two years ago when we made a 911 call as she could not breathe, and after the emergency room and four days in the hospital, she is now smoke free the hard way. Last week we celebrated our 50th anniversary with no ash trays involved. Much nicer. :tb-biggrin:
My father quit a 10 year smoking habit when he started dating my mom and they have been married for more than 50 years now. I am blessed he is still around and even though he isn't a "train guy," he indulged my love of railroading which is a debt I cannot repay. He says that after all the years of not smoking, he still has cravings so watch out for those. Last Saturday I went to the memorial service for my uncle (my father's YOUNGER brother) who wasn't able to quit until just a few years ago and he started having cancer. Please stick with it, even when the craving is strong. Andy Tetsu Uma
Please succeed. If I can do anything for you please send a note. I'm up till Midnight east coast time most nights if you need to talk. Are you able to go for walks? That helped my mother clear her head when she quit.
One day at a time Thirty-six years ago I made the same decision for a different reason; my physician advised me to do so if I intended to see my yet-to-be-born son graduate from high school. He is now happily married with a son of his own. "Back in the day" 1974 I had a wonderful "crutch" by the brand name Water Pick Cigarette Filters. The package was a set of 4 filters, each of which filtered out a bit more of the tar and nicotine. You were advised to use each for two weeks before moving on to the next filter. During the 6th week I was sucking so hard on the filter that the ash would drop off and burn a small hole in whatever I was wearing! So I then quit. It took about six weeks of weening myself away from the desire. Then I gained about 15 pounds over the next two years. That led to my serious efforts at healthy eating [vegan diet with small portions] and jogging two miles every day. Took the weight off plus dropped down to 145 on a 5' 5" frame. Today I weigh 145 to 150 [spring and summer vs. autumn and winter], ride either my two wheel bike or three wheel recumbent trike [tadpole configuration] 16 miles a day and circuit train at my free gym [benefit of Highmark Health Insurance]. At age 80 I now enjoy my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. God is good. Amen. You have much to look forward to brother. Keep up the good work.
Wow.... George I hope you do quit the dirty habbit,taste,smell everything is so much better.Just get that running/walking/bike riding going & keep it going,you tend to look forward to the "good endorphins" & it only gets better.
Smoking killed my dad. A horrible long death. I never smoked. Promised my kids I wouldnt put them through what I went through watching dad slowly turn into an invalid because he had to have a smoke. My doctor listened to my lungs awhile back and knew right away I never smoked. he says I should live to 100. 45 more years to play with trains!!!
Congrats, I quit 5 years ago from a 2 pack a day. Now I don't understand why I ever smoked, Growing up in a town in Montana that had asbestos floating through the air, it could still kill me. It seems that combination is deadly (after years of study) , I do have scarring, but so far, so good, I "only" have asthma, but that's better than asbestosis. Good luck on the first day of the rest of your life, and may you have many more.
Congratulations on choosing life. It's really the most important step. I used to smoke 2-1/2 packs a day. I tried many times to quit, using various in-vogue techniques. I was getting bronchitis twice a year. Finally, my lungs had gotten so rigid that I could no longer automatically exhale: I had to force the air out. I had to think about each breath, pushing the air out with my chest muscles. That's when I quit cold-turkey. That was 1992, and I haven't had a smoke since. My lungs are now in tip-top shape. A whole new world opens to you when you stop smoking. You have more energy, sleep better, smell things better, and things taste better. And you no longer feel chained to a habit that nobody likes. It's literally like being freed. It takes 11 days to break a habit. But after that, you'll still have to deal with triggers. Learn how to recognize those triggers--the things that make you want to smoke--and you'll be able to resist them better. The more you overcome triggers, the easier it gets, until you only experience one once a year or so. Then? No more triggers. Ever. It's a wonderful, free feeling. :thumbs_up:
glad you recovered from your health issues. great you quit smoking. i have to admit i still smoke. somewhere between 0-6 cigs a day. one pack holds for up to 5 days. usually after leaving the office at 5pm i do not smoke until the next day. never smoking inside my appartement or inside my car really helps to keep consumption low. i also try to ride my mountainbike for several hours per week. this also helps to keep my lungs healthy. smoking is like everything else. it will kill you if you over-do it. same with alcohol. same with pills. same with work.
Welcome to the ex-smokers club, George! Plenty of us here to help lend you moral support. And, Happy Father's Day!
Wow George, I had no idea what you were going through. I’m glad you got help in time and I’m glad your quitting smoking. I quit some 15 years ago after numerous times of failure. I used to smoke so much that I was coughing all the time and sometimes so hard that I thought I was having a stroke because my head hurt so bad. I had somewhat of a stroke of luck in quitting. I was in OK City and got real sick with the flu or something. I only got to work about 3 hours when I had to go back to the hotel where I spent almost a week in bed sick. After felling better and getting on the plane to go home, I realized that I hadn’t had a smoke in a week. I couldn’t smoke on the plane or at my job at the time and the first night in town my chest was so congested that I couldn’t smoke at all. When I got home I decided that I would try again to stop smoking because the 1st week is always the hardest and I had already gone past that. it still was hard, but I bought a package of black licorice nibs to suck on every time I wanted to have a smoke. It helped and after 4 weeks I didn’t even think about smoking except when others around me wanted to light up, so I had to just stay away from smokers for a while until I was completely over it. George, I wish you the best and hang in there.
