Smoke Free (but kinda crazy)

Hello bloggers!

    The last I posted I shared my decision to quit tobacco. Here we are, nearly 2 weeks later. As it turns out, I have been busy quitting. Seems silly to say, but it is true. I have spent the last 2 weeks planning for my quit, and  the last 3 days actually quitting. Who knew stopping something would keep me busy? I spend no time smoking, buying, hiding or accommodating my tobacco addiction. All that time should have added up to a massage, or a pedicure, or at least a coffee to myself! Not so much, I learned. Indeed, it is one of my lessons learned. Some others:

My top 10 "Really?" moments:

1. Cigarettes are expensive! ( I know, duh!, but I said this was the "Really?" list! So far, I have a crisp $20 from my quitting!)
2. It is nice to wake up without coughing loud enough to scare the neighbors. 
3. I love not planning my day around a trip to the store, the drive that accommodates a WHOLE cigarette, when to take a "lunch break" at work...
4. It is HARD. Some aspects are easy, but most are hard. Really hard. It is easy not to smoke, because there aren't any around, but hard because there IS a store across the street.
5. Those Quit Line people are sweet as pie, and know what's up! (1-800-207-1230) They can call you to help, even get free gum or lozenges to be waiting for you at the store. 
6. My blueberry coffee smells like blueberry. My car smells, and I have no idea why. Clearly, I have regained my sense of smell.
7. Not smoking makes you feel lonely. It makes me feel lonely, anyway. That was a shocker! I don't have my "smoking" friend there to celebrate a victory, or hang out after a long day. Those times (the ones where it was just me and my smokes) are now JUST me. 
8. Mints, gum, lollipops, carrots (3 different kinds), straws and coffee are NOT nicotene replacement therapy. I have fresh breath, am over caffeinated and speak too fast, but still crave. I should probably get some gum or lozenges....
9. It is HARD. I know I mentioned that, but it is. I will be feeling really proud, then I will go out to shop at convenient stores at 10pm to buy lollipops, fighting my own weakness.
10. It is worth it. I know that all this is gong to make me feel better, breather easier, make me live longer, reduce my healthcare costs, allow my clothes and hair to smell better, and best of all: make my kids proud. It is WORTH IT.

I am not sure if any of this resonates with you. Maybe you recognize yourself in one of the ten, or in all of the ten. Maybe you are one of those insanely lucky folks who don't experience any quitting struggles. Congratulations. (and also, I hate you.)

If you are quitting with me, congrats! Keep it up! Comment, share, or just know you aren't alone. If you are considering quitting, plan it out and pick a date. Talk it through with someone. (See #5 above)

Making the Choice!

Hey Blog readers~

So, I'm a smoker. Whew, it's out there! Seems like a four letter word these days, doesn't it? I work for Healthy Androscoggin, a great non-profit that educates about public health issues. Guess what our number one focus is?

Tobacco use.

Yea, so that makes me not just a smoker, but  a dirty smoker. A hide it at work, spray with scented spray, chew gum and pray no one notices smoker. Sound familiar?  I thought so.

A bit about me- I have been smoking since I was 17. I started smoking not at school, not at a party with friends. No, my first smoking partner was Helen, a crusty disgruntled older employee at the dry cleaners I worked my through high school at. She got a 10 minute break every hour to smoke, and I did not. So, I started smoking. I am now 31, and have been smoking for 14 years.  I swore I wouldn't smoke past 25, then 30. Clearly I am a little late on my goals.

Now, working here at Healthy Androscoggin, I have had training's on smoking cessation, the "stages of change", motivational interviewing, and cessation techniques. If knowledge is power, why am I still smoking?


At this point, I have the education. I have the tools. I even (finally) have the support from coworkers. The reason I am still a smoker: I am addicted. The nicotine, the tobacco, the cigarettes. The cigarette with the morning coffee. The cigarette after the meal. The cigarette after a drink with friends. The mindless driving cigarette. My personal favorite: the victory cigarette. (you know the one, when you get the job done, set the last brick, push send, clean the house, whatever... the victory one)

So, until now, the only thing missing was the choice to quit. MY choice. I have made the choice before. Indeed, many times. I have also followed that choice up with choosing to smoke again. Sometimes I stayed quit for months. The birth of a child. The summer. A couple weeks. Sometimes my quit only lasted hours.

Today, I am making the choice again. Want to know what all that tobacco education taught me? The more times I have quit, the MORE likely I am to stay quit on my next attempt. So. today I choose. January 9th will be the day I am no longer a smoker. (Doesn't that sound nicer than "the day I quit"? Who wants to be a "quitter"? Right?)

Yup. You read that right. Nearly 2 weeks away.  Choosing to quit doesn't mean throwing away the tobacco that moment. (though I have done that in the past) I thought about it, and I really want to be tobacco free, for good. The best way I can do that is to set my self up to succeed. So, I have a date. I have a "Nicotine Replacement Therapy" chosen. Not nearly as scary as it sounds. I am choosing the patch. Gum, lozenges, mints, and patches can be bought at the drug store. You can see your doctor for medicine, an inhaler or nasal spray. Regardless, I am going to need help, and you might too.

I signed up for Quit&Win as well. I will be getting tips and support from the program, and will get recognized for my efforts in February.

So, quit with me. Make the choice. Do it before the 10th of January and enter to win prizes through Quit & Win. One promise- I will keep it real. I will share the frustrating moments, the "I don't know if I can do this" moments. I will also share the tips and tricks I use. I will share my successes. The cigarette I said "no" to. The ability to breathe easier. The smells of things I had forgotten about.

Follow along, and quit with me. Make your choice.