The evening that I decided to quit smoking, I sat down at my computer and I emailed a few people to inform them of my decision to quit - just to make it official. I thought that if I told someone, that I would be more obligated to keep my word. Nothing special - just wanted ( more like NEEDED )to tell a few people. A very dear friend of mine kept that email this entire time, and returned it to me recently. Her thought of returning it to me, was the best gift ever. As soon as I read it, I remembered the fear I was feeling that evening- The uncertainty and lack of confidence, . I knew what I was in for - I had quit before - I knew it wasn't going to be fun. But I knew this had to be my last quit. I had to do it. I was going to do it.
Finding the strength to hold on
Thank you God!!
Amen
With or without Blairsville I would not have smoked - My decision to quit was made before I came here - I have no intention of ever traveling down Nicotine Rd again. But WITH Blairsville - my journey has been easier - lighter - tolerable - and after the first month or two, it even became an enjoyable one. I didn't have to carry the load alone. I'm not sure where I would be if not for the encouragement and support of those people who helped me early in my quit - and those who continue to help me through reminders which are best not forgotten. The fogies whose many M's showed me that this could be done, or the newbies who now serve the reminders of the intense struggle (sure don't want to do that again). Seeing the determination of those who slip but get right back up and try again has left me in awe of their strength and courage. Only in the true spirit of Blairsville could anyone know the unconditional support that this group provides. Only in the true spirit of Blairsville could anyone provide the unconditional support that this group knows.
I am so grateful that God put me on the path to Blairville and I thank everyone here.. You are all my hero's, newbies - middlebies - fogies alike. You've all helped this Wren fly.
I pray for God's blessings on each and every one of you. Thank you..
Quit May 27th, 2000 and never looking back.
I can do EVERYTHING through him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:13
Bev's ramble
More than a year ago I was struggling to quit smoking. I had just lost a 2 and one half month quit. I decided to quit again and told myself if I was going to succeed I'd need to do some things differently. I'd noticed while reading my local newspaper that there was a Nicotine Anonymous group that met every week. I decided to check it out....As it turns out this was one of the best decisions I've ever made because it was there that I met Bob (that'd be Bobquit).
Up to this point I'd never been much of a "joiner." In fact, asking for help was largely alien to me. I tended to live my life within what I recognize now as what I called my "box." This box that smoking kept me locked into was a place that I considered to be relatively safe. HA! WRONG! It was really a trap...as long as I stayed in my box I didn't have to confront some of my deepest fears nor did I need to experience my darkest despair.
BACK TO BOB...........At the first NA meeting that I attended Bob gave me Blairsville's URL. I'd never had any connection with online support groups before. I associated them with chatroom horror stories that I'd heard and therefore was skeptical to say the least. I lurked for a week or so and noticed that the folks who were posting seemed like a very caring and knowledgeable group. Finally I made my first tentative post...much to my surprise I got several replies....these people were actually welcoming ME! "Wow, I thought, they really want me here."
And Thus began the journey that took me out of my "box".........I want to thank from the bottom of my heart, the many people who I've met in Blairsville, who extended their unconditional love and support, to help me keep the commitment I made to myself to quit smoking permanently. They are Bob (my mentor and friend )..there was Michael Reilly (who I think was maybe the 2nd person to every post to me on Blairsville). The Morning Crew (at the time) Paul & Trisha, Scott, Mick, Lars, Per, MarkS (& Tigger), Donald, Rita, Tommyboy, Debcb....gosh I wish I could remember all of you...and I'm sorry if I've forgotten anyone...Two ladies who were "there" for me right from the first were Sherry (Traveling Woman) and Pat, a wonderful kindred soul sister. And last but not least there are my two Quit buddies...Deanna and Jim...without you two I'm not entirely sure I'd have made it this far....And what a CELEBRATION we had on our ONE YEAR! And to Blair Price I wish to extend a HUGE THANK YOU for creating Blairsville...you are a Visionary, a great Leader and a powerful Teacher.
To All of you in Blairsville now, I want to give Lots and Lots of
Thank you Everyone.....
((((((((((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))))
...you sustain me on my daily journey towards further enlightenment...I feel so very, very blessed to have you all in my life.....
Bev
Jim's "ramble"
I’m not much of a rambler, but here goes…
The following day I found that I could buy patches without a prescription, and I bought a package of the 21 mg. I still had a few cigs left, and I finished my last one at 9:27 P.M., June 20, 2000. Oh, oh…no plan – I just got really mad…
The first few weeks were quite difficult, but I toughed it out, basically living at Blairsville. I found that my emotions during this period were very sensitive, and appreciated the sympathy I received from the Bulletin Board. Hope my employer never finds out…hahaha…I think it was near my first month anniversary that I Deanna, Beverly5 and I found out that our quit dates were within one day of each other, and decided to become quit buddies. This was a smart move for me because it added a disappointment factor to my quit – I didn’t want to disappoint my two buddies.
I followed the patch program fairly closely. The 21 mg for 5 weeks, then the 14 mg for another 3 weeks (the last week wearing a patch for 2 days at a time), and finally the 7 mg for 2 final weeks (again wearing the patches for 2 days at a time for the last week). It was frightening every time I stepped down, but to no avail. I had no problems at all, and when I finally removed the last patch – no problems there either.
Now I am at a year, and it is still almost impossible for me to imagine that. The urges are almost non-existent now, and my weight gain (22 lbs.) has levelled off. I am feeling better than I have for 35 years, and I know that soon, I will not have any good/nice feelings about smoking at all. So, I am off to the other side of Vancouver Island today, to party with Bob and his wife Joan, Sherry, Rita and my two quit buddies…I hope to chat with our friends from Beverly’s home on the 20th….
Advice to new quitters. I’m sure you will hear this a thousand times, but if I can do it after 34 years of fairly heavy smoking – you definitely can. Be determined with your quit, and it will slowly get better and better – and before you know it; you will be an ex-smoker – like me….yahooooo…
P.S. – Tommyboy, the picture looks fine, but could you darken in quite a bit, and it will be fine (all black…hahaha).
Have a great day...
I decided to quit smoking on June 19, 2000. I had been rolling my cigs for the previous few years, and when I went into the corner store that day to get my kit, they didn’t have any. I got slightly agitated, bought a pack; and thought about driving 1 ½ hours out of town to buy my kit. I then told myself that this was crazy, and the next day, I would go to the drugstore and see if I could purchase some patches.
The patches worked really well for me; slight itching and discomfort at the beginning, but I quickly adjusted to that. I found out why the first week was called “Hell Week” when, on Day 4 of my quit, I was getting some serious urges, and I decided to check out the internet for support groups. I found Blairsville, and lurked for a few days reading posts. I could immediately see that there were many others going through exactly the same feelings and tribulations that I was going through.
I think this was about the time that I really started to feel like a resident of Blairsville. With my two buddies, and some of the other residents with more time than us (like Tommyboy, Bob, MarkS, Dono, Paul, and numerous others) I was able to keep quit, and time just seemed to fly by. We celebrated anniversary after anniversary, and this really made me feel good about my decision to quit smoking. I had a couple of bad times at around 3 months and again at about 9 months; but was able to handle them quite easily with the help of Blairsville.
Jim (Raku professional)
Quit June 20, 2000
Geoffrey's "Ramble"
As today is my one year anniversary, I thought it would be appropriate to stop in and reflect on the past year. I hope someone learns something that will help them in quitting.
Steps I took to quit:
I know this is a long post, but please allow me to indulge in a few reflections:
-- Don't become a preacher! Don't ever forget all those well meaning people who tried to "get you to quit". Did it do any good? Probably not....If you are like me, you probably felt like lighting up right then just out of spite. Be open for your friends who want to quit, answer their questions and be supportive. Offer the resources you are asked for and be a willing ear. For most people, quitting smoking is a personal "journey". Let them be their own quide.
-- It's ok to miss the habit. It doesn't make you a bad person. I'm one of those people for which smoking was more than an addiction...it was something I truly enjoyed. They weren't "smokes" or "ciggies", they were "smokey treats!". Remember, it could be worse. People who smoke for years often develop the health problems that lead to life becoming "blander". No salts, no chocolate, no fried foods. When you quit smoking, you get to keep these indulgent items (everything in moderation please). You see? You give up one "treat". But you get to keep a ton more!
If you've made it this far, thank you for allowing me to express my thoughts. Although I don't know you, I wish you nothing but success as you start/continue your journey. Feel free to contact me at this email address if you need an ear or have any questions.
Your friend,
P.S.
-- You know all those charts and timelines that tell you when you can expect more energy, more taste and scents, etc.,etc.,etc.,? Keep in mind these are guidelines only. For example, "they say your sense of smell increases starting at a week or so. Personally, it took me months. Don't be discouraged if you feel you aren't "on schedule". Your rewards are coming, patience is paramount!"
giams@onebox.com
Geoffrey
Dallas, TX
If you are already a member of Weight Watchers and have a Palm Pilot or Visor, you can email me for the "Points Guide" and a great WW Journal in Palm Format.
OK here goes although I don’t know what I will say that will be as impressive or as witty, as some of the rambles I have read over the 12 months, 1 year or 365 days, that I have been a part of the biggest family that I have ever known. I remember when I decided to try to stop smoking again, for maybe the twentieth time in my life, was when my daughter told me she was expecting her first baby, I thought well this time, I will do it, I won't try patches, hypnosis, or anything else that I had spent loads of money on over the years, they never stopped me anyway! So I decided to go cold turkey. My husband told me to go on the net to try to find some kind of site with information on how other people quit, and that he would quit as well to give me support, I never really stopped to think how well my husband has done, He is an old fogey today too, I just took it for granted that if he wanted me to stop, he would have to help. I feel kind of selfish now as never once did he complain, not like me, anyway that is how I found Blairsville.Editor's note...Charlie (Ina's Husband) has had a set-back and has been temporarily removed from the "Old Fogey" SocietyBeing a Scot, it is very hard just to sit down and start talking to people you don’t know, that is another thing I have learned to be more forth coming, (Now don’t go thinking that means Forth Bridge I’m not doing a holiday ad here). So I just hung about for a while, there was no way I could quit that week anyway. But I knew if I wanted to really stop, the end of that week had to be it,-- no need to hesitate just do it. I was determined that it was my last week of smoking, and believe me, did I smoke, I must of thought I was a camel storing it up. I went through 400 Regal King Size that week. Anyway I was more nervous about posting, than quitting smoking, I remember the very first post I ever made was answered very quickly by Tommyboy, I will always remember him for that. Because if he hadn’t answered so fast I was out of there, more so because I had it in my head I couldn’t quit anyway, I didn’t know anyone, was going through my head too any excuse really, at least there weren't many Sassenachs on the bb so it must be a good place “my little bit of wit there”. By the way, Tommyboy, I also blame you for my weight gain LoL. As everyone is aware I am part of the most wonderful crew the MC. Trisha, whom I would have been lost without, Ricky, Lars, Per, (Hilary, who isn’t with us just now but will be back), Annika, Elizabeth, our newest member Billy all very special people, in fact too many wonderful people to mention, and that is on all shifts day and night, except I have to mention Paul who has become as special to me as Trisha, not just because he is going to become a fellow Scot, but because he has helped me more than I can say, I now want them to know how very much they have helped me through what has been a very hard lot of first’s, I know we all have to do them first Birthday, first Christmas, first Holiday. But mine was a little bit harder than most I had to get through the first anniversary of my son's death, as an ex-smoker it was really hard, but not as hard as his birthday which is the 6th of July, 1 week before my quit. I think what has made it harder this year is watching my granddaughter, Eilidh, because the sad thing about it is I adore my granddaughter she is beautiful, but out of my 3 children she reminds me most of Aarron, and what he was like at that age, I keep looking at her and praying that nothing ever happens to her, as much as I try not to, I know I will always have this fear until she is older than Arron was when I lost him. So you see with all these thoughts in my head, I fully expected to start smoking again on the 6th if not sooner I always have, How very weak our addiction makes us feel in our minds, But I found something a lot stronger than Nicodemon this year, the love and warmth that I got here, it is what got me here today, my computer broke just a couple of days before my 11th month anniversary, and I thought what the hell I’m going to smoke again anyway, why bother it was just like I was waiting in my mind to start again, I wasn’t even going to come back to the bb just the way I felt, but I was wrong because when I got my new computer and caught up with my mail I realised just how very very special this place is, and how much you really all cared, I just sat in tears when I opened each email- Beverly, Deanna, Hilary, Trisha, Paul, Ricky, Deets, the list is endless thank you all. I just want to say I am very proud that I am part of Blairsville, and to have such wonderful friends. I now know that I have had something this year that I never had before “apart from clean ashtrays” Support from people who are very special, you didn’t need to know what was wrong, you just gave me the help I needed without my having to say why, no questions asked, just all that help given and boy was I grumpy, I think I snapped at a few people for post’s I did not agree with, but not one person was bad tempered with me, and had they been I would not of blamed them. Trisha & Paul, an extra BIG THANK YOU for your help and encouragement on the 6th. I think it was somehow harder for you two, I knew what I was doing but you didn’t, I see how concerned you were for me. What I’m trying to say is even if I had given in to my mind games and smoked. Would it have made it any easier? The answer to that is NO. There is nothing makes the pain less painful the hurt less hurtful the stress and less stressful the sadness any less sadder. So you see I would still be as hurt as a smoker because it is something that has happened in my life that will always hurt no matter what. But I now realise it wasn’t any harder than usual, I’m sure next year will be just as hard, but this I do know I will face that when it comes, as a non- smoker. I just hope this will help someone else realise, we don’t need to smoke to get through, we just need friends, and in Blairsville they are in abundance. This is where Sherry springs to mind with her saying, take what you need and leave the rest behind, Sherry I’ve certainly taken what I needed to get me here, today but I know there is loads left behind, because people like you and the rest of the bb, will always have plenty to give. So my final BIG thank you has to be to Blair himself because you just haven’t created an ordinary bb here. The people of Blairsville have made it a lot more special than that, and I’m so very glad to be a small part of it. Pity I have never had a mantra, I never knew what one was till I had been here for ages, By then I didn’t want to look stupid or I might of found one, so I’m going to borrow one for my ramble, that I have always liked, hope you don’t mind Michael?
“fight the good fight”.
But the title of Michael’s book say’s it all. “ Don’t quit smoking Alone”
Ina