Lola
Quit Smoking 12/08/2002
It has been ONE WHOLE YEAR since I QUIT. It is quite unbelievable to me but YES I did it !
On Sunday the 7th of December 2002 at 11:00 p.m. I went to bed with a sore throat and the idea of trying to not smoke tomorrow. I woke up with the feeling of a cold coming and the thought of smoking wasn't very appealing so that helped quite a lot. I didn't smoke that first day. The next day, Monday, was a public holiday and I didn't have to work, and I said today I won't smoke, and I didn't! The first few days were hard but my cold helped me to not desire smoking and on the fifth day of my quit, I found BLAIRSVILLE !
I thank you GOD for putting Blairsville in my path! It is the best thing that has happened to me and was just the kind of help I needed. Hubby was already fed up of my continuous commenting about my quit and everyone here wasn't bothered about how much I mentioned what I had achieved ! It was a relief and it helped me so much to read and mostly talk about my problems with quitting. I got myself a quit meter and was so proud to see it ticking away in my signature every time I posted
I believe that rewarding myself every week really helped. Some of you will remember, that every Sunday hubby and I would go out for lunch on a sunny terrace overlooking the Mediterranean ocean. It was well worth NOT SMOKING and eat away lots of fresh fish whilst enjoying the sunshine rays ! Every week we would go somewhere for lunch and one week turned into two, three, four, ONE MONTH !
Two weeks into my quit I had the feeling that I had gone too far to turn back, and that feeling has helped me all along since !
I do wish to tell you all a bit about how I started smoking. I was about 13/14 years of age and my girlfriend and I would steal some cigs from our parents and smoke them anywhere we wouldn't be seen. We didn't really like it, but our brothers (17 & 19 years) smoked, thus it was good to do it and sort of made us feel big and important too ! Afterwards we would wash our mouth with soap in the ladies so that no-one could smell it ! Funny enough we never got caught ! Of course it was summer time and we spent most of our day in the swimming pool at the golf club! (Our mum's and dad's were playing golf meanwhile). When I was 15 and my parents had already found out that I smoked I was allowed to smoke at home (they did so how could they forbid me to do so).
For many years I smoked about a pack and a half a day of Marlboro Red, eventually that changed into another brand which supposedly was lighter. All in all I smoked for 20 years ! I had tried to quit several times before but I don't think I lasted even one day ! Nicodemon was always in charge and not me !
When I met my hubby I was a vivid smoker. I was 25 just and much in love Hubby occasionally smoked pot and I was totally against that ! Funny I should say that now ! We had many arguments regarding pot and well I wouldn't let him smoke when he was with me ! That only lasted a couple of weeks/months and I learned how to smoke it too and I liked it ! During 9 years I smoked pot regularly. I even had one year of not smoking cigarettes and just smoking a joint or two at night time ! Eventually of course my addiction was not only cigarettes but mostly pot ! I was worried about it and I knew that something had to be done, I just didn't have the willpower to do anything !
I am 35 years of age now and well since a few years my biological clock has been ticking. I had always mentioned to hubby that in order to have a kid I would have to detoxify my body for at least a year before. Every time I would mention kids he would remind me of this and well eventually I just decided that it was time to have a family and THUS I would have to quit for good EVERYTHING !
I tell you that to quit all wasn't EASY but I just HAD to do it ! It was in control of me and that I didn¡¦t like ! The proof is that if you want something bad enough you can do it and I DID IT !
How did I do it ? Thanks to all of you here at Blairsville. You are all like a real family for me. Everyday I go onto the board to see how you are all doing and just generally make sure you are all well. I really like you all and I am so proud to be a part of this huge non-smoking family.
I would like to thank Blair for having created this marvellous place called BLAIRSVILLE and Jacqueline for standing by his side ! A special thanks for putting up with me at all times goes to Rhonda, JudyQ, Wayne, Billb, Rose, Bob, Faith, Donald, Elizabeth, Wrengirl, GeorgeF, Tess, Sue, Helen, Nancy, Suzie & Charlene. Lots of love and thanks for the 24 hour sessions to the Webskipper and Leanne(my quit buddy). To Ken (I know you are with us at all times) for sharing many moments of great laughter. I am really sorry to have lost you my friend . Ricardo & HB my close by neighbours thanks for sharing many great moments To Don & Babs thanks for being right behind me ¡K in a few weeks we will celebrate again To Litlestar for being an example to me and many others I am sure ! To Gord congratulations buddy for showing that you can jump back on the wagon in no time ! To Paul & Trisha who helped me a lot in the beginning stages.. Hey guys I wonder how you both are? To all my friends from Freedom Village, Marsha, TexasMags, JudyT, Dharma, Gracie, Lyle, BubbaJames, Gram & Maryanne, hey guys how are you all ??? thanks for being there
And then I have a large list with names of Blairvillians of whom I haven't heard in a long time. I do want to thank them for having met them and I wonder how they are : Joy, Julie, Dagmar, Katja, Linda, Logan, Lynnea, Rebecca, Renee, Rob, Sandra, Susan, Tammy, Toni (cadetmoma), Scottish Ina, DebbieUK, Michelle, Polly, AnotherPolly, Ricky, Cheryl, Wendy, Spencer (& Sarah), & Lisa.
And then a great HI to all the newbies here at Blairsville: Ken, Cara, Leanne, BaltoMike, Kash, Phil, Corky, Tommie, Carla, Cody, Cheri and lots more ¡K too many to name Guys and gals this is not an easy thing to do but with perseverance IT CAN BE DONE !
You are ALL marvellous people and I am so happy that our paths have crossed and now finally I have reached the PORCH and I may sit back and relax in my rocker with a hot cup of tea and a good book whilst enjoying the magnificent views of a smoke free world ! and hubby: it won't be long till I'll be rocking the baby to sleep
Barbara's Ramble
It's been one year since I had a cigarette. In all honesty this is my 3rd attempt to quit smoking, sure I've had my one or two day's quit. This one mattered to me. I quit smoking this time so Steve and I could start a family. I wanted to get healthy before we became parents.
I started smoking at age 13. You know it was the cool thing to do. We would go behind the shopping center and smoke away. There were 6 girls; I was the one who was the addict and continued to smoke.
On December 31st at 11:56 I said good-bye to a very old friend. I thought it was a great friend, one that was there whenever I was in need. Good and bad times, when I was depressed, happy, sad, any emotion there is, my good old pal Mr. Marlboro red was there. Now trust me, many times I thought about going back to my old pal, but thanks to many I've left Mr. Marlboro at the store!
I think it was two years ago on my second quit, I found BV. I thought wow this place is kind of cool. My first post I wasn't sure what to say, I was very nervous. LOL, like I was stepping out on a stage or something. Mags was the first to email me and I thank her dearly. She touched me; she is the one who got me to stay at BV. Granted I blew my quit but I knew where to go when I needed it.
I knew I was going to quit so I started lurking for a few weeks before I quit. I posted and talked to a few people, I met the most wonderful man named Don. He and I decided since we quit at the same time we would be QB. Let me just say, he is the best QB anyone could have. He has called me when he thought I was down, we email all the time and he actually cares if I fall off the wagon, which means so much to me.
This year has been so hard on me. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through a radical mastectomy. My husband had skin cancer. There are things going on in my life right now that are really tough BUT I am hanging in there.
There are so many people I've met here in BV. A few off the top would be the very special AnotherPolly, lady you ROCK! JudyQ, keep the support coming. I know you would always be there for any quitter
To all the newbies, if I can do this so can you. During my quits I would come here to BV and just rant and rave. Keep that quit and keep coming to BV. You will find great friends, plenty of support, time to waste so you don't smoke!
With this I will conclude my closing with
It was my choice to quit smoking. I want to grow old with my husband. I want to be healthy; I want to have children; I WANT TO LIVE!
Remember, it's your choice to smoke or not.
I'm ready for my rocking chair :) I LOVE you BV. You have my heart!
Barbara Curie
Rhonda, I met you on my second quit, I've watched you succeed in your quit, decide I would use you as a role model
Tess, George, Web, Gord, Dan, Lola, Cheryl, Dharme, Faith, Cindy, Tammy, JudyT,
Maryanne, Sue, Helen, Marsha, Gracie, Lyle, BubbaJames, JaniceCF, Billb, Chris, Ron,
Tommyboy, Balto Mike, Bob, Faith, Judy T, Dawna, Cary, Ricardo, HB, Rob, Robin, If I forgot anyone I'm sorry