TODAY IS SATURDAY MARCH 10TH.- I am on the back 40, of what I jokingly call the Ponderosa in ND.
FEELING VERY STRONG IN MY QUIT! TODAY IS DAY 33.....I never thought I could do it!!!!! Never in a Million
Years, did I think I'd make the 1620 plus a few extra miles,4 long days,instead of 3...Trapped in a SUV with a very dear friend and SMOKE! Especially, when you are pretty NEW to YOUR QUIT!!!! She continued to be considerate of my Quit. I do like cinnamon 2mg Nic. gum, but only used 2 pcs. a day and my 14 mg. patch.
I did however, chew alot of gum, ate all kinds candy,sunseeds,pretzels,apple fritters and almonds....BIG suppers when we stopped at night. I did expect to cough alot from the 2nd. hand smoke.... That didn't happen either! I was exhausted every night and fell into a coma like sleep instantly! Awaken early in the morning, quietly dress and take Mazy outside. Aspermont TX is NO place to spend the night! Nice Enough Community, Grateful for a decent bed. A DQ to order something to eat... The ONLY Motel was one of those built in late 50's or early 60's. Very small room,2 queens sqoze in,a tiny table,1chair,nightstand,TV,window air and small bathroom....Served our purpose and happy we found it! It was clean, but felt TOO crowded and tight for my skin!!!!!! I am ALSO NOT A HAPPY CAMPER WITHOUT A HOT CUP OF COFFEE... RIGHT OUT OF BED!!!!There
was none to be had,until we loaded and stopped to fuel up.....Beginning Another Long Day...Knowing with every mile north the storms were raging on!!!!!!!!! Checking weather often to see just HOW FAR SOUTH THIS BIG STORM WAS GOING.......SURE ALL THE EMOTIONAL STUFF I WAS FEELING AND NOT EXPRESSING WAS THE QUIT..........My ADDICTION SCREAMING go buy a menthol and walk the parking lot with Mazy....I
DID NOT DO THAT!!! It would have been so EASY!!! OH MY GOD!!!! I SURE WANTED TOO!!!! I PRAYED and I THANK GOD FOR ALL THOSE PRAYING FOR ME...... I had in the NEW stash: red and black licorce,hot cinnamon candies,menthol cough drops,milk duds,mm's,coke-cola......I Nibbled my way North. I also read,crocheted on my afghan,played a game,read at the site on my phone... and as Navagator, watched the GPS for our road.
Monday was sunny and temps were much cooler than we left behind us but still comfortable at 45-50. As the afternoon was turning to early evening we couldn't see any good sized towns on our Atlas or GPS. We had come across the last of Texas,Oklahoma and a good part of Kansas. After some calls and no luck in places to stay. We ended up stopping in Colby Kansas. This is good sized with more than 1 place. The temps. had been cooling off while wind had come up. We hadn't seen any snow....The wind was darn COLD and escalating ....
We Found a nice Days Inn who accepted pets. Ended up spending 2 days there. Not our 1st. choice! The storms weren't over up north. The immediate problem was Kansas had a 35-45 mph sustained wind with guts of 70+ mph...The truck stop close to us was full of semi's. As more and more SUV and Cars/Pickups pulled off the road and found lodging. Matters were made worse with 2 prairie fires and the high winds.
We were so happy to be there. The breakfasts were great! If you left hungry, it was because; you didn't want to eat. The Bar and Grill attached to the Days Inn had wonderful food. They even had room service. This worked well with Mazy. She was tired, wanted to roam the room and have her grandma fuss over her. ON Thursday the weather was good and we headed out early in the morning. Reports told us the storms were over in ND,SD and NE. We made very good time,stopping only for fuel and quick lunch. We were tired and just wanted to get home.
This was day 4 since leaving Texas. The other side of Pierre SD we started running into patches of slush and short stretches of ice. The roads in SD slowed us down and were stressing us out! Neither of us like slush or icy roads. When we hit ND the roads were much improved,as they put their people out immediately and keep cleaner highways and interstates. My girlfriend was smoking more as she was stressed and fatigued..... I did
used my cinnamon nic gum (2mg-2 pcs) that day.... I didn't SMOKE,but sure I had my share of 2nd. hand smoke. I was wearing my 14 mg. patch! I believe it was 7 ish, when we pulled into Steele. My hubby arrived shortly,we quickly loaded my stuff into his truck. After he fooled with Mazy who was now excited to be on home turf!!!!!
Our county road to the place was packed with snow and wheel tracks down the road. Not a problem for a big truck.....
I think, my hubby was as surprised as I was...that I made it through all that MESS AND WAS STILL A NON-SMOKER!!!! Huge stressors in traveling that far,knowing storms were in front of us. PROBLEMS WITH FINDING LODGING, as well as different types of storms in Kansas. I prayed,I felt prayers of many others I contacted before leaving TX. I distracted myself with needlework,kindle,phone games,candy and snacks. Watches the GPS and Atlas closely for us......
MY POINT IS:IF A 45 YR. SMOKER, CAN TAKE THAT LENGTHY JOURNEY, AS A FAIRLY NEW QUITTER AND ARRIVE HOME STILL A NON-SMOKER AND COUNTING UP THE DAYS OF FREEDOM! The cravings were not that bad! ANYBODY CAN DO IT!!!!! You have to want to be FREE BADLY ENOUGH, TO WALK THE WALK, NOT JUST TALK THE TALK......I am so Happy I found the site! I will NEVER BE A SMOKER AGAIN! I will tell you that I am a couple months away from my 64 birthday! I've known the Risks of Smoke for decades. I haven't lived under a rock..... I just had NEVER SPENT THE TIME TO TRULY PREPARE FOR THE LONG HAUL AND THE QUIT!
I AM A N.O.P.E. ...alot of people will be truly surprised, when they realize I Quit! We haven't told anyone, but my prayer warriors,my sister and hubby...Going to wait and see how long it takes for all the people in my world to realize what changed. I must tell you for the 1st. time in my entire LIFE,I am CALM and RELAXED most of the time! Do I still have my Moments! Absolutely! Do they last? Not Very Long! Sometimes, I even cuss the situation I am straightening out..... DO I WANT TO LIGHT UP??????? NOT ONE BIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope and pray, if you haven't started your journey...it will be soon. If you're on your journey and finding the road rough and tough.....Dig in!!!! Use this site! The tools...Strengthen your resolve! Do whatever it takes to free yourself...You will NEVER BE SORRY!!!!!!! Prairie 34 DOF
thank you....
Congratulations on a marvelous blog and an outstanding quit. You have got this. YES
thanks... jackie you are a good inspiration around here
You're working hard at this quit. You sound like a lifer to me! Glad you got there safe (mentally and physically).
thank you....I want this to be the last Quit! I do not want to rewalk or crawl through the mess behind me!
This may be the hardest thing,I've ever done in life, but it is the most important to me! Prairie 34 dof
"crawl through the mess behind me" I like that!
You sound great! Welcome back! Never another day one!
NOPE!!!!!!
Thank you for that interesting blog. Not being American, I enjoy hearing about the many different weather conditions as you made your way north.
I also smoked for 44 years, and at 63 y/o this is my 2nd and final quit.
You sound as determined as I felt at the start of my quit. You're definitely digging in your heels and I applaud you for your 34 hard-won days.
What an enormous achievement - you're past the 1 month mark AND you got there travelling for 4 days with a (considerate) smoker.
You are really in it for the long haul.
Well done and blessings!
Bree 378DOF
thank you Bree and hang tough! let's just travel through this mess once and be here to help others to FREEDOM!!!!!
prairie35dof
I am SO PROUD of you and SO HAPPY for you, I'll bet Mazy is glad to be out of that car too. What a great blog and what a wonderful journey you are on...I'll bet your husband IS impressed.
Hugs,
Ellen
Yep, pretty surprised!!!! We didn't tell the kids or grandkids or friends....except those on my support team...Here,there and everywhere....didn't tell my Mom either! Want it to be a surprise on the next visit to her........Ellen,I made it this FAR, because YOU reached out to me right away, when I came to the site!!! I NEEDED that so badly that day.........I Feel it totally IMPROVED and CHANGED MY COURSE OF EVENTS!!!!
We want to see how long it take others to notice that I am a Non-Smoker......... Just curious at how observant people are.....
hugs,prairie 35 dof
How's it going in your world??? I know things have been pretty rough on you.....Catch me up anytime you can.....
Having a little trouble establishing a new routine..........men make such Messes...Will be awhile, before I feel like I am on
level ground here.... I guess, it isn't all bad....I don't have time to think about smoking and sure don't have time to let cravings
torch my day!!!! Just keep moving and each step gets easier....
PRAIRIEROSELADY I will be really interested to see how long it takes for people to notice that you quit smoking. I think most people are so involved in their own lives that they might not notice...I DO think that anyone who smoked with you will notice. I had such a big mouth that I TOLD everyone because I felt like I HAD to, it was part of supporting myself.
I am glad you are home, but I hope spring comes early there, what a SHOCK that cold has to be.
I am glad that I reached out to you and glad that you reached back. That's the whole idea of this site and how it keeps going.
XOXO,
Ellen
I don't think I would have hung around without that personal contact right away....
You will always be Super Special in my Book! 37 DOF Prairie
PRAIRIEROSELADY That is really kind and makes me feel your recovery and your growth. I could not be happier for you or more proud of you.
I rather enjoy being Super Special in your book.
XOXO,
Ellen