September 1, 2018, I smoked my last cigarette, and I'm doing okay.
I still feel a little bit like something is missing, but that feeling only hits when I'm doing something out of my normal routine. Which, right now, is going to happen a lot because of the holidays (I freaking hate the holidays, so this will be fun). Other observations:
1. I haven't noticed food tasting better or worse. It tastes exactly the same, so that's kind of a bummer.
2. My breathing is still labored at times. It's rare, but happens. I read prior to quitting and early on in my quit that this can happen, so it's not something unexpected or that scares me.
3. I'm still irritable, but I think it's the amount of stupid I am forced to handle vs. the amount of stupid I can actually handle. It could also just be mental boredom mixed with depression because I don't want to do anything about it yet.
4. There is one thing that I've noticed, and I know I'm not the only one who experiences it - but I'm the only one in my circle who does, so that's kind of fun. I feel like a superhero who has a weird superpower. I can tell when someone's smoked. They... smell... AWFUL. I have a co-worker who apparently smokes constantly, because it just radiates off of him. I also noticed at our annual Friendsgiving dinner on Saturday that the waitress would disappear saying she was getting something but she'd come back smelling like a stale cigarette. The more powerful the smell, the more recent the cigarette. I can smell it on my social smoker husband hours after he's smoked.
5. I still have no desire to get back to my hobbies, so I sit on my phone and surf the web. I'll get back to them in due time.
6. Weight gain is definitely a thing, but it's not completely out of control and I'm trying to be smart about what I'm doing. I just have to stay on track!
7. I am breaking out like a teenager. This is not something I've read about as a side effect but I'm hoping this is temporary, or maybe even because of the changes I've gone through/lotions I have to use post-surgery.
Speaking of surgery, I know some will be wondering. I'm healing! I still look like Frankenstein's monster, but the pain is almost gone. I did have a hole open up about three weeks ago, about the size of a nickel, but I finally got some help from my doctor after calling him out for blaming any openings on my having smoked almost 3 months ago. Now, I'm pretty much healed.
81 days and counting
1299.18 cigarettes not smoked
$534.62 saved since September 1
