TONS Of Stress, Zero Smokes

[minihorses]

This past weekend I had a situation that I swore I'd never be in.  I got scammed.  I saw all the signs and asked the questions but I admit I got railroaded.  I clicked on something and got a window saying that a virus had been detected, don't close the window or shut down the computer.  Call a number to get microsoft help.  I have 2 different programs of virus/malware/etc. software running but the microsoft logo, or now that I looked closer what I thought was the microsoft logo, was on the pop-up window.  So I called.  I stupidly let them have remote access to my computer where they 'showed' me that I had the "Zeus trojan" (I will post a blurb on that later or I suggest you Google it).  They said it wasn't only on my machine but had hijacked my network.  My husband's work computer was running on our net at the time so I panicked.  I couldn't get in touch with him, he was cutting brush with the chainsaw and burning it on the fire pile at our neighbor's house.  The person told me what it would cost to fix it and backed up their price by showing me some software at Wal-Mart that would do what they were going to do but their price was cheaper and that they would provide support for an extended period of time. They strong-armed me into paying them to 'fix' it and I gave them my credit card info.  DUMB, DUMB, DUMB!!!  The more suspicious I got I had my son look into it and yes I was being scammed.  I called the bank and cancelled my credit card there and then even as they were working on my computer.  The company's 'billing department' called immediately (big surprise) and I told them to stop all work, I didn't trust them and I would be making a report to the FCC, which I did.  I'm guessing it was either in retaliation or part of the plan but when I took it to the shop I was told they wiped my drive.  So no more financial data, documents, pictures, nothing but a couple of videos of birds.  Talk about wanting to kick yourself!  I can't believe I got in that situation.  I worked in IT for many years and am still computer fluent, I KNOW BETTER.  I was angry, upset, sick to my stomach, crying, telling my husband how sorry I was, scared of identity theft (which I shouldn't have been so scared as I have free identity theft protection from the US government for another 2 months because I worked for the DoD at one time) and just plain floored.  I've been a wreck since, until this morning when I felt I could breathe again.

I immediately went into lock it down mode and started preventing any fallout fires.  When I got my computer back I made sure I did everything to keep it and my data on the web secure.  Thank God I was running Windows Defender and Norton and everything in there was locked, I don't store passwords for anything important in Google so if they got anything it was absolutely nothing to do with useful information.  It's been a long, sickening few days.

Then I find out my oldest son is not getting the new caseworker we thought he was getting, whom he really liked.  We found out by his old caseworker calling saying that he was going to come back to work with him.  Matt and I don't want him back so he's without services AGAIN.  He's had the waiver for a year and a half with only about a month of services received.  We've waited 13 years for the funding and he finally starts making a little progress and gets left in the dust AGAIN.  He thinks he's just crap and that because the system has failed him that he is a failure.  I try to get through that it's not his fault.  Unfortunately, he's got part of my mentality that we're low-level life forms of the world. 

I could go on but the rest of the minutia is just more ashes in the trash can and I'll empty those myself later.  I realized yesterday that the whole time all of this was going on the thought of smoking never entered my mind!  I actually wondered why it hadn't to be honest.  I've been quit over 8 months now but I've been in less stressful situations in other quits and gone right back to the cigarettes.  So what changed? I'm not exactly sure but I DO know that a lot of it was because of why I quit, how I quit, and all the love and lessons from all you wonderful people!!  The Ex Community, as I've often said, is the best support system in the world for those wanting to kick the nic in the butt, pardon the pun. I almost feel like I owe my life to everyone here who's helped me save mine or at least helped stop me from causing any more damage to this old body.  

It is with great humility that I say thank you to everyone here, no matter for how long, for helping me along in my journey.  I know for a fact that without you this might, probably would, have turned out differently.  Without y'all I'd probably be right back to smoking a pack a day easily.  I made a commitment to my quit, a commitment to my family, and a commitment to you to do the best I can to get and stay free of smoking.  I try to make my commitment in the pledge every day and post some. I wish I could help more people along in their quits, I just haven't had the time.  With summer around the corner I'll have less time to help others, which makes me sad.  With all that said I'd like to wrap up on one thought:  

YOU CAN QUIT, WE CAN HELP

You can, and have helped me! Thank you all!

I pray you each have a beautiful, blessed day by God's glorious grace.