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Share your quitting journey

Endurance

Thomas3.20.2010
7 31 445

I went to the Hospital for an exacerbation that turned out to be pneumonia and from there to the Mental Hospital for a Major Depressive Disorder. I haven't seen my home or grandkids in weeks. Nor have I been able to work. 

Next question, just how much lung capacity will I permanently lose this time?

Only time will tell. This gets old and yet decline upon decline is my new normal. If you recall the last bout was in March and I never really recovered from that one when this little gift in humility came along.

I do not smoke. I haven't smoked for over 9 Years but I will continue to suffer from multiple chronic progressive diseases that are smoking related. Fact.

My recommendation to you - breathe, run if you can, exercise (just about everybody can find exercise that will work for you, eat healthy unprocessed foods, take your meds and most important of all - pray to whatever higher power you know lives in your soul. 

But nothing, and I mean nothing at all, will help you live quality - let alone quantity of life unless you quit smoking! Do it for you, Do it for your Family. Do it for your Higher Power. Just do it - Whatever it takes - Today!

LLAP

31 Comments
sweetplt
Member

Sorry to hear Thomas3.20.2010 you were back in the hospital...I so admire you...you always come here and share your experience, always wanting to help us...Thank you...please take care of YOU...and know right now I am sending out a prayer to you from God...(((((cyber hugs)))) Colleen 191 DOF 

Barbscloud
Member

Sorry to hear you had to experience this again.   Take care.

Barb

YoungAtHeart
Member

I am devastated to hear you are not doing well.  My hand (and heart) go out to you!

Nancy

anaussiemom
Member

Sweetest Dear Thomas,
I am so deeply sorry, you and this community are feeling your agony.   Please rest,  and recover. God Speed!



Hugs Hugs Hugs
Kim

maryfreecig
Member

Thank you so much for sharing about the health issues you face and how very difficult, even overwhelming, they are to manage.  You are in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for carrying the message of quitting and change even as you struggle. Endurance for sure.

ninepatch
Member

Prayers for healing....

Barbara145
Member

So sorry Thomas that you are suffering.  "Just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives so do his tender mercies."  Praying for you,    Love,  Barbara

Christine13
Member

So very sorry you are in the hospital Thomas.  Many prayers for healing physically and mentally.

Dietz1968
Member

My prayers for you Thomas.  My God bless you and keep you.

Felicia

indingrl
Member

Gosh it is so good to hear from YOU ❤- gentle hug - I missed reading YOUR current everyday comnents or New blog - what a blessing YOU are to newbies and most of ALL to ME - I am so grareful to God for blessing ME with a strong brother in Christ Jesus OUR Lord to show ME HIS glory being shown through YOU❤  

Giulia
Member

"Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."   I am hoping all things for you and my heart hurts that you have struggled so.  Sending much love. 

Daniela2016
Member

Hugs, love, and prayers for you Thomas.

And hope who needs to hear your message, really does.

Daniela

MarilynH
Member

Humongous caring EXtra gentle hug coming your way Thomas along with lots of good thoughts and prayers for strength and peace of mind for you, geesh dang cigarettes grrrrrr...........

Strudel
Member

Thomas - I am so sorry to read about these latest difficulties with your health. Yet, you find a way to make a life changing point and write a powerful blog to help others! Thank you as always dear Thomas! Prayers for you - eac( and every day!

TriGirl
Member

This Newbie thanks you deeply for these words. It takes a special heart to want to reach out and help others when you yourself are suffering. You definitely reached me. I send healing thoughts and hope you get home soon to your family. 

djmurray
Member

So sorry to hear you're suffering, Thomas - you're such an important part of this community and we're all pulling for you.

kdrew
Member

as i try and try to stop smoking your words reach me. god bless 

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Glad you are back!  What will you do differently than you did in October?   It would be helpful for you to think about what situation or emotion was the trigger for you to decide to smoke during your last attempt, and make a plan now for what you can do differently THIS time.   For starters, how about working on (or refreshing yourself) with the educational materials that will help you understand this addiction? 

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read.


 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract.   I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion,  3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire and 4) you can become addicted to that and it has not yet been proven safe .
 

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...
The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!


 Nancy

Sootie
Member

Dear Friend-

I always end up shedding tears when I read your blogs.

Sometimes, they are tears of happiness, sometimes, sorrow, sometimes empathy and most times----just plain human understanding.

But besides my tears, I always stand in awe of the fact that whatever you endure, you come to this community to try to save others. You are so generous in sharing your story so that others may be saved from the same.

You AMAZE me.

Stay you.

Thomas3.20.2010

LOL! Everybody else is already taken! Besides God has blessed me 70 X 7!

SimplySheri
Member

You continue to be in my prayers, Thomas, although the good Lord already knows your name, heart, and life   And He is terribly pleased, I think, that you are still here....sharing, helping, and lifting others.  I pray that you heal, that you feel better, and that you understand you're never alone here.  Leaving you a quote that you once showed me (although not in these words, in yours!).

Thank you, Thomas, for the years of reaching out and making me feel like I was worth your time...and God's  

jonimarie
Member

Just seeing this now Thomas. Nothing worse that pneumonia. Prayers

Beautiful blog and reminder of the hard truths of what smoking does.

Giulia
Member

"Thank you, Thomas, for the years of reaching out and making me feel like I was worth your time"  May I echo that.  A lot of times on here we offer our spirit and living wisdom and we don't know if anybody (but our 'buddies') see it, hear it "get it."  Well, I can't actually speak for anybody else, but I am going in for my Low Dose CT lung scan tomorrow (finally) BECAUSE OF YOU!  If you read this - please send up a prayer.  35 years of smoking a pack and half a day - I may have to pay the piper on that, and I'm willing.  Though I'm hopeful that my 13 year quit will keep me in safe waters.  But because you have passed this knowledge on - I'm able to get the information, should I have a problem, earlier than later.  Blessing on your head my friend.  And if you read this, please say a little prayer on my behalf for a good outcome for tomorrow's test.

Thomas3.20.2010

Giulia praying for you!

sweetplt
Member

Giulia Praying for you...((gotcha in my heart)) Colleen 

elvan
Member

Somehow, I seem to have missed this when it was posted, I have been seeing posts from you lately so does that mean you are home and recovering?  I am so sorry that you have had to go through this over and over again.  This disease is relentless.

Sending you loving hugs,

Ellen

Giulia
Member

Very much appreciate your prayers, y'all.   1:20 today will tell the tale.

Sootie
Member

Giulia‌  Praying for you also

Giulia
Member

Thanks, kid.  Should know Monday.  

YoungAtHeart
Member

The wait is the worst.  Thinking of you!

Nancy

indingrl
Member

Prayers lifted Lady G in MY Lord Jesus name amen ❤

About the Author
63 years old. 20 year smoker. 11 Years FREE! Diagnosed with COPD. Choosing a Quality LIFE! It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. -Galatians 5:1