Thank you. We are not like a 12 step program where you get a sponsor, I spent a lot of time in AlAnon and I chose the person I perceived to be the toughest because I felt like she could probably help me the most. When I came to EX, I had a really good friend who was a few months behind me. She was struggling terribly and I tried and tried to reach out to her calling, texting, emailing, sending private messages. She had really severe asthma and she KNEW quitting was absolutely necessary if she wanted to survive; she kept trying and trying and finally felt like she had figured things out and she would not smoke again. She was 54 years old, her family found her dead on the sofa...she had been taking large quantities of prednisone trying to get things under control...I have stayed in touch with her family, I think of her all the time. She missed the birth of her first grandchild and all three of her kids and her husband were heartbroken. I felt like a failure, like someone else could have reached her. I don't want anyone to feel that feeling that I felt...I want you all to lean on people with experience and know that it matters here.
Best,
Ellen
