still a newbie on stop smoking

[skypeople]

 will turn 62 years old at end of month and have smoked off and on since i was 18 and went into the Marine Corps in July 1966 where I learned to smoke and got hooked the first time; then after having rapid heart beat problems and just never felt good; shortness of breath, chest pains, and could go on; I quit the first time around April of 1984;  I did not smoke again for 15 years; I took a nasty fall down 11 or 12 concrete steps and had concussion and do not remember how or why I started smoking again; smoked until after a friend of mine, Tom, a vietnam veterans died of cancer in November 2004 and several months after that i gave away all my cigarettes and quit Feb. 2005;  I did ok and then got around other smokers and was under a lot of stress as having medical issues and a lot of pain; so started smoking in october 2006 and smoked until April 12, 2010 and have not smoked since.  I will admit I have been using nicotine gum as used that once before and was able to stop smoking and then stopped using the gum.  I was diagnosed with moderate COPD and have even more medical issues and know I have to quit now and this is like my last chance to get off cigarettes; tired of feeling miserable, coughing, shortness of breath and know if I continue I will end up like a lot of veterans I have seen at VA nursing homes that have gone thorugh amputatons; on oxygen twenty seven etc andjust do not want to be there in future.  Plus just lost my older brother (he was 10 months older then me) who was a heav smoker most of his ife to stage four throat cancer and by time he died it had spread to his chest, and also in bones as well.  He had to have a trach and also a feeding tube as he could not eat and got to where he could not even drink fluids; he died March 30, 2010.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

"Most of our obstacles would melt away
if, instead of cowering before them, 
we should make up our minds 
to walk boldly through them."
- Orison Swett Marden

Replace Obstacle with Cravings! Don't build cravings up in your mind that they are more than they are! They will be less powerful when you DECIDE to put them in context. Even the worst Craving only lasts 3-5 minutes - physically - but if you feed them with trepidation, then you are adding fuel to their power! you know they are physically real, especially in the first few days, but even then, you can minimize them in a number of practical ways:

-Drink Cranberry Juice - this is stabilize your blood sugar levels

-Cut your Caffeine in half - this will keep you from feeling wired and at the same time, keep you out of Caffeine Withdrawal

-Drink more Water than a Fish! - that will keep you hydrated

-Take long sloooow deep breaths - bring your breath down to your belly (Yogic Breathing) and exhale very slowly (at least a count of 4) 

-Exercise - keep those endorphins flowing

-Stay busy and FOCUS on some other activity - Acknowledge the craving but keep it in the background of your awareness

Walk boldly through your cravings, knowing that you are stronger, better, more powerful than a dead leaf wrapped up in paper and dipped in thousands of deadly poisons! You CAN do this!

Come to the Blogs where the Community at Large hangs out and Read More about How to Quit! You'll meet folks who have just begun their quit journey and those who have quit for Months, even Years! We CAN help you to SUCCEED!

[maggie_8-1-2010]

Hello and welcome! Please come on over tot he blogs and introduce yourself there! That's where we all hang out and where you'll get lots of support. See you there soon!