I ate a healthy diet and exercised EVERY day, kept to a Size 8 - so I actually had myself convinced that I was protected from smoking effects by that......until a vascular surgeon I consulted for a varicose vein discovered I had blockages in the arteries going to both legs. He said,, "I can make your arteries 50 years old again with this bypass, but I can tell you that if you continue to smoke, you will develop blockages again, and you probably won't be healthy enough for me to fix you." Left unsaid was the possibility I would lose a leg in that eventuality.
Within a week, I found a doctor who specialized in smoking cessation. He prescribed Chantix and said to me, "there are more people in the U.S. who have quit smoking than are still smoking. Do you think they are ALL better than you?" I took that as a challenge, I think.
I find it interesting that I was able to quit - first attempt ever - when it became real TO ME!
I hope it stays real to all here - and to all those who are newly quit.
Nancy
