This month marks my four-year anniversary since I stopped smoking.  It has been a long haul with many ups and downs but well worth it all!!

 I started smoking when I was 12.  I grew up in households where everyone smoked so it seemed the cool thing to do!  The first time I quit smoking was when I was 15.  I kick myself for ever going back!  But I did and continued to smoke for 10 more years before I tried to quit again.  I spent years trying to quit and suddenly realized that I was practicing for actually doing it!  So I started clipping articles and suggestions on quitting smoking and saved them in a folder.  It took me a couple more years before I finally made the big leap!  But reading those articles before quitting and while quitting really gave me the incentive to stay quit!

 I used the nicotine patches to quit and they really helped.  I used them for about three months and they helped me to get used to doing things without cigarettes like driving, stress, after dinner, visiting, just about everything.  Cigarettes were so ingrained in my life without me really realizing they were!  I didn't smoke in my house (hubby doesn't smoke!) so I had a very strong attachment to the porch where I always smoked.  Even to this day I don't spend a lot of time on the porch!

 The first couple days after coming off the patches were a little rough--I was tired, irritable, dizzy, unable to concentrate, and shaky.  But after that I felt GREAT!!  When you use the patches, you gradually cut back on the amount of nicotine in the patches so you don't have such tough withdrawls.  I can't say I don't still have the urge to smoke because sometimes I dream about smoking (and wake up feeling guilty!!) or think about it.  But then all I have to do is walk by someone who smokes and realize I don't have the desire to do that again!!  I kept myself busy the first couple days after coming off the patches and made sure to rest if I felt like it.  I had some hard candy to suck on, chewed sugar free gum, and drank plenty of water.  I still don't like to be around people smoking, but the first couple days I made sure I didn't go around ANYONE who smoked!  I went for walks and kept my life as easy and stress free as much as possible.  I did gain some weight but not much.  Maybe the walking helped that!  But don't let the fear of weight gain stop you from quitting! 

The true test to my quit smoking came when my father finally moved from Alaska to Washington to retire.  (I had quit smoking for ten months by then)  Instead, one week later he was in intensive care and dying from emphysema (he smoked his whole life).  I spent two weeks with my dad and watching him die...he died in my arms.  I watched him struggle to live and breath and realized it was all because of cigarettes.  He was 57 years old.  Too young to die from a self-inflicted disease.  Even the doctor was amazed how advanced it was for someone as young as he was.  I know I will not smoke again because I don't want to die that way nor do I want my family to have to see me go that way.  It was so sad and devastating!  But even through the stress of losing my dad (I loved him so dearly!!) and the funeral and everything else that goes with it, I never even thought about smoking.  My dad's brother started smoking again right after the funeral and it didn't make a bit of sense to me!  But I understood the stress part only too well!!

So my advice to anyone who wants to quit is this.....DON'T GIVE UP TRYING!!!  Even if you have tried a hundred times, keep trying because eventually it WILL happen!!  I must have tried to quit 30 times but I just kept trying!  There are many options now for helping you to quit.  Some people are strong enough to quit without any help and I admire them greatly!  But I wasn't quite that strong so needed some help!  There is also nicotine gum and other things to help you.  My sister in law quit by going to a hypnotist and has been smoke free since July.  My daughter, Jenni, quit cold turkey five days ago (she's going to have a baby!) and uses exercise and hard candy to help her through the hard times.  She said it really hasn't been hard for her.  Maybe morning sickness helps her out!!  My husband, Jay, quit by going to chewing tobacco.  Each person is different and it just takes trying out different things to find what works for you!   Read self-help books, check out sites on the internet, set a quit date and go for it!!!  But be prepared and have a plan.  Stay away from negative people and surround yourself with people who will encourage you and pick you up should you fall!! 

Best wishes, good luck, and may God keep you strong!!