The Quit Smoking Report Ezine

The Quit Smoking Report 6/6/98

Brought to you by QuitSmoking.com
http://www.quitsmoking.com

Hello,

This week I'm going to keep my comments to a minimum
so that I can include more of your comments. I hope you'll
keep your successes, questions, etc. coming!

====================

SMOKER'S STORIES

Terri H (Hopcrab@aol.com) writes:

I was a smoker for 26 years. That was up until February 19, 1998
at 6:30 a.m. when I, a 42 year old female, had a heart attack. I
had only one of the classic risk factors. Please guess which one
of the following was the only risk factor I had: obesity, high
blood pressure, high cholesteral, history of heart disease,
smoking. Well if you guessed smoking you were right. Every
diagnosis, every doctor's chart, everything pointed to smoking.
Yes, smoking.

On February 19, 1998 at around 8:00 a.m. I laid in the cardiac
intensive care unit in our local hospital with wires going in and
out and around me. As I laid in that hospital bed in came my two
sons, 17 and 15, who stood over my bed and sobbed, thinking I am
sure, that their mother who raised them and provided for them was
about to die. Had they pleaded with me to quit smoking for the
last 10 years-----yes! Had I continued to smoke----yes!

Little did I know, I had my last cigarette that morning. Lucky
for me I was given a second chance. If I die before I see my
children raised and then see my grandchildren raised, it won't be
because of smoking.

I am not a fanatic about smoking, in fact, many of my friends are
smokers. All I have to do is put my brain on recall to that
morning and the looks on my son's faces.

Thank you!

+++

Judy Melo (melo@alaweb.com) sends her good news:

Thanks for the encouraging stories!!! I quit 6 weeks ago. I
wear the patches but I have been training my mind over the
past six weeks that I do not need cigarettes. I am a social
worker and work with abuse and neglect of children. There
have been several tough cases lately, but I have made it
without the "hurt" of a cigarette to get me through it. I chew
Big Red Gum and drink lots of water and walk almost every
day. At first the walking nearly killed me, because I was so
physically out of shape. But I could tell after a week or two
that I could actually walk with huffing and puffing every step.
I feel good about not smoking, as well, as healthier and cleaner.
I smell good, my breath smells good and my house does too.
My family is healthier and happier. I have more money!!!! I
have tried to quit before, but a friend told me this time, quit
one cigarette at the time.....that is what helped me!!! Good
luck to everyone else that is trying to quit!!!

+++

Wanda (wguillau@nlamerica.com) writes:

I guess the first and only time I tried hard enough it was for
two weeks. The thing that brought me back to smoking was that
I was around it and gave into the craving. I really don't know
how to quit for good. I feel I don't have a strong enough
willpower. I know I feel like I don't have a lot of energy a lot
of days but sometimes it gives me a reason to get out of the
office and relax. If I thought I had enough time, I would much
rather go for a quick walk.

Just Wishing,
Wanda

+++

Dixie Krueger (Bkrue927@aol.com) writes:

I've ordered the Artificial cigarette [Fred's note: you can find
information about the E-Z Quit "artificial cigarette" at
http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm ] with the filters and like
it very much. Although I am in my 4th month of not smoking, I
find this very refreshing. I still have a slight craving or need
to hold something in my hand, so it is great.

My reason for quitting is when I was taken to the hospital in
January, l998 for a breathing problem, I was advised to either
quit or die. So I quit without a problem and did not miss the
cigarettes at all, When you are scared enough it will cause you to quit.

I still need support though, but everytime I want a cigarette I
reach for my artificial cigarette, and remember the doctor's
words "OR DIE''.

Thanks.

+++

Here's one from Timothy W. Heidtman, Sr (PAPAWHEIDT@aol.com):

Hi Fred, You said you wanted feed back on my quitting so here
goes. I was scheduled for surgery ( Disk replacement-neck )
and the surgeon was reading some of my older x-rays and noticed
I had emphysema which none of my other Dr's saw. The Dr said
that I would have to quit smoking before she would operate. Now
here I am a 57 year old male retired Special Forces (22 years)
wounded 7 different times, retired retail and I smoke 2- 21/2
packs a day. Now how can I quit ( My father died from emphysema)
is the real question ??? I called Tinker Military hospital's
QUIT SMOKING CLINIC and the NCOIC said " No, you can't
come to this clinic, 2-21/2 pack a day smoker, smoked for 47
years, there isn't any chance of me being successful". This
really teed me off, so here I am hurting because the Dr will not
do surgery until I quit. I was scared !! I went to the drug store
and bought myself some NicoDerm 3 step. The instructions said
try a place overnight to make sure I was not allergic to them
( which I was but under the circumstances it didn't make any
difference, I have had at least 5 heart attacks also ). I
started these patches on the 24th February and I finished my
program on the 25th of April (note: had my surgery on the 31
March).

Here it is the 13th May and have not smoked a single cigarette.
Do I want a cigarette? Yes, about once a day but I remember
asking my Dad did he still want a cigarette 10 years after he
quit and his answer was " Yes, pretty much every day he had
this thought." The difference this time when I quit ( I have
tried before really not wanting to quit naturally failed) when I
wanted a cigarette I just told myself I really didn't want one
and sure enough after a few minutes I didn't want one. One
thing I think you'all should tell us is after we quit how our
home stinks, how when we eat out the restaurants (Very
nice ones) stink, how my wife's all most new car stinks still
and I' not even going to tell you about the walls (behind the
pictures when you move them) in our home that are yellow
and not white like they were. Really it was a shock to me. I
have a wonderful wife (that does not smoke and never yelled
at me about smoking but told me numerous times if I wanted to
see my grand-children grow up I had better quit) 5 wonderful
children age from 39 to 28 (with only two of them that smokes )
6 Grand children that don't smoke. I never thought that it would
bother me, and I really didn't think about hurting my family or
other people with my second hand smoke.

I do want to thank you'all for your helpful hints and support.
Everything and everybody has really been Great in their support
like your letter for example. We need this!!!!

I have really been blessed with all the help that I have
received. Thanks again Fred You Keep plugging away and
maybe we can help all of these old hard-headed smokers out
there !! Thanks again.

+++

Another Judy (DACKS3@webtv.net) writes:

Dear Fred.
I was really happy to hear from you. I quit smoking
5 1/2 yrs ago and have been going to support group
meetings ever since. Because of the kind of addiction
nicotine is I`ve not been able to get anyone to come
to the meetings for some time now.

I was very uncomfortble giving up these meetings because
I believe very much in the power of the group and I really,
really , really never want to go back to smoking.

You asked for ideas for quitting so I`ll give you the list I used
when I quit.

1. exercise, walk, aerobics etc.
2. drink water 1-2 quarts a day
3. write down your reasons to quit.
Always carry it with you. Rea and reread it.
4. Listen to motivational or relaxation tapes
5. develop a positive attitude about the value
of what you`re doing.
6. pick a quit date.
7. delay "important" cigarettes
1st in the am , after meals etc. At first delay
15 min. then 1/2 hour then 45 min.
8. write down each cigarette you smoke and
why you`re smoking it
9. find an alternat behavior for the cigarette you
are delaying or eliminating ex. go for a walk
right after dinner or work on a puzzle or listen
to a tape.
10. do deep breathing exercises
11. appreciate your ability to breath deeply.
12. do relaxation exercise.
13. call a "buddy " who has agreed to help you.
14. read material on quitting smoking.
15. eat breakfast!
16. chage your routine (ex. read morning paper
in the living room instead of the kitchen.
17. rent quitting smoking video tapes at library
or American Lung etc.
18. drink orange juice , take vitamin C
19. eliminate smoking: in car, then on the phone, then in the
livingroom etc.
20. read reasons to quit 5x`s a day
21. plan something very nice for yourself on
your quit date.
22. write out a program for yourself to quit
smoking day by day using these ideas &/or
your own ideas.
23. do NOT worry about tomorrow.
24. put your last week of cigarette butts in a
jar where you can see them ( break any
long ones )
25. put the money you save in another jar,
plan something great with it for your 1st anniversary.

MAKE NOT SMOKING THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN YOUR LIFE.
It worked for me.

+++

====================

Thanks to everyone who sent me their story/questions/comments.
I will continue to publish the emails in future issues.

Do you have an inspiring quitting story? Tips? Hints? Scary
stories? Questions? Comments?

Send them to:
mailto:fredk@quitsmoking.com
I'll share as many comments as I can with the other subscribers
of this email list.

I hope to hear from you!

====================

What did one cigarette say to the other cigarette?
"I'm just dying for a person"

====================

You can find additional helpful quit smoking tips and information at http://www.quitsmoking.com/quitinfo.htm

While you're there, take a look at our products page at
http://www.quitsmoking.com/products.htm for some helpful
quit smoking tools.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until next time, SMOKE A SALMON, NOT A CIGARETTE!

Fred Kelley

QuitSmoking.com
Phone: 770-346-9222
Fax: 770-475-5007
Web: http://www.quitsmoking.com
Email: mailto:fredk@quitsmoking.com

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© Copyright 1998 Fred H. Kelley
This email may be freely distributed and forwarded
as long as the entire email remains intact.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or professional therapist.
The information included in this email is my opinion and the
opinions of the people sending in their comments.
Fred Kelley and QuitSmoking.com make no warranties,
either expressed or implied, about the truth or accuracy of the
contents of The Quit Smoking Report.

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