Hi everyone!
I wanted to introduce myself and get to know you all.
My name is Amanda and I live in the south east US. My quit date I have set is tomorrow, August 9, 2008. I'm going to be using the patch to help me deal with withdrawal symptoms.
I quit several years ago, but started back when a friend offered me a smoke. Bad me! I quit again for a few days about 2 months ago. I was doing well, but then my girlfriend had to leave for work and I slipped and went back to smoking while she was gone.
I am concerned about the effects of smoking on my health and also the effects of secondhand smoke on my girlfriend's health. I had oral surgery about 2 weeks ago and I'm having problems with healing because I smoke. My dentist told me that stopping smoking would really help my mouth heal faster and easier.
The times when I smoke most are in the moring, after I eat, when I'm driving, and when I'm bored. I've planned out some coping strategies for each situation and I'm going to stick to them with all the willpower I can muster!
Tonight is my last night smoking. With my girlfriend's support and the help offered on this website, I'm very confident that I'll be able to quit.
Oh, one last thought - if anyone wants to have a "buddy" to offer each other support and encouragement through email, texting, or chat, I'm all for it! I'll need a buddy, I'm sure! I'd especially like to find someone to text with, but any support is good!
Thanks for listening to me, and I can't wait to get to know you guys and gals better - I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of me!
Happy quitting to all!
Amanda 
