bgaineshunter, Like you I have an addictive personality (people,places & things).I feel in love with Bud-wieser but had to leave him behind about 15yrs ago.I hope to do the same with the Marlboro-man.I'm a bit disabled when it comes to makeing better choises for myself.I think that those of us who traveled a hard road during childhood (i went through the system & was adopted at 10yrs)have a tendency toward self-distruction.It's taken most of my life (54yrs)to realize that I really am a good soul who deserves love,family & good health. :) My quit date is September 1st. Sending you good vibes and white light, Wheezy

You go girl! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 24 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 997 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $177.6 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 50 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24

I want to add that my father died of lung cancer and smoked the day he died, because he said the dying was making him so anxious that he just couldn't quit. I believed him. That's why I need to quit now. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 24 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 985 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $177.6 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 10 [B]Seconds:[/B] 22

I'm now ready to formally introduce myself. I was born July 14, 1961. I quit smoking partly for my 45th birthday. I was a smoker for 29 years. I quit smoking for two years back in the late 1980's. I achieved that quit through using the gum and going through 12 Step program. Strange, I think there were more 12 Step meetings back in the 1980's. It's difficult for me to tell what got me smoking. I grew up a ward of the state of Illinois and it seems that all the foster care youth at the time smoked. Not only did foster children smoke a lot but it was generally allowed in the house, usually in a designated room. The reasoning was that if a spot was not set aside, the children would just smoke in the closets and burn the house down. So I remember my first smoke, or should I say puff, when I was 14. I got so sick--dizzy and nauseous--that I am surprised that I tried it again within days and got hooked. I remember trying within the first month after I started to quit and couldn't. So I smoked for the next 13 years, until I entered 12 Step program for codependency and started just feeling better about everything. I decided that I picked the habit up from my mother and since I really didn't want much to do with her, wanted to exercise her demon as thoroughky as possible. I struggled, but with the gum it somehow seemed easier then I had imagined it would be. I don't think I ever really developed a sense of having struggled for that sobriety.I gave up the gum when I recognized that I had joined a group that emphasized being nicotine-free over being smoke-free. I think I was ready to anyhow. I did not gain weight immediately. The weight gain came after I went back to work and started getting stressed. I gained about 30-40 pounds, but within a year I was successful at losing it. However, I again got really stressed, and I can remember making the decision to smoke rather than gain weight again. I'm a 12 Stepper. The truth is that I did not have a close enough relationship with higher power to let higher power feel the gaps I had. I hadn't yet learned to turn my stress over to HP. One of the things I know is that I will not make that choice again. Now I've been a 12 Stepper for nearly 20 years, and I am extremely close to HP. Plus, I realize that when I needed to lose weight

Hey Brenda, Your story touched my heart. I read your words and i know you will never touch a cigarette ever again. You Beleive... thats what makes the difference. You are an amazing lady and thank you. 24 days is awesome :) PrincessC :) x [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 24 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 557 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $244.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 22

Hi Brenda You must be a remarkable woman! Welcome on board! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/7/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 28 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 338 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $106.4 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 6 [B]Seconds:[/B] 30

Welcome to our SCC family. We will walk this path with you and help you along the tough times and celebrate with you on the hurdles you jump. Remember always that you have made an amazing decision in your life and you deserve this quit. You are strong and doing fantastic, way to go. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/19/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 46 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 467 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $92 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 59 [B]Seconds:[/B] 22

bgaineshunter and I thought I had a tough life---Glad your with us and good luck. Post as much and as many times as poss. Use the tools on the left- You can do this Jacko(UK) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/4/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 0 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 0 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �0 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0

Hi Brenda, I understand how you feel Brenda. I, like you, was diagnosed at the age of 13 with asthma and had bronchitis all the time. My oldest sister gave me a cigarette at the age of 8 because she didn't want me to tell on her for smoking. By the time I was 12 I was inhaling. I quit in 1997 for eight months and could kick myself for ever starting again. I quit on June 12, 2006 after going through two weeks of asthmatic bronchitis and then on June 12 I ended up at the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack and found that I had plurisy and my cat scan of my lungs found that I was either starting or ending a case of pnemonia. I think it was the ending since I was already sick for two weeks and didn't have any x-rays or cat scans done when I initially went to the doctor. Unfortunatly, I fell off the wagon this past Monday. But, I do have a new quit date of October 3...my birthday present to myself...I will be the big "40" and it is time. You will SUCCEED! THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO BE THROUGH YOUR QUIT...THE SUPPORT IS TREMENDOUS! STAY STRONG. Darcy

Bgainesburger, thank you for sharing your story, you can do this one day at a time :)Marie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/13/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 52 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 786 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $208 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 32