Hey Bear - I saw the quote from the poem Invictus - once I quoted to someone - My head is bloody but unbowed. This person looked at me and said -Duck! What a concept - I can duck the pain by letting go?? Not something I do easily. I have 4 weeks and 10 hours without a cigarette after smoking for 38 years and most of the time 3 packs a day. I, too, thought my health was good until I ended up in the ER with no breath sounds at all. Then four more days in critical care on telemetry to see if there had been damage to my heart from being cut off from oxygen for a while. I watched people struggle far more than me - on respirators, oxygen, coughing so badly every step, even dying. Each day was a nightmare - but one I badly needed. Now I know the damage I inflicted on myself and have truly quit, I pray - for me - alot more reasons, living with a non-smoking son, smelling "the smell" all the time, and justifying every puff I took. I do disagree about being strong in a way. I think about being smart - want a smoke, go for a walk, call someone even a hotline for smoking quitters, and mostly hold on to a group who are trying to do the same as you. Even unknown people on the Internet. When I am weak, someone else can be my strength until I am calm enough once again to go on. I can try to be a help to someone else not on the same journey. Ok, I'll hush now and not make this a book, smile.
A hand to hold and somewhere to duck!!
Joyce
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/13/2007
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 28
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,427
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $126
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 57 [B]Seconds:[/B] 29