Quitting Smoking

[AAFO_WSagar]

No real reason to post, other than, I quit smoking last Saturday, I'm on a phone hold, bored and.... thought I'd share!

I QUIT!!!!

Did it for the first day with only will power, then got some of the nasty tasting gum stuff. Man-o-Man... that gum itself will give you the cure if you are a smoker and want to quit!

It seems to not only make you *almost* sick, it overamps you with the nicotine and the last thing you want is to SMOKE...

Anyway... totally not on any topic but, what to heck!

Wayne

[ecvsteve]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Good luck Wayner's, and I am going to have to take that trip myself sooon. last week working in the yard told me it should be soon.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Good luck Wayner's, and I am going to have to take that trip myself sooon. last week working in the yard told me it should be soon.

Steve, well, if you manage to start and succeed, then I guess I know the reason I felt compelled to share this pretty personal bit of info with the world..

When you decide to do it, it takes a "moment" of "I'm gonna freakin do it" a symbolic crushing of at least your last smoke is a good thing... more, like a carton, may also give added motivation....

I then went out and bought the 4mg version of the gum, which is for heavy smokers (I was less than a pack most days) and I think discovered a secret maybe in successful quitting.. Most of the time, they recommend using a light dose of the "stuff" to help out quitting. I found that if you use the really strong gum when you get the urge to smoke, the gum sort of makes you a bit .... queasy.. Not really sick sick, but, questionable about next location of the contents of your stomach, at least for a bit.. (carbonated beverage cures this feeling almost instantly)...

Then, after chewing this heavy dose of nicotine gum, you're left with that feeling you get after playing poker all night and smoking toooo much. You really DON'T want a smoke.

Then your mind sort of works with associations and you begin to associate wanting a smoke with feeling sick and.... bingo, it's been the easiest (not without urges, but easier than other times I've tried) time quitting I've ever had!

I don't think I'll have a bit of trouble quitting the gum (YECH!!!!) and once I'm done, I bought the 168 pc box, just cause it was only twice as much as the 40 pc box and .... duaaah... do the math.. that's a better deal... I'll have a BUNCH left over and would share a few with anyone who wanted to try my method..

I'm at five days clean and counting.. using the Crest strips on me teeth... gettin' all cleaned up I is!!

Go for it Steve!!!!!

Wayner

[Unregistered]

Re: Quitting Smoking

I'm 6 weeks away from my 1 year point. So if I did it anyone can. Congrats, and stick to it.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Quitting Smoking

I'm 6 weeks away from my 1 year point. So if I did it anyone can. Congrats, and stick to it.

Congrats!!

I've done it before, and for a number of years, so I know the very good feeling of not doing it! Better windage, MORE money in pocket, the lack of that being "owned" by something... not caring if your shirt has pockets, if you have to get to the store before closing down for the night... etc, etc, etc.... I can't say enough about NOT doing it..

It's NOT particularly easy through the first weeks, even with the above mentioned remedy (gum) but it's gonna be worth it!

Wayne

[dineega]

Re: Quitting Smoking

You rock Wayne!
It's a tough thing to do, but it sure is good to have it done.
Funny, once you really make up your mind, it's kind of ok.
You get cravings, but you deal with it.
I'm definitely going to pass your "technique" along. Makes sense!
Cheers! Rachel

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Thanks Racheal! It's not easy, trust me! Six days and counting... temptations abound but determination will win out!

I've got SO much more energy this last week that I am having trouble sleeping!

I'll make it tho!!

How's that "Critical Moose" comin? Can't wait to see that baby on the ramp with the BIG CM!!!!

Wayne

[dineega]

Re: Quitting Smoking

We'd sure love to be on the ramp with Critical Mass! I think we'd draw a crowd Thanks for asking .
Won't be this year, but hopefully 2005. Probably still on wheels in 2005, those damn amphibs are expensive.
We just lucked out and found a roundie locally - paying for it is another issue - but we had to take it. Now the boss has to look at it for another year - but it's good motivation to keep building!
Now we just need a few Yak parts and we'll be on our way. I have no idea how to send a pic or I would.

I have the Critical Moose drawing that Superdave did all framed up and on my living room wall. There is a copy on the "wall of fame" in the shop to keep the boys happy.

Now get some sleep!!
Rachel

[AAFO_WSagar]

Didn't quit quite soon enough..

Well, some of you will remember my elation when I finally kicked the habit a couple months ago... now... as Paul Harvey is famed for saying...

and now, here's "the rest of the story"

Partially, my motivation for quitting were a couple of worrisome bumps on my neck and a pretty nagging "chronic" sore-throat.. which had been diagnosed many moons ago, rightly actually, as being caused by my always messed up sinuses... well... I'm diverting the issue...

I've been diagnosed with throat/neck cancer...

A very good friend of mine asked me when I shared my "news" with him, was I going to discuss this on the message board, stating to me, he could see good reasoning for either way... to not to, or to discuss..

My initial thoughts were, I tell my friends and business associates only. My thought being, I DO NOT want sympathy, nor do I want people thinking strange thoughts about me.. I'm just not used to being... "sick"... and having people know about it..

Well, as the list of friends whom I felt the need to tell grew last week at PRS, the thought struck me, this "news" is going to get out and when/if it does, rumors will, undoubtedly get attached to it... so...

Prognosis, very good! Some more tests to be done, at my insistance, to ensure that my very qualified doctor from the "C" center at Oregon Health Sciences University is not being, "over confident" in his "very sure of himself" findings....

Assuming the worst, what I've been told is that I will receive between 6 to 8 weeks of chemo and radiation in combination.. that is the part that SUCKS! Both together are very hard on cancer cells... unfortunately, they are pretty hard on good cells as well..

Bottom line, I may not be able to make it to Reno this year.. That is my goal however...

I emphatically restate! I DO NOT WANT SYMPATHY!!! I did this to myself with a stupid habit, I will not die from it, I will endure the treatment and be cured and that's that.. I will have some lasting effects of the treatment to remind me of my STUPIDITY, for the rest of my life, hopefully, a long and healthy one!

Now.. if by sharing this rather personal information with you all, I can convince just one of you who partake in this most stupid of our human habits to quit.. I have achieved my goal...

Thanks and I appreciate all of you who help make this website what it is.. it's all yours, it's going to stay here and I'll work on it as much as possible over the next months.. maybe even more than usual, who knows!

Thanks,

Wayne

[Pylon1_Mark]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Glad to hear that the prognosis is very good for complete recovery Wayners... keep up the positive attitude and we'll surely be pulling for you in the days, weeks, & months ahead. As I told you earlier... if you need anything I'll be here for ya.

Now go eat some good vittles and put some meat on them bones.

Best of luck bro!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Glad to hear that the prognosis is very good for complete recovery Wayners... keep up the positive attitude and we'll surely be pulling for you in the days, weeks, & months ahead. As I told you earlier... if you need anything I'll be here for ya.

Now go eat some good vittles and put some meat on them bones.

Best of luck bro!

God bless you and your's Mark! Thanks! You don't know what those words meant to me when you said them the other day!

It's all good... just a "speed bump" in the greater scheme of things in my life!

THANKS!

Wayne

[dineega]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Wayne, it's taken me a few days to decide whether to reply here, but here I go anyway.
While you have friends that you need to inform, you also have many friends that you may not realize are out there, friends that you haven't even met (YET!).

If sharing your story helps just one person quit or stay off the smokes, then it is more than worth it. Don't blame yourself for "causing" it, but make a point to live each day to the fullest, tell the important people the important things, and ENJOY!

My little sister died in a car crash at 21, and it was a wake up call for me to step back, look around, and decide what was most important.

You can and will beat this. Be determined and stay positive. Be happy!

Try and get your ass to Reno, 'cuz the boys and I would sure like to buy you a beer!!!
Rachel

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Quitting Smoking

Wayne, it's taken me a few days to decide whether to reply here, but here I go anyway.
While you have friends that you need to inform, you also have many friends that you may not realize are out there, friends that you haven't even met (YET!).

If sharing your story helps just one person quit or stay off the smokes, then it is more than worth it. Don't blame yourself for "causing" it, but make a point to live each day to the fullest, tell the important people the important things, and ENJOY!

My little sister died in a car accident at 21, and it was a wake up call for me to step back, look around, and decide what was most important.

You can and will beat this. Be determined and stay positive. Be happy!

Try and get your ass to Reno, 'cuz the boys and I would sure like to buy you a beer!!!
Rachel

Hi Rachel, I did, finally, decide to just let the "cat out of the bag" and not try to skulk away for a few months and have nobody be the wiser..

My retest that I insisted on, where they went in and took a snip of my tongue was part of a roller coaster ride I took last week.. first test was NEGATIVE! I had hope all week that I'd dodged the bullet.. The docs rescheduled and dug deeper on Thursday of last week and.. as I awoke and asked the "did I dodge the bullet" qestion, my doc frowned and said the words nobody wants to hear..

Anyway.... long story short.. It's gonna be my "summer from hell" but, according to the doctors, I'll very likely die of something else, also likely, many years from now.

I will try to make Reno... but I'll be sporting the "Telly Savalas" look if I can pull it off...

Again, I'm sharing here for a couple reasons... (many actually) one of which is NOT to get sympathy.. I LOTHE sympathy so, please guys... gals.. none OK?!

I think I've already succeeded in getting one or two of my closest friends to either quit smoking or think very seriously about it. My "crusade" for the rest of my life will be to try to get people to think seriously about how damn stupid smoking is.. It truly is like pointing a gun to your head and seeing if it's loaded. Maybe it's not but... maybe it is and when that doc says those words to you, it'll take your breathe away!

I do thank everyone for the support I've been getting! Truly, you do not know who your friends are until you get kicked in the "nuts" and are down on your knees...

If there is any way I can make Reno, I'll be there! Likely not very full of energy, pretty tired and having to hide my newly bald head from the sun but... I'm gonna try!!!!!!!

Love to you all!

Wayne

[dineega]

Re: Quitting Smoking

There's beer in Arlington, if you can make it north!!
Cheers, Rachel

[mayday51]

Re: Quitting Smoking

...the gum sounds like the way to go....

...........(patches are hard to keep lit)...
..............(patches pulled a lot of hair off my head(?))....


.......been through and am back to the "C" word stuff too Wayne,

.....new chemo techniques are MUCH nicer to ya than just six years ago,
...so ease your mind (some)

....the "glow in the dark" treatments are also more focused and of much lower rad levels now ....not as damaging to colateral targets....

.....you should be an easy make to Reno....you will need to hydrate
(REAL WATER.....very low alcohol intake!)....and duck for a cool place
as ya can....the heat will probably get to ya heavier and sooner than before being dosed.....

.....I've made it a total of 14yrs from the first time,and just in the past
three yrs have had to fight other forms of the stuff,

.....SO youngin'....(you are a bit younger that me) I have faith you will survive it just fine....

.....besides,now ya have an excuse for those extra naps !....

Best of luck!