Very odd strange and challenging night - No Smoking Day

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Very odd strange and challenging night

nsd_user663_5325 profile image
16 Replies

OK let me start by saying I manage and work behind the bar at a very busy well known restaurant in the french Quarter in New Orleans. It was Super busy night and right in the middle I climbed up a ladder to get a bottle of Jameson's. The top step on the ladder was about at 5 feet which is the step I had climbed to. After gettin to the top of the ladder and grabbing the bottle the ladder collapsed, I'm not a small guys so it did so very fast. It caught another bartender and clipped him on top of me. Ok before I go further I'm fine and so is the other bartender but was and am in a lot of pain . At any rate he ended up up top of me and this happened in a very small service bar and if I wasn't a lucky bastard I would have broken a leg. I laid on the floor with my leg hurting like hell for few minutes, my first thought wasn't my leg or about my fellow workers well being, it was about smoking and that this situation would give me the excuse to smoke. After finishing the night and leaving work I had sometime to think this out and was totally pissed at the thing that made me actually think that way. Anyway i really wanted to share this with everyone here. Lately I've had a bunch of cravings and I've been able to not smoke. For some reason it's getting tougher and tonight did not help. I had a thought tonight I don't really want a cigarette I want not to want it or to think about it which I seem to be doing more often for some reason. Any How this is just a rant and a rave to bounce a really strange night off of you guys.

Peace

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nsd_user663_5325 profile image
nsd_user663_5325
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16 Replies
nsd_user663_4121 profile image
nsd_user663_4121

Hey Thomas........... sounds like a rough night. I'm in my 8th month smoke free, yet I know so well what you are talking about.......... any reason to start smoking again, eh?! But you didn't and I don't believe you will because I think you've understood something important which is that you don't need to/want to smoke anymore........... you know there is no winning solution going down that road.

You're in your second month and I remember so well......... I wanted to NOT THINK ABOUT THEM ANYMORE. I hated it....... hated thinking of fags all the time, that constant mind battle, convincing myself that life would get back to normal.

You just have to trust me with this, Thomas...... it may seem it is getting tougher but it is no so......... you experienced a situation in which normally you would have smoked and today/tonight you chose NOT to..... that may have been hard but it was another milestone you met........ so good on ya mate :) Soon you will have days that you will not think of them at all............ very soon and it will be great, trust that, okay ;)

nsd_user663_5325 profile image
nsd_user663_5325

Thank you for the kind words of advice Bella.

nsd_user663_3728 profile image
nsd_user663_3728

Hi Thomas :D

Well done you after a tough day not giving in to think of them is normal they were a part of our lives for a long time

You beat a huge trigger last night and it will never be as hard to do again

The further you go the easier it get trust me on this I've been where you are now

Just on on in there the best is yet to come Promise

Love

Marg xxxxxx

nsd_user663_5262 profile image
nsd_user663_5262

Hi Twiste,

To be honest i still get the message to smoke from my brain everytime I get thro something thats stressed me out. Nothing on your scale mate but still, I agree, it is a complete and utter b@astard of a thought to have!

The main thing is you didn't cave. Just keep doing what your doing cause its working. Its not easy but your beating this!

keep at it mate :D

nsd_user663_4016 profile image
nsd_user663_4016

Twiste, Don't beat yourself up for the thoughts about smoking that pop into your head. I smoked for 35 years. How long did you smoke? When I decided to quit, I had to realize that there would be many times that I would find a situation where I used to have a cig. It is going to take awhile to go through all those situations. Example: When husband and I went shopping, I would leave him at the check-out stand to pay and go out and have a cig. When I quit, I had to get over that situation. After a few times, I thought I was good to go with that hurdle. However, when we took the kids with us and went to the store, I had the thought of going out for a cig again. Mind you, these are just thoughts and disappear almost as soon as they arrive, but there just the same. My point, a long time coming, is we smoked for a long time in all kinds of situations. It will take a while to get through them all, but we will! Just hang in there and don't be too hard on yourself, we are all in the same boat! Jody

nsd_user663_5175 profile image
nsd_user663_5175

congratulatons on NOT smoking. I to find it hard lately and I noticed that we quit around the same time. My date is August 24/09. Does anyone have any idea why the cravings seem so bad lately? I'm using the patch. Thanks

nsd_user663_5310 profile image
nsd_user663_5310

Hi Twiste

I am sorry you had a shock but you didnt cave and thats the beautiful thing because if this was a piece of cake we would all smoke and then stop all our lives. But the great thing about this our FINAL try is it is hard but we are going to make it through thick and thin.

Three weeks ago I had a major operation which was the reason for me stopping 2weeks before and 2weeks after my surgeon said. While in hospital a 44 year old man died in the next room from lung cancer, I heard him take his last breath and I vowed that I would never smoke again. Two weeks after the op which was last week I wanted a smoke soooo much and had to really fight my demons, but I won and I cant believe I nearly caved after what I had seen and heard.

Stay strong and be proud

nsd_user663_5325 profile image
nsd_user663_5325

I've smoked 29 years, wow this may have been the first time I've actually added it up I usually just say Ive smoked since I was 13 and am 42 now. Thanks to everyone for the support. It is strange though week 1 was tough but until this week the quit was not easy but It wasn't as bad as it could have been. Why the cravings are getting worse...? My guess would be a different stage of quitting maybe. Perhaps the first 6 weeks were physical and now the mental craves start. No idea really.

nsd_user663_5325 profile image
nsd_user663_5325

Hi Twiste

I am sorry you had a shock but you didnt cave and thats the beautiful thing because if this was a piece of cake we would all smoke and then stop all our lives. But the great thing about this our FINAL try is it is hard but we are going to make it through thick and thin.

Three weeks ago I had a major operation which was the reason for me stopping 2weeks before and 2weeks after my surgeon said. While in hospital a 44 year old man died in the next room from lung cancer, I heard him take his last breath and I vowed that I would never smoke again. Two weeks after the op which was last week I wanted a smoke soooo much and had to really fight my demons, but I won and I cant believe I nearly caved after what I had seen and heard.

Stay strong and be proud

Yea I remember reading about your upgrades, good for you!!! an great for continuing. I've decided not to go to the doctor till I'm 6 months into my quit. I have this thought that I'll go and hear... Dude your screwed LOL. I want to quit even if my lungs are screwed so I'll wait. My mother died due to a smoking related illness and my grandfather died from lung cancer as well as I've know a couple of other people that have been affected by smoking. Nasty habit and I still wonder why I ever started. Dam peer pressure.

nsd_user663_4786 profile image
nsd_user663_4786

Hi Friend, god we are really close together in our quit (i knew that) but you are only 1 year older than me too.

Know where you are coming from, get so fed up, about thinking about them. I do not want one, well not really, but they are still focused at the front of my mind. I went out at the weekend, and walked past people in the street who were smoking and I noticed them:( my OH, who is a never smoker, didn't notice them, why did I.

It is annoying, and I wish I could tell you when you stop thinking about them, but hell I don't know. I do just know that even if I am still thinking about smoking, the main thing is we are not smoking.

I am so proud of you for not smoking in that terrible situation, and I trust you feel very proud of yourself, you should.

We will get there, one day at a time, and we are getting better at it, so who knows maybe tomorrow we won't think about them at all?

nsd_user663_5668 profile image
nsd_user663_5668

OK let me start by saying I manage and work behind the bar at a very busy well known restaurant in the french Quarter in New Orleans. It was Super busy night and right in the middle I climbed up a ladder to get a bottle of Jameson's. The top step on the ladder was about at 5 feet which is the step I had climbed to. After gettin to the top of the ladder and grabbing the bottle the ladder collapsed, I'm not a small guys so it did so very fast. It caught another bartender and clipped him on top of me. Ok before I go further I'm fine and so is the other bartender but was and am in a lot of pain . At any rate he ended up up top of me and this happened in a very small service bar and if I wasn't a lucky bastard I would have broken a leg. I laid on the floor with my leg hurting like hell for few minutes, my first thought wasn't my leg or about my fellow workers well being, it was about smoking and that this situation would give me the excuse to smoke. After finishing the night and leaving work I had sometime to think this out and was totally pissed at the thing that made me actually think that way. Anyway i really wanted to share this with everyone here. Lately I've had a bunch of cravings and I've been able to not smoke. For some reason it's getting tougher and tonight did not help. I had a thought tonight I don't really want a cigarette I want not to want it or to think about it which I seem to be doing more often for some reason. Any How this is just a rant and a rave to bounce a really strange night off of you guys.

Peace

Been there! When I got to the 3 month mark on my first time quitting I went through this same phase. But unfortunatley I gave-in and lite up. I wish I had your attitude and saw it for what it was - the additiction trying give you an excuse. But with your attitude you will stay quit.

I wish I'd had your attitude when I quit first-time round

nsd_user663_4990 profile image
nsd_user663_4990

Sorry i am getting to this late, but just wanted to say top job on getting through that really hard situation without resorting to what used to calm your nerves somewhat. I know it seems tough, and these were quite trying times, but what you have done is proven the foundation of your quit right there... you've come through without smoking, and you have shown that you have a strong quit going there.

Its not easy.. hell no.. but the fact you have exercised that much self control shows this quit is working, so well done.

I hope you get to that 'inner calm' feeling soon, those falls shake you up alot, but i'm sure you'll be fine again in no time (and your colleague) :)

Atomicguy profile image
Atomicguy

Hi Twiste

Sorry to hear about your accident - but good to hear your getting through it.

I broke mmy shoulder - and theat is the reason I'm quitting. Needed surgery and surgeon said if I smoked the bone won't heal etc - but once out of hospital the first thing I wanted was a cig - until common sense kicked in.

And I LOVE New Orleans - one of my favourite places. Was due to be there 2weeks ago (live in London) - but the shoulder put pay to that. In which of that great city's many magnificent restaurants do you work?

nsd_user663_5325 profile image
nsd_user663_5325

Thanks for the thoughts and glad you came out ok with your surgery. I work at a restaurant called Nola restaurant . Benn there for 15 years.

Atomicguy profile image
Atomicguy

I know it. One of Emeril's empire isn't it?

Planning to be back next year - will pop in.

nsd_user663_5325 profile image
nsd_user663_5325

Y:Des it is, I'll be there if I don't piss anyone off LOL

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