Day 32 - What a difference a few days make

[nsd_user663_13779]

I wanted to take the time to thank everyone (again) that talked me off the smoking cliff a few times recently. Without your help I would have been back to smoking - no doubt about it.

For now it seems the worst of the storm is over and unlike any other quit I have had I am no longer getting any urge to smoke (weird right?) I'm thinking that this may only be a brief clearing in the sky and another storm is brewing just ahead but for now I'm happy and relaxed all thanks to you guys (and girls)

I may even get to the point to throw away my security smokes soon :eek:

[nsd_user663_42220]

Err, security smokes? :mad:

Sparky, well done for riding out the storm but if you have some smokes stashed away "just in case" it's asking for trouble!

If you ever have a bad wobble and you had to go and buy some, you may well have recovered before you actually did so.

Having them around may result in you doing something you regret quickly.

Do yourself a favour, if you have any lying around, soak them and dump them. It's another symbolic action you can take to confirm to yourself that your quit is serious and for keeps.

[nsd_user663_10532]

Get rid of them Sparky, I make my OH keep his ciggies with him just in case. I don't know if I am strong enough to see them lying about without sneaking one :eek:

[nsd_user663_6657]

I agree with the rest - it is not a good idea to have cigarettes laying around in case of an emergency. A cigarette will not give you strength. Perhaps the illusion of strength, but that's it. Ultimately the cigarette will drain your strength, even if you do manage to avoid the deadly diseases it can cause.

[nsd_user663_13779]

Ok I got rid of the security smokes. I wasn't exactly to sure that I would have made the quit this far so I wanted to keep them around for that “just in case” moment.

I'm thinking I should share the other half of the story as well so here it is.

Sunday night I was woken up by some severe chest pains (the kind heart attacks are made of) I didn't feels like waking the OH and the kids to go to the hospital at 10:30 at night so I rode it through until morning (dumb idea I know) Monday I was able to get into see a cardiologist where they did an EKG and yesterday I returned for an echo stress test. Tomorrow I need to go get hooked up to a holter monitor for 24 hours and have some blood work scheduled for next week.

The EKG and echo stress test came back with good results so it may have just been some sort of muscle spasm that I experienced Sunday night but they are going to do the additional testing just in case.

The good thing out of all this is that once I have all my testing complete I will know exactly where I stand health wise and be able to take control of my future health. If (more like when) I get through all this testing ok I will consider myself extremely fortunate and will never smoke again. It’s scary how fast time goes by and when I count all the years that I smoked for (26) I get a little disappointed with myself that I didn't stop smoking sooner. While I can't change the past I can change the future.

So, a few more test then on with the rest of my life - the healthy way

Sorry this post is a little long winded but I thought I would share my change of heart moment.

[nsd_user663_43344]

I agree with everyone else here, You have to get rid of them!

If you have quit smoking and are serious about your quit then there is no need to keep cigarettes around... you dont need them if you dont plan on ever smoking again.

Good luck and well done:)you are doing so well!!!!

[nsd_user663_24115]

Fingers crossed u dont have a heart problem it really is a horrible condition. stay stopped and u might avoid it.

Mashx

[nsd_user663_43344]

well done on getting rid of the ciggies, You did us proud

[nsd_user663_24115]

I cant beleive your keeping cigarettes in the house. what on earth for?

bet u cant think of 2 good reasons, if u do i dare u to share them. in fact i demand it...

i wait in anticipation Mashx

[nsd_user663_43218]

Well done for chucking the evil weed xx

[nsd_user663_41137]

Hope everything is ok with your tests Sparky, as you will see from my earlier post, you just dont know what is round the corner!!!

We take our health for granted when we are smokers but a fright like you've had can really make a big difference in how you live your life (for the better!). Some people dont get 2nd chances so grab it with both hands :)

Well done on getting this far.

[nsd_user663_13779]

I cant beleive your keeping cigarettes in the house. what on earth for?

bet u cant think of 2 good reasons, if u do i dare u to share them. in fact i demand it...

i wait in anticipation Mashx

Im about to walk into a meeting so a little pressed for time but I read this and started laughing. Ok mash here is my attempt at 26:45 good reasons. 1) because I am thick headed (its an italian thing) reason #2-I figured if I really was going to smoke again at least I could save myself so time and money by saving the ones left over from when I quit. Either way I threw them away this morning so no more worries.

[nsd_user663_24115]

The best thing u ever did was throw them away. never look back.

M

[nsd_user663_17077]

Hey,

Sorry to hear about your health issues, as you know I can relate! Hope the results all come back clear. Did you eat anything particularly flavorful/more than usual before bed, as that can sometimes cause indigestion that people mistake for heart attacks? Could be any number of things, so fingers crossed for you it is indigestion lol!

As for the safety cigs, my best friend gave up several years ago, and kept a full pack in the larder "just in case!". She never smoked one, and after a year or two gave them to a random person, but for her, the idea of not having access to any made her freak out more than anything else, and the concept they were there yet she was not having one made her feel empowered. I could not do it, but that is why there are so many different people in the world - I would go nuts rapidly in a world full of me's!

[nsd_user663_25112]

I think it depends on how strong you are, my OH smokes and he leaves his tobacco on the stairs, and it hasnt bothered me. So each to their own. But well done Sparky on day 32 was it.

Jacqui

Quit Date: 10.2.12

[nsd_user663_13779]

Thank you Jacqui - 42 days today and still no smoking

I have to say that its actually been pretty easy - sure hope it lasts

[nsd_user663_41857]

Nothing is easy about quitting. I think u meant that your mindset was in the right place this time to quit. Well done in any case.

I have to disagree. I've found some of it pretty easy. In fact there is nothing I can really describe as hard.

[nsd_user663_44912]

Hear hear Felic, I am still in week one and what a struggle it has been at times, not to mention emotional as well, but I am getting there