Turkey's Triumphs: Page 10

Good afternoon, managers, members and visitors of WhyQuit and Freedom!! In September 2006 my employer decided employees would not be allowed to smoke around the facilities or on the property! I was upset, how dare they impose these restrictions on my right to smoke. So I decided I would take control and quit smoking on my own before the January 2007 deadline. How ironic that I thought I was in control, when nicotine had been controlling my life for 25 years!

So October 31, 2006 at 6:00 PM I smoked my last cigarette. I had no idea what was in store for me. During my search for answers, I found WhyQuit and Freedom. Wow. I was so excited to understand what was happening to me and why. From the blood sugar changes, to the craves, to the triggers, the smoking dreams, and the light bulb moment for me, the realization that I am an addict. How simple, how true, how powerful this knowledge became to me!

I also learned that beating my smoking wife with this newly discovered wisdom would not help her see the light. We have to do it for ourselves, independent of others. So I chose to set the example, to show her and others there can be life after smoking. She still smokes, but when she is ready to quit, I will be here for her. And as I realized this was indeed a life changing journey, I decided to make other changes at the same time. Simple changes, like eating smaller, healthier meals during the day, and why not exercise a little too? They all go together, like a chain around a sprocket. Healthier eating, exercise, no smoking, all are lifestyle changes.

I feel a connection to all members who post on the boards, even though we have never met. I thank you all for sharing your struggles, victories, feelings and thoughts. You have been a light on my journey, a rope I can hold on to, and the wind that pushes my sails. I am so proud of you all, and I am proud of myself. This has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but it is the most rewarding.

Within a few weeks of my anniversary, I completed my first 1/2 marathon. Two weeks ago I completed my 1st marathon in Miami. I am confident to say this would not be possible without you all sharing your experiences, and allowing me to visit, read, secure and protect my quit. From 2 packs a day for 25 years, to running 26.2 miles, anything is possible when you find Freedom!! And it keeps getting better, I can't wait to see what's next! To once again borrow a priceless phrase, It's simple but not always easy: Never Take Another Puff.

Thanks,

Jeff

Free and Healing for One Year, Three Months, Eight Days, 20 Hours and 59 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 40 Days and 10 Hours, by avoiding the use of 11647 nicotine delivery devices that would have cost me $1,187.27.

February 10, 2008 is 3 years that my wife and I haven't smoked a death stick. Together we have not smoked 65,700 death sticks. Probably a few more than that because I had gotten to 3 packs per day for about a year. I give 100% of the thanks and praise to God. He delivered us from smoking, and guided me to WhyQuit, for knowledge. I am so glad that I do not have to depend on that fix anymore. Just quit, you are killing yourself. Your child should not have to go through life without you. It is just that easy to quit. Oh sure, I had some rough days, but it is easier to quit than to battle cancer, heart attacks, strokes. Good luck on your quit!!

Danny C.

I will not go into every detail, but I started smoking, well I know it was well over 20 years ago. I have attempted quits, thought about quits but just never really did, because there were just too many events coming up. Going to Vegas, well I am going to smoke there so I can't quit now. Going to a large party with friends in a few weeks where everyone is going to be smoking, can't quit now. Golf tourney coming up, can't stop now. Lung cancer, I know what it is, but the cig overpowers common sense. I get winded going upstairs, I will get my breath back in a few minutes, no biggie. Sleeping issues, waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety attacks, (which now have gone away) not a problem, just deal with it because without a cig I might just, well I just might something. I did not what that something was, but I did not want to find out, because it would be horrible to live life without a cig. Oh well that was life and cig was a part of it, nothing I could do. Despite the butts all over my back yard when the snow melted that I had to clean up. Coffee cans full of butts in the garage because I did not want to give my dog cancer. What about me?? That did not matter because the cig was the only thing. After a couple laughable quit attempts of misery because I knew I was going back, just a matter of time, I decide to search the net one night. I knew smoking was bad for me, yada yada yada, but whatever. Thought maybe I would give it another go. Typed smoking cessation in and somehow found this site. Read some articles that made some sense and then some more until it all sunk it. I AM AN ADDICT, just like the heroin people on HBO. Me, I am an addict, never really hit me until then.

I read, planned my quit date and just did it. The first three days were absolute HE double hockey sticks. Hot flashes, not able to concentrate, but I read about why this was occuring to my body on this site. I did this to myself and have no one to blame except for me. I accepted that fact and pressed on. One week led to two and then three and then Thanksgiving diner. I looked at my wife and said this is the best meal you have ever made. Not discrediting her at all, but the reason it was, well because I could taste. Truly amazing, my body in healing mode. Wow, I love to eat gourmet food, and I was missing it. True understanding of how smoke can infiltrate every part of your body to the point where your taste buds do not operate properly.

Well that is about it...I wish I could write more about it, but that is the end of my smoke life. From then on, yes it was hard for a month but looking back now 1 year and 2 months later, I do not even remember it. Just like mothers and fathers do not remember the years of no sleep when their children were infants. I really can't remember July without a smoke, but I did not have one. I do not remember going to Vegas again, without smoke, but I did not have one.

For those of you just starting out or are planning on a quit, do it. Do it, do it now, do it for your family. You gain nothing by smoking. Nothing will happen to you, nothing at all. The only thing will be a few tough weeks where your body is healing. It is actually fun seeing the changes in your body and senses as they adapt to life without nic and the thousands of carcinogens.

Almost forget, one thing does happen when you quit, life begins. It is truly amazing now when I see other imprisoned smokers bring a light stick to their mouth and inhale over and over again. I just think back to those days and wonder how I ever did it. Maybe your one of those people now and someday you will think back as I am now and just wonder.

Rob

I've only been GOLD for about 3 minutes...and I'm posting about it after quite a long absence from the site. That should tell you how excited I am!!!

I have to say, I can't BELIEVE myself that it got easier...but it has. Now, most days I don't even think about smoking--and my husband even still smokes!

To anyone just quitting...you CAN do this! Go back and read my diary...I was NOT one of the most encouraging posters to read in the beginning...I cried, I whined, I WANTED to smoke! Well, I'm SO glad I didn't...because it's a year today. WOOTTT!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Joel and to every single person on this site who lifted me up and encouraged me when I needed it the most! I love you all!

xoxox

Michelle :)

I used to try to convince myself that I was not a "real" smoker because I didn't normally smoke a pack a day. Somedays I would only have 2 or 3. Other days I would smoke over a pack, usually if it was a weekend night. I couldn't imagine not smoking....what it must be like to have never smoked or be a "non-smoker".

But, here I am...3 years, 4 months & 19 days a NON-SMOKER, cold turkey too! I can truly say that I barely think about smoking & when I look back to the days when I did, now I can't believe that I even smoked....and it feels great!

C. Smullin
Jacksonville, FL

Today marks one glorious year without a cigarette after a 30 year pack-a-day addiction. This journey would not have been possible without Joel and my anonymous WhyQuit "friends" whose honest postings gave me the confidence, knowledge and support to do what I had thought was impossible, quit cold turkey and break free of the my nicotine addiction. Although I never registered to post comments myself on WhyQuit, for the month or so leading up to My Big Quit Day on 1-11-07, I read incessantly from the site, chain smoking in the garage a majority of the time. I devoured Joel's on-line Never Take Another Puff book filling a small notebook with facts and inspirational comments. All of my excuses, fears, lies, rationalizations, everything about smoking; being afraid to continue smoking, being afraid it was too late to quit, being afraid to quit, being afraid not to quit, afraid of failure, afraid of success, all of it was there on the website. There was no hiding from the multitude of former long term smokers who knew how I felt and there was no hiding from myself.

I admit that, at one point reading the mantra NTAP for the umpteenth time, thinking "Oh, for heaven's sake, get on with it" until one day it clicked. That really is all there is to quitting cold turkey, nothing more and nothing less. If I NTAP I would be free. Using any of the NRTs and just postponing and dragging out the inevitable withdrawal process really sounded stupid, unnecessarily difficult, and without much hope of long term success. Instead of trying to quit with a NRT I found the courage to just quit with WhyQuit.

I quit when I had a 3 day weekend so I could get through the dreaded first 72 hours with only my husband around (and he steered clear at my suggestion). I rid my house and car of all smoking materials, loaded up on cranberry juice, hard candies, and Joel's videos and made it through the first 72 with, honestly, less discomfort than I had feared. I spent hours that weekend and over the next month at the WhyQuit site and clung to the knowledge that so many others had successfully made this journey before me and that it would one day be much easier.

I took WhyQuit's advice and made no promises to my family or even myself that I was actually quitting forever as forever was way too scary a concept to contemplate and "too big an elephant to chew". One day at a time however was doable and gradually the days became weeks, then months, and now one entire year. I guess that elephant, one bite at a time, was not too big after all.

During the first month I spent about 2 hours each day stalking the postings on WhyQuit and getting tremendous support from the honest postings. In the second month I spent about 1 hour a day and by about 4 months I realized I was only at the website about 2 to 3 times a week and by 6 months I visited the site less than once a week. I now go to WhyQuit about once a month just to see what is new and to check on the successes of my fellow quitters. I do though still check my QuitMeter weekly or so and smile brightly at the big numbers.

I took WhyQuit's advice and made my quit my number one priority. I didn't let my job or anything else interfere with my quit. That and not promising to anyone, including myself, that the quit was forever helped tremendously as did the awesome love and support I received from my husband and daughters to whom way too many broken promises had been made over the years. Quitting is hard work and, as all smokers know, you can only truely quit for yourself, not for anyone else.

For me, it was easier than I thought it would be but it certainly was not painless. There were days and times that I had intense cravings but, thanks to WhyQuit, I knew that "this too shall pass" and it did. The wish for the "ahh" cigarette still occurs occasionally but I know I can't ever have just one. I know it is all or nothing and I've chosen nothing and it feels terrific.

WhyQuit saved my life and gave me the knowledge,confidence, and strength to break free and then remain free of the nicotine bondage. If I can quit cold turkey, anyone can. WhyQuit, thank you from the bottom of my heart. NTAP. It works.

Nancy Goodhew

I just completed the second year of my quit. I went cold turkey two years ago, and the WhyQuit web site was and still is my main support. My life has been riddled with sadness since I started my quit in 2006, with the loss of some truly great friends in 2007. These things did not encroach on my quit. My quit is very strong, like a rock. I am so happy to be free.

My advice to anyone is simply to come to the realization that smoking is a drug addiction and must be handled accordingly. You have to free yourself as best as you can from the people and situations that temp the need to smoke when starting/maintaining a quit. Replace it with playing with your kids, or playing a video game, or taking a walk, or even just dance like a fool for a minute or two in place until an urge subsides. Drink fruit juice.

My Mom, a lifetime smoker at 74, lost her husband/my father to lung cancer caused by a lifetime of smoking. He was diagnosed and dead within 8 weeks in December of 2005. My quit started after my Dads funeral, a "New Year's Resolution". I found the WhyQuit site for support and never looked back. Anyone can do it, and yes there will be those that will tell you, "Your gonna die of something". Well that may be true, but if you smoke, as I so brutally found out, you stand a heck of a good chance of dying of cancer or heart disease or maybe a myriad of other fine illnesses that are extremely painful. And that is an experience I do not want to live with, nor have my loved ones have to see. Good luck to everyone, YOU CAN DO IT !!!

My name is Thomas, I am a nicotine addict.

I have stopped nicotine for 2 years, 6 days, 11 hours. I've not smoked 15,466 death sticks(OVER 15,000!!), and saved over $3,188.00- Blown it on my wife and kids and I love it! I've saved 53 days,16 hours and 48 minutes of my life. And life is great !!!

Today is my second anniversary of not having one puff after 20 years of smoking. Your site has been a big part of the smoke free journey. Words cannot express my gratitude. Keep up with this great effort, it is having a greater positive effect than you know.

Sincerely

Timothy Burdett
Billings, Montana

Hey y'all, x-smoker Tex here. 2007 has been a roller coaster ride for me. Jan 4, 2007 was my last day to smoke. April was my bronze. June I proposed to my significant other of 12 years (yeah, at my age I don't rush into anything). July was my Silver. September I married. A few weeks ago I lost a great friend to cancer. And through all this, I did not smoke.

I remember in the early days of my quit were pretty rocky. It could have been so easy to drive into town for the one "ahh" smoke. But y'all were on my mind. NTAP is my code, so engrained in my subconscious. So thanks to y'all, Jan 4, 2008 will be my GOLD. I am posting a little early as I will be on vacation and no where near a computer.

So to John, Joel, Jeff, Kat, Frits, Hannes, Wendy and Randy, Diane, Chipits and rthe many that my old brain forgot, I tip my hat to ya'll. But most of all my Baby, my bride, my soulmate, my cheerleader Nanette for putting up with me and is About to help me spend my $1089.00 that I have socked away in a special "non-smoking" savings account.

I'd better stop typing. I'm gettin' a little teary eyed. And this ole leathered Texan can't be seen this way. A great big YEEEEEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWWWW to y'all. And Happy New Years.

Tex

And now it's ONE YEAR ? today's my "anniversary"! I know WhyQuit tends to disclaim credit, but it was pivotal in getting me off insect poison masquerading as neurotransmitters. To WhyQuit, to Joel Spitzer, to my friend who steered me to your site?

THANK YOU!

Stan
Johannesburg, South Africa