We are nonsmokers (and so can you!)

I was playing some more today. Check out my Meez. I saw Marty's over at his blog (his Meez is holding an Obama sign--cool!), and I thought I'd try it. What fun! I spent too much time getting myself all geared out, but it was fun. I'm pleased with my camo skirt, my gladiator sandals, and my Rock the Vote T-shirt--and the fishnet stockings! Those are a bunch of Elvises (Elvi?) in the background. I couldn't resist the pet penguin, either. (I collect penguin figurines.)

I promised to tell you about how we quit smoking. First, a little background: I'd smoked since college, Ken even longer, and we both LOVED to smoke. I found it relaxing and a great stress reliever, and it kept me quite thin. We had always agreed that when I quit working, we'd both stop smoking.

In March 2006, I caught a cold. As always, it moved down into my chest and I got bronchitis. This time, though, the cough never went away. In fact, it got worse and worse, so that I was getting up in the middle of the night and trying to hack up a lung for a half an hour. I was taking Sudafed and Mucinex to try and control the wheeziness and coughing. At work, if I started laughing about something, it would send me into a coughing fit--and you all know me...I love to laugh! It finally got so bad that Ken said, "You have GOT to go to the doctor." I knew he was right, and I made the appointment.

My doctor didn't think it sounded like I had pneumonia, and sent me for a chest X-ray and a bone density scan. (As a thin, white, female smoker, I was in the highest risk group for osteoporosis.) She also prescribed an Albuterol inhaler (used for asthma) to help with my wheeziness and breathing problems. They called me at work with the results of the X-ray and bone density scan. I had osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis, and I also had the beginning of emphysema. I was 44 years old at the time, and let me tell you...talk about a wake-up call!

Ken and I had a talk that night, and agreed that quitting wasn't going to wait until I stopped working. We weren't quite ready then, though--have I mentioned how much we enjoyed smoking? We had our yearly vegecation coming up that summer, and agreed we'd start our "program" after that. We smoked like chimneys when we were in Florida! Ha! When we got back, it was time to start. We both smoked a pack a day (20 cigs) and Kengineer came up with his 6-week plan.

First two weeks: cut down to 15 a day and begin modifying behaviors, i.e., stop smoking in the car

Second two weeks: down to 10 a day, stop smoking on breaks at work

Final two weeks: 5 a day, no smoking in the house

We were a little flexible with some of this, especially the last two weeks. I think we both smoked more than 5 a day, with the understanding that when the two weeks were up, we were stopping completely. We also had a cool, rainy snap that final week, so we smoked inside the house. I got an "assist" when my lab stopped allowing smoking indoors, so I had to go outside all the time. I still remember the day when it rained the whole work day, and I went the entire day at work without smoking! I was quite proud of myself, and that was the point when I really started to believe I could do it.

I only told a couple of people when we started, but when we stopped for good, I told everybody! I don't like to fail, and I figured that the more people I told, the more embarrassed I'd be if I started smoking again. I figure whatever motivates you and whatever works--do it! Everyone at work said that I didn't seem overly cranky or weird when I quit, so I was happy about that.

We were able to do it without drugs, hypnosis, or anything like that, but what worked for us might not work for everyone. Whatever it takes, I urge you to give it a try, before you get to the emphysema point. My doctor in Indianapolis was always urging me to quit, and said he'd do whatever he could to help me. He said that an important step is to understand what motivates you to smoke--is it the physical addiction of the nicotine, or the psychological addiction of the action? Mine was psychological, no doubt about it, and he said that for one of his patients, he prescribed Valium, because the risk of dependency on Valium was less than the risk of smoking. Wow. Of course, it didn't sink in for me until I got my diagnosis years later.

I can honestly say that there are moments that I miss them, and think, "I'd like to sit down with a smoke right now," but it's a matter of a split second, and then I move on. I've had an occasional puff of the rare cigar that Ken smokes (a couple a year, tops), but I haven't picked up a cigarette since Aug. 5, 2006. I'd probably get such a head rush that I'd just keel over! I put on about 10 pounds, but maybe a year later, lost 5 of them. I'll take a 5 pound weight gain! I haven't had to use my inhaler for months now, and the last time I got a cold...it stayed in my head and was gone after a couple of days. It had been years since that had happened! I think that one of the reasons we were successful was because we did it together--when I first met Ken, he had just quit smoking...but I was smoking, and he picked up the habit again. I think it would be really hard to try to quit if your spouse didn't do it with you. Deb, on whose site I mentioned I saw the Quitmeter, wrote that she got a lot of support from Quitnet.com. I know, without a doubt, that there are lots of people out there trying to quit, too, but there are just as many "cheerleaders" that will help anyone who wants to try. Like I said, if any of you guys want to try, don't hesitate to email me for support.

I can't begin to tell you how much better I feel, and I want everyone to experience that. I also think of the times we sat here with the kids, just puffing away, and how awful that must have been for them. Sheeba was around it even more, and that couldn't have been healthy for his little kitty lungs. Everything about quitting is good, except for that one little thing: that psychological imprint that makes you remember how enjoyable it was. My Mom had always told me that she knows how strong-willed I am, and she knows that I would never let something like a stupid little cigarette get the best of me! I always said that I'd quit when I was ready, and when I was finally ready, it was a great feeling to know that I had the willpower and strength to beat it. It CAN be done--you just have to want it enough.

And if that isn't convincing enough, take another look at that Quitmeter up at the top...the part about how much money we've saved.