Ciggyfree Blog & Gov Alert

This has been the hardest document I have ever been asked to do.
To introduce myself to you all I am a 51-year-old programmer who has smoked now for 30 years. I would have to say that the last 10 years I have smoked two packs a day. Why did I decide to quit, the million-dollar question we all ask.
Two reasons
1) I promised a friend.
2) I looked at why I smoked.
Let’s look at #2 first
30 years is a long time to have fun with a friend. In addition, those who are reading this know what I mean by a friend.
Someone asked me to look at why I smoked, not just how much, but WHY again I say WHY, and WHEN.
Therefore, I did, and I was very confused.

After dropping back to the programmer in me and looking at the results,
I was not smoking as an addiction (yes it is), as a habit, (yes it is), BUT
I was smoking as a reflex………………
I sat down for 3 weeks and looked at every cigarette I had and it came out to be total reflex.
Not a habit but a reflex.
I also did the list why you like smoking on the left and don’t on the right and had nothing, zero, on the left.

Now back to #1
Last fall a very close co-worker of mine quit smoking. After his first month quit he asked me to promise when I did decide to quit (not if WHEN) to let him help. He promised to help anyway he could. He had patches, gum, and most of all just himself.
Knowing what it is like to quit after 30 yrs, he said he just might be able to help.
So I did, I promised him when I was ready I would ask for his help.

Well I picked the first Saturday in February to do it.
I expected the usual 24 hrs and back to smoking, but this time I told myself NO, I am done.
I put on the patch and made it through the first 2 weeks, and then I decided to remove the patch. Today is 3 weeks.
Not much of a time line for you long timers but for us short timers it is, LOL.
I don’t know why but for some reason this time I do not feel that I have to smoke.
30 yrs and never have I been able to get past 1 day of trying to quit.
As I said, today is day 21, week 3 and it feels great and natural.
I have tested myself, if you want to know how ask and I will post that too.
Did my friend help, not really?
My friend passed away on Jan 10
He died of complications of lung disease. No, it wasn’t caused by smoking but his smoking shortened his time here.
Vietnam and a certain chemical also helped.
Then occasionally when I think why has this time quitting
been so easy as opposed to all the others…
Maybe he is just doing that, helping any way he can.

~Hes

Last 10 posts by hes

• Well I might as well fall down with my first post - February 24th, 2007

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