Trying to get well

everywoman

Well-Known Member
after my bout with pneumonia. My temp is normal. I'm still very weak. I still have pain when breathing deeply. I think its probably pleurisy.

I'm going back to work tomorrow and hoping that everything will be okay. We start a new semester tomorrow with new students, and I really want to start them off right. Nothing is worse than kids starting without a teacher.

I have only smoked 1/4 of a cigarette since Jan. 4th--and that was today :frown:, but I didn't like it at all. I still miss the physcial hand to mouth part of smoking---but not the smell or taste of tobacco.

Hope everyone is well. I'll try to post more as I feel better.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
katmom, I'm glad to hear from you. Take it easy and listen to your body. Maybe a half day will work if you find you are exhausted.
I know it's a struggle to break the smoking habit but you know you have to do it. The statistics don't lie.
 

everywoman

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your concern Amy and Fran. I only teach 3 classes a day. A lot of the time tomorrow will be spent on "nuts and bolts". On Wed. we have a scheduled poetry group coming to speak. Surely by Thursday I'll be ready to really teach.

Fran thanks for the encouragement. I've smoked since I was 16 years old. I've never wanted to quit before. I tried once, for my kids, but I didn't succeed. This time I really want to. I don't ever want to cough up blood again in my life or feel like I'm drowing when I'm not in water. If dying of lung cancer feels like that, I'd rather go some other way!
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Katmom,
My father lived on his own and smoked everyday (except when hospitalized) for over sixty years. Almost three packs a day for most of them. What finally helped him quit was watching a nurse drain almost a quart of nasty brown liquid from his left lung, through a tube and into a glass jar. He had been "drained" years before but had been encouraged to look away during the procedure. This time, the nurse told him she wanted to see the result of his smoking.
He spent 9 months in a nursing home being rehabilitated, then 9 months more in assisted living before dying in May 2005.
He died having never smoked another cigarette.
Please quit.
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Only three classes a day? You must be on a block schedule.

I totally understand that you want to start out the semester right. However, if you try to do too much too soon, you could end up getting even sicker and miss more time.

So try to take it easy. Can you go home early this week?

~Kathy
 

rejectedmom

New Member
I stopped smoking wehen I had a bad bought of the flu. I Never smoked again but I did crave them from time to time and would have a puff every once in a long while. I haven't even done that in 30 years. Recently I almost picked them up again I had my money out but reason prevailed and I walked away without them. I hope you stay off them. I used to say to myself "I didn't smoke for X number of days and I don't need to smoke today". It worked now if I could only do the same with chocolate! -RM
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
katmom,cancer is bad but emphysema is chronic suffocating a little at a time. I was always more horrified by tongue or throat cancer.
I crave a cigarette on a regular basis but it has diminished over the years.
Besides, you smell bad when you smoke.
It's one of the hardest addictions to fight. You have done well. Keep doing it one day at a time.

:bravo:
 

joybells

New Member

Hugs & Prayers going up for you that you will be able to quit
smoking as I did 5 year ago this month.
Take care dear one and feel better soon.

{{{{{{GENTLE HUGS}}}}}}}}}
Joy xoxoxo
 

timer lady

Queen of Hearts
katmom,

I'm behind you in your effort to quit smoking. My mother made my sister & I promise that we would quit just before she died. I'm in touch with my doctor for a new medication that may help. My sister is doing the same this next week.

It's a hard habit to break but you can do it. Reward yourself each month with some of the money you saved. A new scarf, a manicure. Something just for you.

Keeping a good thought for you & this endeavor. :warrior:
 

On_Call

New Member
katmom,

I hope you continue to feel better each day. I understand you wanting to get back to work, but please don't overdo!!

husband just got a new prescription medication last week from his doctor to quit smoking - it's supposed to curb the cravings. You start it one week from your quit date - and then attempt to taper down during that week and then stop at the one week point. Then, he is to take the medication for 3 months. He is home full time now and that is the hardest part, he says, but he said that he does notice the cravings are lessening. I wonder if that is the new medicine you are speaking about, Linda?? It is Chantix.

I have smoked for 19 years now - WOW - figuring that out and counting the years is unbelievable! EEK! The only extended period of time that I really did not smoke was during late pregnancy and when I was in the hospital having the munchkins. My father died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - you would think that living through that would have made me quit immediately, but those cigs are a powerful beast.

I believe that you have to want to quit to be successful. I plan to wait until husband is over his withdrawal before contemplating quitting myself. I have a doctor's appointment in February and plan to ask him about some form of assistance - either the Chantix or the patch or something. It doesn't bother me to go all day without a smoke when I'm working, but it's the down time that always gets me. Last time I quit, I cried frequently for an entire week.

Good luck, katmom - and feel better.
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
Please take it easy today and go home if you need to.

Fran's right, it smells bad. Ya know the tide has drastically turned on those who smoke. It used to be cool. Now, generally, it's looked down upon. I have a friend who has been trying to quit for a long time. She says it is hard. She said something the other day that made sense. Drug addicts get more help than someone who is trying to quit smoking. I think she's right. It's a shame there aren't smoker's support groups for those who are trying to quit.

Do it for yourself. If this wasn't enough to scare the bejeebers out of you, think about what Fran said about emphysema or what TM said about the drainage (that was enough to make me want to toss breakfast).

Remember, we're here to help support you as well. You can do this.
 

Suz

(the future) MRS. GERE
When I was still smoking I always used to complain that there were 30 day inpatient rehab programs for people addicted to drugs but not for people addicted to cigs. And I was the worst cig addict I knew-----for 38 years.

I finally quit because I smelled bad. I know that sounds silly and simplistic but it was the last straw to many years of trying to quit unsuccessfully. I was tired of coughing and I was tired of the wheeze and I was tired of getting bronchitis every dang year. But none of that was enough to get me to stop until one day I realized how truly awful the cig smell was (no, it wasn't B.O.-lol).

Thank goodness for the patch.

Take care, katmom. You will quit when you are ready. I won't kid you- I still miss them and it's been 4.5 years. It really helped. I hope you are ready soon.

Suz
 

KFld

New Member
Quitting smoking, good for you!!!!! You can do it because you want to. I started smoking when I was probably around 14, and I quit a year after my difficult child was born, which is now going on 19 years. I quit using a program called cigarrest, which I have seen advertised on t.v. recently. You used to be able to get it at the pharmacies and grocery store courtesy counters. It came with a tape that you listened to constantly which taught you that nothing can make you smoke, only yourself, and it really really helped me. It is the toughest thing I ever did in my life, but I did it and I believe anyone who wants to can do it also. Just think of that drowning feeling anytime you want to light up.
 
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