A Senior Stops Smoking?

A Senior Stops Smoking? Yes, I stopped smoking.

I want to share with you a time in my life that was a big surprise to everyone around me, but mostly to myself. I stopped smoking a year and a half ago, and I'm not sure but I think it was even harder than giving birth to either of my boys! As I mentioned before, I am fifty-four years young.

Now when I was younger and working at the factory, guys thought that sounded sexy. I had no idea that it was only due to my smoking until I stopped.

I also had my thyroid removed several years ago, due to a tumor. Did smoking have anything to do with it? I don't know, who really does? Both my parents smoked and so I never thought about the health risks, and I can't honestly say that it is the reason I quit. Who the heck can afford them, now? I know we senior's can't!

My friend that I worked with for years (who had quit several years ago) had recently started back up. But she had a lot of trouble with bronchitis.

As good senior friends, we count on each other for moral support on just about everything. So we decided to try to stop, together.

Was it hard? You don't know the half of it. Did we gain weight? Oh yes, a lot of weight. We are now working on that problem. Did we stick with it? Pretty much so. I'll explain that, in a minute.

We also got a small plastic pill box, each. Why? Because the gum is so strong, at first, and because the instructions say to chew it for only a minute or two, so we didn't want to waist it.

Have you seen the commercial about it just takes the edge off? Well, it does. So we would chew it for a bit and then put it in the pill box for later. Besides, we're seniors!

Oh, don't be so smug! We've all saved a piece of gum while we ate, at one time or another.

Except for the week-ends, we tried to find things to do together, to keep busy and help each other when we had a weak moment. Once again, as I said before on my Who I Am page, I'm not going to be one of those senior people who say; "If I can do it, You can." It was truly one of the hardest things I have ever, ever, ever done.

Let me tell you what I learned from all of this.

I learned that we can all sit back and shake our head about ELVIS and his addiction to over the counter drugs. We can all be in total disbelief that MICHAEL JACKSON had an addiction to pain killers. We can not understand young teens who throw their lives away on crack cocaine.

And I haven't even touched on all the beer I used to consume, in a given week!

Addiction is addiction. Chemicals are addicting. So judge all you want, I bet there is something that each and every one of us has a real weakness for. Caffeine, sugar, food.

Now my true opinion is that we may not be as addicted to something as much as we are addicted to habits! Change our routine and some of us can barely function. You have to WANT IT BAD ENOUGH!!! And the truth is, you can't cheat to get it.

When I said; "did we stick with it? Pretty much so" I know the very last time I had a PUFF! We had made it a couple of weeks. At least long enough to smell them where ever we went.

My oldest son stopped by my house and he is a smoker. When he was leaving, I walked him out. He lit right up and I felt like a vampire in dire need for blood. I asked him for the cigarette he had just lit, and after a little verbal debate, he gave it to me. I took two puffs, and before he could close the car door, I gave it back.

Hallelujah! I knew I made it. I got so sick to my stomach, and I can not ever remember having such a horrible taste in my mouth. I'm telling you, POOP has to taste better than that did. So now when I think about a cigarette, I only think of that taste.

I carry gum with me all the time, now. Only because if I am somewhere that there has been smokers, I can smell and taste that disgusting taste.

Literally!

I am so very sorry for all my loved ones that I have forced to be around the odor that I was putting on them. I am so sorry for my boys having to go to grade school and smell of stale smoke. And I am so sorry that we have become such a selfish society that we force others to smell such a dirty odor when they don't choose to.

Is that really equal rights? I will say this, however, I thank my government every day for making it so hard to smoke, now a days. It only helps me to live longer to use my medicare! When I become a legal senior!

So if not for the cost, and if not for the health factor, at least for the STINK, try to quit. You will be so thrilled that you did.

I'm not here to tell you that the gum is the way to go. I know it worked for my friend and me. Support is so important, also. We finally got away from stress at work which was a big help.

What ever way you choose, be prepared to commit to at least twelve weeks. Most self-help stop smoking programs take about that long. It must take that long for your lungs to clear. And look on the bright side, when you decide to loose weight, that will take you six months to a year.

Hey, we didn't get here over night, we can't get out of it that quick, either. So the hardest part of any health re"hab"ilitation, change the "HABIT" also known as a crutch.

The best news of all, is that you won't have to buy near as many candles, air fresheners, better shampoos, more expensive colognes, so much scented fabric softener, or cover ups to hide the stink!

Kick the nasty habit and you'll be ready to crawl into some wonderful

Come on, tell me those wonderful grand-kids aren't worth it!

If you have any other ideas that might help someone else or want other ideas to help you, just share it with us. Together we can all live longer to continue to bug our children to death. Isn't that what a senior is supposed to do?

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