Wednesday, September 13, 2006

I'm A Quitter

It seems as though I have bronchitis caused by my body trying to get rid of the nasty stuff that's contained in cigarettes. Yes, I quit smoking. It's been four days. Four very long, very stressful, very difficult days. Unless you're a former smoker, you don't understand what it's like. I have quit cold turkey. And even though I've only got myself for support, I know I can do it this time.

The bronchitis is a bitch, but my doctor says it's a perfectly normal occurrence in people who have quit smoking. I hate it. I wheeze all day and it's hard to breathe. Although I was wheezing all day and it was difficult to breathe when I was smoking, too! But I have to think of it this way: I've already saved $5+ (because I was about to buy another pack on Saturday) and added a couple of minutes to my life. According to this nifty website my doctor showed me, I'll save $360.00 a year and add 13 days, 22 hours a year to my life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-smoking in the least. I have zero problem with anyone putting anything they want into their system, but after reading over this website, I think the right thing to do for me, at this point, is quit smoking for good. I just hope I can stick to it. I'm all I've got.

I was also put on two new inhailers for my asthma. The one I was taking has recently caused a bunch of sudden deaths. Ack! So my doctor put me on a different one that is much better for me and has less side effects (like no death!). She also checked out my nose and gave me samples of Nasonex to try and clear up the polyps that are blocking my airways. Hopefully in a few weeks they will be gone and I'll finally be able to breathe again. I am glad that I found this new doctor. She's really great and had no problems giving me samples because I'm broke.

I've also got a touch of high blood pressure. This is due 100% to stress. Ok, well, maybe 98% stress and 2% too-much-salt. So I have to figure out a way to get rid of the stress and stop consuming all the sodium. I know how to kick the sodium habit, but the stress is a whole other demon in itself. That'll take some figuring out on my part. Hopefully when I see my doctor again in December my BP will be normal again. Somehow, with all the crap I'm dealing with, I don't think that's going to happen. But I'll do my best.

I turn 31 in three weeks. I used to get all excited about my birthday, but after last year, I just can't get into it anymore.

6 comments:

Ron Southern said...

Ah, you were perfect at 30, sorry your birthday is racing up on you like this! However, you know the option.

If you can quit cigarettes, good. You shouldn't have mentioned it for a week or two more, though. I didn't let on I was quitting until I'd stayed quit for two weeks and helped a little while I slowly weaned myself. I didn't buy any, but I smoked my own disgusting butts from the ashtray. That made smoking damned unpleasant. For a month or two, it helped me to pop candies and gum in my mouth to distract me. I quit that habit too in a couple of more months. That was about 10 years ago. Even now, sometimes, I'll pat my pockets as if looking for a pack, but when I realize what my hand is searching for, my brain recalls that tobacco makes me mad! I'm sorry to say it, but not being used to it any more, I am now repulsed by the smell of smoke or ashtrays. People used to complain about me stinking up the joint just because of the smell on my clothes, now I feel that same way!

Honey Bunny said...

hey ron,
glad to hear you haven't smoked for 10 years. that's great!

i feel it's ok for me to "announce" that i quit smoking, albeit for four days now, because i was never that into smoking to begin with. i'd always have one in the morning with my coffee and then one at night. that's it, unless 1) i went out drinking with friends or 2) i had a big fight with the husband. seriously, a pack would last me 10-12 days. i was a much heavier smoker during college, but even then, i would smoke a pack in about two days or so.

and since i never smoked in the house, i don't have the luxury of picking butts out of an ashtray ;) ewwww!

Anonymous said...

Belated GOOD LUCK! You can do it girlfriend! My boyfriend did, and found gum really helpful. Lots and lots of gum. I wish you the best of luck. I wish everyone would quit, it is killing my Dad as we speak, he is 75, has smoked for many years, at least 50, and now has the beginning of emphazima, and can hardly do anything. Mentally it is killing him, he is the type that always kept busy doing something outside, or in the basement,fixing something that we broke (there were 4 kids in the house when I was a kid) planting flowers whatever, and now he can hardly walk from one end of the house to the other without being out of breath! So, this is a touchy subject for me now. I am not looking for sympathy, nor am I meaning to preach to anyone, or tell you or anyone what to do, I will just want wish you the best of luck!!

Something dirty said...

I got sick when I quit smoking last year. I can't believe I started up again after going through all that!

Julie DuRose said...

I am so damned proud of you, HB!!!!!! You can totally do it!!!!!

Julie DuRose said...

(oh...uhm, just ignore my photo. Sorry. I should point out that it was my only cigar in two whole years, and that I wouldn't have smoked it if I'd had anyone to kiss within 96 hours.)