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Just a quick update for those following along at home…as of June 15th, I am and continue to be smoke free!

Well I’ve past an important date in the no smoking timeline.

I have tried to quite before and failed at the 1 month mark. This weekend, though, I hit the 2 month mark. I honestly didn’t even realize it until today. I don’t really think about smoking very often. Maybe once a week. Last night it hit me after dinner. I felt like I wanted to smoke. Fortunately I’ve learned that those little cravings disappear in a few minutes.

Anyway, just wanted to toot my own horn. It’s much more fun not smoking. Now I can judge all the people who do smoke. =)

1 month and I haven’t had a single cigarette…..sure I’ve thought about them.  Sometimes I have dreams where I’m in a giant tub of cigarettes…the sweet smell of tobacco in the air.  And a big Zippo that I flip open with that distinctive “pling” sound that acts like Pavlov’s bell……

Than I wake up and realize, I don’t smoke…why?

Because after 1 month smoke free:

-Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease
-Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, cleaning the lungs, and reducing  infections
-The body’s overall energy increases

I found this list on the internet that gives you a timeline of how your body repairs itself after quitting smoking….I’ve hit another mark…2 weeks.

2 weeks after quitting smoking

-Circulation improves
-Walking becomes easier
-Lung function increases up to 30 percent

I hit my 2 week mark exactly at the time of this post.  And that is no April fools joke….

20 minutes after quitting smoking

-Blood pressure drops to normal
-Pulse rate drops to normal
-Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

8 hours after quitting smoking

-Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
-Oxygen level in blood increases to normal

24 hours after quitting smoking

-Chance of heart attack decreases

48 hours after quitting smoking

-Nerve endings start regrowing
-Ability to smell and taste is enhance

I’m at 96 hours now……

I’m officially 1 week cigarette free. It has been tough at times. I’ll be sitting at work around 4:45, almost ready to head home, and I visualize myself sitting in the car having a smoke. It’s these old habits and triggers that really make it hard. The worst is after eating…..I’m so used to having a cigarette after a meal. I’ve got to break that habit….retrain my brain to not think about cigarettes after food. Thankfully I’m not one of those people who wants a cigarette after sex…..LOL

I really think the nicotine addiction is the easiest part to get past, unlike the habits. I’ve already started to reduce the amount of time I use the patch. Yesterday, I didn’t put a patch on until 2pm, when I noticed myself thinking about a cigarette 3 different times within 20 minutes. As of this moment, I still haven’t put a patch on today. I want to slowly work myself off of the patch….mostly because a weeks supply is $20. Sure, I’m not spending money on cigarettes which makes up for the cost of the patch, but I’d rather just save the $20. I have about 7 patches left, so I’m going to hang on to them for when I really have an intense nicotine craving.

Now I realize that 7 days without a cigarette doesn’t mean this battle is over. I failed last time after 45 days without one. But if I don’t try….that’s worse. I don’t want to be a smoker….I won’t be a smoker.

I’ve tried and failed, but I refuse to give up. I don’t like being a smoker. I don’t like stinking like an ashtray. I don’t like having to be alone outside smoking. I don’t like the taste. I don’t like the cough. I don’t like spending money to do something that could kill me, I’m basically paying someone to kill me. I don’t want to be a slave to nicotine. I don’t want to be stupid anymore.