Stopping Smoking

[ChristineL]

This is for those of us who have had great difficulty in kicking this habit. It is not for those of us who will comment on how "unconscious" and unhealthy this habit is or who will pass judgement on those who do smoke. It would, as a matter of fact, be very nice to find no negative and judgemental contributions here. I wanted to quit for years and tried to unsuccessfully many times. I dislike the smell enough to never smoke inside my house, or let anyone else do so.

I quit on September 1st. The initial quitting was made easier by the fact that I woke up, having no memory of the last twenty or so hours, in ICU at Palm Drive Hospital and couldn't smoke or go out for a cigarette break. I had gone into complete respiratory arrest around 11:30PM on August 31st. Luckily, I had decided to go to work and Russel, the gentlemen I was talking to at the time, instantly gave me CPR. He was joined by two other people. This saved my brain, if not my life. I did not realize until a day after coming to that none of the medical professionals expected me to recover as well as I did. They were preparing my mother and friends for my coming back very brain damaged. If nothing else, almost dying did enable me find out how blessed I am in terms of how many people truly care about me. Friends took care of my mother, my room-mate took care of my furry companions and helped my mom water my flowers, a woman I had just started to get close to cleaned my house and made sure I had fresh sheets on my bed and my dear friend Scott spent almost 48 hours straight at the hospital and even claimed to be my adopted son in order to be able to advocate for me. I was prayed for by so many, my room-mate spent endless hours being the phone liason giving everyone updates. Gee, what does all this have to do with stopping smoking you may be asking at this point? Well, even though what happened to me actually had nothing to do with my smoking, it did occur to me that to continue such an unhealthy habit when so many people had expended so much energy in saving my life and helping me through this difficult time was saying I didn't care about myself as much as they did.

Another patient in ICU was also a great inspiration. Every time I think I want a cigarette, I replay her voice in my head and decide I don't really want one that badly. This woman was there for a third time with pneumonia. During my first night of consciousness she called the nurses every half hour or so to demand to be taken outside for a cigarette. She spent the entire next day torturing her husband of around 25 to 30 years, as well as her young adult son and adult daughter, to take her home...so she could smoke. When she was told she would be leaving against doctors' advice and would probably die as a result, in front of her husband and son she stated she did not care. The voice of a true addict and someone I never want to be or sound like.

On a practical level, I continued using the patch as the hospital had already put me on them. I am presently at the tail end of Level 3, 7mg of nicotine (the equivalent of about 3 American Spirit Cigarettes). I have felt it both times I went to a lower level patch, but have found the cravings manageable. I remind myself I don't have to avoid all cigarettes for the rest of my life, I only have to avoid one, the first. I've also increased my activity level and added a long daily uphill walk to my regular gym workouts.

[Sylph]

Christine, your story is very moving. I've never smoked but I recognize the power of the addiction.
You are indeed blessed to have such wonderful, loving people in your life.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

[Lorrie]

Christine!!! You really almost died? OMGsh! I am sooo glad you had people to help you. Where were you?

Also Good luck and congratulations on the first steps to becoming a non-smoker. You can be my inspiration.

I was curious...since you have your gift...How did that play out when you were unconscious... I mean did you have a loved one tell you to go back? Did you have an out of body experience? What was dying like? Maybe these are stupid questions to ask. Considering your ordeal...but figured its fresh in your mind and if you wanted to share...

But I am also really glad that you are okay and alive. Are you home now?

I would like to give my graditude to the people around you that help save your life. God bless them!

[ChristineL]

I was in the hospital for only four days, I had made a complete recovery within 48 hours. They kept me in longer in order to reduce the swelling and infection in my throat enough to be sure this would not happen again. I was at the RRR when it happened.

Between my friend Scott, my mom, my room-mate, and Dawn the incredible nurse assigned to me that first night (and two of the other nights), people were talking to me continuously while I was "comatose". They kept telling me I had to stay. I think that's a large part of what kept me here. When I first came to, my first thought was; "Who's taking care of my mother?", my second was that Owen, my, room-mate must be taking care of my pets. Over-shadowing all of that, was; "Get me out of here, I can't afford to be here, I'll be in debt for the rest of my life." Anyway, I never left my body, too many people were keeping me here. I have responsibilities; my mom, my furry companions, my friends and my clients. I don't think I "died". Medically speaking, the doctors and nurses all told me almost no-one recovers from this as I did. I was the "miracle" patient and my recovery seemed to give everyone a morale boost. I was also the only ICU patient that was not there due to their own behaviors (part of why I found the strength to stop smoking, I don't want to end up in the hospital due to that behavior). The pneunomia patient refused to take care of herself or stop smoking, the man brought in on the second night of my stay was having convulsions due to drinking, he talked about his DUI hearing the following week.




Christine!!! You really almost died? OMGsh! I am sooo glad you had people to help you. Where were you?

Also Good luck and congratulations on the first steps to becoming a non-smoker. You can be my inspiration.

I was curious...since you have your gift...How did that play out when you were unconscious... I mean did you have a loved one tell you to go back? Did you have an out of body experience? What was dying like? Maybe these are stupid questions to ask. Considering your ordeal...but figured its fresh in your mind and if you wanted to share...

But I am also really glad that you are okay and alive. Are you home now?

I would like to give my graditude to the people around you that help save your life. God bless them!

[Lorrie]

Well I am glad you are alright now.
But I don't understand...
What exactly happened to you? You just couldn't breath cause your throat was swollen? Why was your throat swollen?

I wish you all the best!





I was in the hospital for only four days, I had made a complete recovery within 48 hours. They kept me in longer in order to reduce the swelling and infection in my throat enough to be sure this would not happen again. I was at the RRR when it happened.

Between my friend Scott, my mom, my room-mate, and Dawn the incredible nurse assigned to me that first night (and two of the other nights), people were talking to me continuously while I was "comatose". They kept telling me I had to stay. I think that's a large part of what kept me here. When I first came to, my first thought was; "Who's taking care of my mother?", my second was that Owen, my, room-mate must be taking care of my pets. Over-shadowing all of that, was; "Get me out of here, I can't afford to be here, I'll be in debt for the rest of my life." Anyway, I never left my body, too many people were keeping me here. I have responsibilities; my mom, my furry companions, my friends and my clients. I don't think I "died". Medically speaking, the doctors and nurses all told me almost no-one recovers from this as I did. I was the "miracle" patient and my recovery seemed to give everyone a morale boost. I was also the only ICU patient that was not there due to their own behaviors (part of why I found the strength to stop smoking, I don't want to end up in the hospital due to that behavior). The pneunomia patient refused to take care of herself or stop smoking, the man brought in on the second night of my stay was having convulsions due to drinking, he talked about his DUI hearing the following week.

[ChristineL]

I had an infection sometimes referred to as "George Washington's Disease" as it is what he died from. I had throat infection at the very base of my tongue. I had just started some anti-biotics for it. The swelling had greatly reduced my air passage, I aspirated some water...and, apparently, collapsed a half a lung and went into respiratory arrest.




Well I am glad you are alright now.
But I don't understand...
What exactly happened to you? You just couldn't breath cause your throat was swollen? Why was your throat swollen?

I wish you all the best!

[Lorrie]

I had an infection sometimes referred to as "George Washington's Disease" as it is what he died from. I had throat infection at the very base of my tongue. I had just started some anti-biotics for it. The swelling had greatly reduced my air passage, I aspirated some water...and, apparently, collapsed a half a lung and went into respiratory arrest.

That must have been horrible and scary! I would have been petrified...like not knowing... Wow!! I am so glad you came through it okay!

[ChristineL]

Thank you for your genuine concern. I didn't have time to be scared, I passed out and then was in an induced coma. I was scared when I came to. I was completely restrained (I kept pulling the tube out of my mouth while unconscious), intubated and cathatered. A friend was standing over my bed explaining what happened to me.


That must have been horrible and scary! I would have been petrified...like not knowing... Wow!! I am so glad you came through it okay!

[Lorrie]

Thank you for your genuine concern. I didn't have time to be scared, I passed out and then was in an induced coma. I was scared when I came to. I was completely restrained (I kept pulling the tube out of my mouth while unconscious), intubated and cathatered. A friend was standing over my bed explaining what happened to me.


Yes! You are welcome! I am glad that you didn't know what was happening. Can you imagine? Wow!

That just sounds so bizarre to me. Passing out, quit breathing, then to be resusitated by so many, then in a coma, then taken to the hospital having all this stuff put on and in you, then to wake up with it all happening and your friend telling you that you almost died!

(And your thinking: I did not die... I just kinda fell asleep right?...And here you are waking up....MAN! )
That my dear Christine is a trip!

I am so glad you are okay. I want to wish you well on your continued good health and endeavors to not smoke!! I know though that if you put your mind to it...it will happen!

[Dixon]

I guess I'm lucky that I never got hooked on tobacco. I tried it once or twice in my youth but saw no future in it--never smoked a whole cigarette. I wasn't enough of a conformist to do it to fit in with the other kids. That's a good thing, because I understand it's the most addictive drug known, and if I'd gotten addicted, I doubt my willpower would be sufficient to kick it. Other than chocolate, the only drugs I've ever enjoyed enough to use with any regularity have been relatively innocuous ones like cannabis and psychedelics, so I count myself lucky! (And I haven't even been using them lately).

I want to encourage you in your effort to kick tobacco. We're rootin' for ya, Christine! If you're feeling the cravings and need someone to talk to so you don't give in, call me at 527-6163 any time of day or night. I don't care if it's 3 AM; I will be there for you. I helped my dad kick cigarettes way back when I was a teenager and he's still alive and well at age 81. So call if you need moral support. The same goes for any of you other smokers who need my support to quit. There's no time like the present!

Hang in there!

Dixon

[Lorrie]

Dear Dixon,
I am curious about what you are trying to do here.
You could encourage the quitting process by never having been addicted to cigarettes?
How would you do that, if you didn't know what being addicted to cigarettes is like?
Oh yeah, medical proffession. I guess you have experienced enough smokers in your profession to know how to help? Is that right?
I forgot about that aspect when I started this reply.
Guess I answered my own question...but by all means you can answer or elaborate...
What would you say to a smoker to help them quit?:heart:




I guess I'm lucky that I never got hooked on tobacco. I tried it once or twice in my youth but saw no future in it--never smoked a whole cigarette. I wasn't enough of a conformist to do it to fit in with the other kids. That's a good thing, because I understand it's the most addictive drug known, and if I'd gotten addicted, I doubt my willpower would be sufficient to kick it. Other than chocolate, the only drugs I've ever enjoyed enough to use with any regularity have been relatively innocuous ones like cannabis and psychedelics, so I count myself lucky! (And I haven't even been using them lately).

I want to encourage you in your effort to kick tobacco. We're rootin' for ya, Christine! If you're feeling the cravings and need someone to talk to so you don't give in, call me at 527-6163 any time of day or night. I don't care if it's 3 AM; I will be there for you. I helped my dad kick cigarettes way back when I was a teenager and he's still alive and well at age 81. So call if you need moral support. The same goes for any of you other smokers who need my support to quit. There's no time like the present!

Hang in there!

Dixon

[Dixon]

...I am curious about what you are trying to do here.
You could encourage the quitting process by never having been addicted to cigarettes? How would you do that, if you didn't know what being addicted to cigarettes is like?

I see addiction as fundamental to the human condition. I think nearly everyone is addicted to something, whether drugs (illegal or legal), sex (one of my faves), TV, crappy food (another fave of mine), Jesus (a former addiction of mine), phony certainty, money, power, flag-waving nationalism, work, New Agey power fantasies, or whatever. As a fellow addicted human being, I don't have to have the same addiction as someone else to have empathy for their situation; I can just generalize from my own experience with addictions.


What would you say to a smoker to help them quit?:heart:

1. I would listen to them with empathy and give feedback and encouragement authentically (I do have an MA in Counseling so my skills are pretty good in this area).

2. I would encourage them not to feel that they're bad or immoral for having an addiction.

3. I would gently reinforce the fact that tobacco addiction is no less a drug addiction than heroin or anything else, and is in fact a stronger and, in the long run, more deadly addiction than most or all others. My hope is that busting through the common denial around this issue could reinforce the person's desire to kick the addiction.

4. Emphasizing how extremely addictive nicotine is, I would urge the person not to feel like they're "bad" or "weak" if they have a really hard time quitting, or if they relapse. In fact, if they can't quit entirely, I'd encourage them to feel good about just cutting down for the time being.

5. If they wanted, I could give them advice re: little tricks that some people have used to help them quit, such as cutting their cigarettes in half so that they're smoking just half a ciggie at a time, or wrapping their ciggie pack tightly in rubber bands so it takes awhile to get out a ciggie each time they smoke (so they can stop and think about whether they really need that ciggie right now instead of lighting up unconsciously), etc.

I hope I've assuaged your curiosity, Lorrie.

Cheers

Dixon

[ChristineL]

Lorrie; it doesn't matter, someone willing to listen and talk at any hour is a help with anything. It's not about "knowing" what it's like, it's about being able to identify with the emotion and addiction is an emotional "need" as well as a physical one. For me, it's being able to talk about, at any hour of the day or night, whatever is triggering that bit of self-destructiveness.

=Lorrie;74179]Dear Dixon,
I am curious about what you are trying to do here.
You could encourage the quitting process by never having been addicted to cigarettes?
How would you do that, if you didn't know what being addicted to cigarettes is like?
Oh yeah, medical proffession. I guess you have experienced enough smokers in your profession to know how to help? Is that right?
I forgot about that aspect when I started this reply.
Guess I answered my own question...but by all means you can answer or elaborate...
What would you say to a smoker to help them quit?:heart:[/quote]

[ChristineL]

Thank you. I probably won't need to take you up on your offer however, one more person out there ready to give me total support and to listen to me should I get upset enough to want to smoke again, is in in itself a help in keeping me strong.




I guess I'm lucky that I never got hooked on tobacco. I tried it once or twice in my youth but saw no future in it--never smoked a whole cigarette. I wasn't enough of a conformist to do it to fit in with the other kids. That's a good thing, because I understand it's the most addictive drug known, and if I'd gotten addicted, I doubt my willpower would be sufficient to kick it. Other than chocolate, the only drugs I've ever enjoyed enough to use with any regularity have been relatively innocuous ones like cannabis and psychedelics, so I count myself lucky! (And I haven't even been using them lately).

I want to encourage you in your effort to kick tobacco. We're rootin' for ya, Christine! If you're feeling the cravings and need someone to talk to so you don't give in, call me at 527-6163 any time of day or night. I don't care if it's 3 AM; I will be there for you. I helped my dad kick cigarettes way back when I was a teenager and he's still alive and well at age 81. So call if you need moral support. The same goes for any of you other smokers who need my support to quit. There's no time like the present!

Hang in there!

Dixon

[MsTerry]

So Christine, you being part of the metaphysical world, why do you think this happened to you?
Besides being offered help by Dixon (who is hellbent on exposing people like you and your gifts) What did you learn from this?


Thank you. I probably won't need to take you up on your offer however, one more person out there ready to give me total support and to listen to me should I get upset enough to want to smoke again, is in in itself a help in keeping me strong.

[ChristineL]

Ms. Terry, "being part of the metaphysical" as you put it doen't mean I have all the answers. I don't know all the reasons this happened to me. I do know that several people were enpowered and/or forgot their own very serious problems to be there for me. I also know I finally got the answer as to what that defect on my life-line was about. I accept that there are some good karmic reasons and continue to think in terms of "why not me?" as opposed to "Why me". As I currently cannot afford medical insurance or medical care, I have not had any kind of check-up in years and did get to find out that I am in very good health and have done no permanent damage to my lungs (miraculously so having been a smoker for 40 years). My heart is in very good shape and my oxigination stays between 95 and 98%. That is part of why I quit smoking, I could still prevent permanent damage.

As far as Dixon's offer goes...it was a kind one. People don't have to believe in my abilities in order to give me assistance or advice worth taking. Some people have taken advice and comfort from my communications without being believers in my psychic abilities. The last time we had a thread debating the existence of psychic abilities, the paranormal, etc...it was exhausting, even if I finally did get through to WillieLumpLump. I have no interest in converting people to my way of thinking and believing and if anyone is interested in reading the debates on the subject, they can go back to that thread.


So Christine, you being part of the metaphysical world, why do you think this happened to you?
Besides being offered help by Dixon (who is hellbent on exposing people like you and your gifts) What did you learn from this?

[MsTerry]

Thanks Christine,
By no means was I trying to imply that you have ALL the answers, I was merely trying to quench my curiosity.
When unexpected or unwanted things happen to me, I usually try to look back and see what I could have done different. Sometimes I am able to find a clear warning that i simply decided to ignore, or sometimes i can see that things are better for me in the long run because of what happened.
My curiosity was, because of your gifts, did you find a meaning in what happened. You already indicated some, and sometimes it takes more time to see the benefits beyond the burdens.
All the best
MsTerry


Ms. Terry, "being part of the metaphysical" as you put it doen't mean I have all the answers. I don't know all the reasons this happened to me. I do know that several people were enpowered and/or forgot their own very serious problems to be there for me. I also know I finally got the answer as to what that defect on my life-line was about. I accept that there are some good karmic reasons and continue to think in terms of "why not me?" as opposed to "Why me". As I currently cannot afford medical insurance or medical care, I have not had any kind of check-up in years and did get to find out that I am in very good health and have done no permanent damage to my lungs (miraculously so having been a smoker for 40 years). My heart is in very good shape and my oxigination stays between 95 and 98%. That is part of why I quit smoking, I could still prevent permanent damage.

As far as Dixon's offer goes...it was a kind one. People don't have to believe in my abilities in order to give me assistance or advice worth taking. Some people have taken advice and comfort from my communications without being believers in my psychic abilities. The last time we had a thread debating the existence of psychic abilities, the paranormal, etc...it was exhausting, even if I finally did get through to WillieLumpLump. I have no interest in converting people to my way of thinking and believing and if anyone is interested in reading the debates on the subject, they can go back to that thread.

[ChristineL]

Going by what the doctors told me, this was a freak thing...I had some warning. That break in my life line had pushed me to change quite a few things in my life-style, the line had grown but there was still a mark in it I couldn't decipher. I can only tell you that I had planned to take the night off and decided to go to work in spite of the sore throat. Had this happened at home, my room-mate would have come home and found me dead. My "inner voice" told me to go. I wish that voice had told me not to wear the new bra as it, along with the rest of my clothes, was cut off me. No, the warning was not totally clear. I did get the strength and impetus to stop smoking, I have a feeling that may have been about what I needed to do next to preserve my health. I am also now not as afraid of getting older alone as I did find out that my friends were truly my family and there for me. Since my mom got sick and needs some assistance in getting things like shopping done I had been thinking about what would happen to me when I got to be her age.

Since full recoveries from respiratory arrest are extremely rare (especially within less than 24 hours), I've relearned how strong willed I am and I'm trying to apply that strength to making my life better.

quote=MsTerry;74348]Thanks Christine,
By no means was I trying to imply that you have ALL the answers, I was merely trying to quench my curiosity.
When unexpected or unwanted things happen to me, I usually try to look back and see what I could have done different. Sometimes I am able to find a clear warning that i simply decided to ignore, or sometimes i can see that things are better for me in the long run because of what happened.
My curiosity was, because of your gifts, did you find a meaning in what happened. You already indicated some, and sometimes it takes more time to see the benefits beyond the burdens.
All the best
MsTerry[/quote]

[Sylph]

Dixon's offer was amazingly generous. Dixon, you 'Walk the Walk'! :Thanks::angelsmilie:

[ChristineL]

Just a little update. I am now smokeless and patchless, it's easier than I expected. I had been told to expect to feel depressed when I quit, and I've found I tend to be giddy and slightly hyper. I'm laughing a lot. I'm enjoying my long uphill walks as I'm not getting breathless any more. I'm having fun with my voice although at times I feel like an adolescent boy whose voice is changing and is not totally under his control. Strangely enough, I have more time in my day. Since I never smoked inside my house, having a cigarette took way more time than I knew. I had to stop what I was doing, put on shoes or slippers, sometimes a jacket; get the cigarettes and lighter and go outside. Doesn't sound like much, but each cigarette ended up taking ten to fifteen minutes.

I'm going to digress...my blind cat is chasing my puppy all over the house...too funny...they play together quite a bit and the blind cat is definitely the boss.

One thing I found to be very helpful was to change my little rituals. For example, I no longer get up in the AM and have coffee and a cigarette. I get up, make the bed, take the puppy out for a quick potty break, eat a little something healthy, then have the coffee. It seems to remove the morning coffee trigger which was a major one for me.