NayNay

OMG Action! I want to roll around in all that wonderful badness you call food! Nom nom nom! I ate a couple snack size Snicker bars and a packet or two or peanut M&M's. As a diabetic not a good choice. I'm sure I'll have to do a huge correction before bed, but oh my it tasted so good.

Because I don't have time to congratulate each and every one of you when you hit your milestones, here is my Congratulations to all those who have or will hit a milestone for the month of October: I'm so proud of each and every one of you (and me too!). Keep up the good fight and Keep the Quit!!!! Hugs and stuff, NayNay

What had always kept me from quitting smoking in the past was the fear of too much weight gain, or the painfulness of quitting (if that even makes sense). I had attempted to quit smoking in the past, but would become so nervous and aggitated within a couple of hours, I'd cave and go buy cigarettes. I have pretty much been overweight my whole life, and after having my two beautiful daughters continued as a Type 2 diabetic (it all started with gestational diabetes). Of course every doctor I ever saw told me to quit smoking, but you figure that is their job right? Most were hypocrites anyways because they were puffing away on their breaks or off hours as well! I remember how doctors could smoke in their medical offices back when!! Isn't that crazy? You could smoke in the hospital, in your room! Smoking when I was young was cool; it was not the social stigma it is today. Pregnant women smoked during their pregnancies. Nobody told them to quit. I know my own Mom smoked with all three of her pregnancies. Eventually, after many years of fighting my blood sugar numbers, I finally wound up on an insulin pump. Because I have to use insulin, losing weight is extremely difficult. Gaining weight not so difficult. The insulin alone causes a big stomach, even if you are not overeating! But, I was always afraid that if I quit I'd begin stuffing all kinds of stuff into my system that I shouldn't and couldn't eat. That always kept me from doing it. Then one year I went to the opthalmologist and he saw the beginnings of retinopathy in my eyes. Retinopathy is little hemorrhages in the vessels in the back of one's eye. It is a huge problem with diabetics, and can lead to macular degeneration and blindness. That was the ahha moment for me. Everything I read on the internet in order to slow the progression or halt the progression said control blood sugar and QUIT SMOKING! I committed to a date to quit smoking that very day. So here I am now 5+ months after quitting. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. One thing I can absolutely say for certain is that you must be in the right mindset in order to be successful. You must really want to quit, and be resolved to do whatever is necessary to do so and keep that quit. I still get cravings, but they are easy to push away. I still smell people smoking cigarettes, and I can smell cigarette smoke on those who still smoke. I cringe at that because I think "that used to be me. That's how I smelled to others" and it makes me feel disgusted and sorry for those who love me. I'm happy that I don't have to stand out in the elements anymore to smoke a cigarette, and that I'm not wasting so much of my life away from what is going on so I can get that nicotine fix.

Sandy, well said! You are absolutely right....there is no reason good enough to ever light up a cigarette ever again. There are millions of people out there who deal and handle all types of scenarios without smoking a cigarette. Now you (and I and all the rest here) are one of "those" people too! Stay strong in your resolve. That's all it takes.

Hi Jimmy. Nice to meet you. I quit smoking using an e-cig. I began using nicotine in the e-juice, however I did do a step down with the nicotine. I believe I began at 18 mg, and worked my way down from there. I currently still vape, but with no nicotine. I use different flavors, but in the beginning I stayed away from anything that has too much of a taste similar to tobacco flavors. I pretty much used flavors like pina colada, peach, hazelnut, and caramel mochachino. I had tried everything in the past to quit smoking and never lasted with any of them. I did the vaping and I've been smoke free for 5 months now! I am shocked that I could get through it, but the vaping certainly helped me to feel like I wasn't missing out on anything. If you have any questions, or if I can be of any help in your quest to step down on the nicotine until you are nicotine free, just let me know. I'm more than happy to share my experiences. Good Luck!!!

My body spray. I like when I change my clothes after work and I can smell the freshness and my body spray on them rather than the clinging smoke smell. So much nicer. Also I can smell my shampoo scent in my hair rather than smoke smell. And let's face it people, fresh baked bread has ALWAYS smelled good, as well as coffee brewing!!!!! It's like popcorn; smells delicious when it's popping. I think I have found so many things that smell so good now that my sniffer can sniff better. Not always a good thing though; now I want to eat more because it smells so good!!!

YAY Rez! You made it!!!!! Woohooo!

So very happy for you Sazerac!!!!!!! You rock! Congratulations! I'm bouncing with excitement for you!!

Oh and Action, I did do something nice today to celebrate 5 months. I did not smoke today! Nothing better!

Thank you Thank you! What wonderful people you all are! You all make me feel so good about myself! I am so pleased to have gone 5 months without a cigarette! I am still vaping, but only with no nicotine! I do feel better and don't miss those nasty cigarettes at all. I just wish those occasional pop-up craves would go away for good. I don't like them. Next month will be a huge milestone! 6 months = 1/2 a year!!!!!! I'm working my way up to that lido deck gang! Watch out, here comes NayNay! :)

I guess I can say I do sleep better since I quit smoking. I don't wake up coughing and hacking anymore. I still am not a morning person and hate getting up early, but I stumble around for about 10-15 minutes making coffee and feeding my dogs. But then I begin to actually snap to attention. But I am definitely not a "jump outta bed and get the day going" kinda girl at all. I have to ease on into my mornings. So the coffee making and dog feeding and such is automatic; not really too awake yet. Once I get my one dog her shot of insulin and wash my hands and take my blood sugar, I'm becoming more alive and awake. Then once the dogs have been let outside and it is time for me to go back upstairs to get washed up and teeth brushed and ready for work, I'm much more awake. But it is definitely a process I go through. I wish I could be one of those people who can jump out of bed and just get going. Never have been, never will be. I am looking forward to Saturday and Sunday morning when I do not have to wake with the alarm and can allow myself a bit more lounging in bed in the morning! Sleep is always good for the body and soul!

You did it Action! You did it! Oh, and Sazerac, where'd you get those pictures of me? :/

Okay Action, now comes the Little Train. You know the one I'm talking about right? I think I can.....I think I can.....I think I can......I KNOW I can......I KNOW I can.....5 more days! Toot Toot! :) So proud of you! I cannot wait to be on deck for the Liddo Deck myself! Congrats. You are such an inspiration!

Agreed Ava! All I can say is take good care of yourself both inside and out, and the age thing just might be put off. And of course, there is always plastic surgery and Ms. Clairol! :)

Thanks all for the laughs! I appreciate all of you who think I don't look old enough to have 20 something year olds for daughters, but trust me, I am. Some days I look better than other days, and of course I was at a wedding in my profile picture, so of course the hair is done, makeup and all. Makes a big difference. I don't really mind the getting older thing. What I do mind is the aches and pains, and sagging that goes along with the aging process. That I could do without. But, thanks. You guys make me smile and laugh and that's what its all about really.

I'm feeling rather old today as my youngest daughter turns 20 today! Yikes! I can't believe she is 20 already. Where did that time go to? She has left her teen years and enters her 20-something years! My oldest daughter is 22. I cannot believe my baby girls are in their 20's already. I think I need a nap because I'm old and I'm tired! :) Well, I'm very proud of the adults they have become, and that means that the hubby and I did a good job raising them. We did our best. Okay, just wanted to vent that I feel old today. :)

I love Once Upon a Time, but was not impressed with Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. I lost interest in it after like the 2nd episode. I don't blame Tasha; Cap'n Hook is so darned hot!!!! Yummy! :)

I'm glad its back on. I love watching this show. The premier was very good. Enjoyed it.

Wow! Thanks so much everyone. You all make me feel so good about myself! I cannot believe that I've gone this far and have no desire to smoke ever again. Thanks to all of you who help me to stay strong and stay NOPE!

Thanks you guys! You all make me feel so special!!!!

Oh Bonnie, so sorry to read all that you and your daughter are going through. I know how scary that can be for a young teen girl. And of course it goes without saying how, as Mom's, we are beside ourselves with fear of the unknown. I have a grown Niece who had a ovarian cyst on her ovary and had to have it removed because it wouldn't shrink. She was not able to take birth control pills because of a family blood clotting disorder that she also has. They removed her cyst with the DaVinci (surgical machine?). Her cyst was the size of a soccer ball! Can you imagine? She thought she was pregnant and kept taking tests, but they all came back negative. She did end up losing the ovary though because of the size. The only reason I am telling you this is because my Niece does not have children yet, and she does have one good ovary left to produce, however she was told to have children sooner than later since her other ovary would be at risk of the same demise. Your daughter may want to reconsider having it removed when the possibility of saving that ovary is still a choice. My Niece didn't have a choice because she didn't realize something was wrong until the cyst was huge already. I hope everything works out for the best. Good luck on coordinating doctors and hospitals and such. Insurance companies can be such nightmares to work with! I do it everyday as a Medical Biller, so I totally do not envy you there.

I'm so glad that I'm not really a drinker of alcoholic beverages on a regular basis. I do not get that urge then to smoke while having a drink. However, with that said, everyone has triggers that cause a craving for a cigarette. I still get a strong crave, and suspect I will continue to get them, here and there. I did find that my strongest craves are mostly during the weekends, which is weird to me as I don't believe I smoked any more or less on the weekends. But, I just find something to do and get through them. I do vape with no nicotine, and sometimes that helps. Sometimes it doesn't matter what arsenal I have; a crave is a crave. It goes away. Laura, you certainly need to avoid the strongest triggers in the beginning to stay quit. It is not like you will always have to stay away from that specific activity, but for the time being, I would. Glad you picked yourself up, dusted yourself off, and got right back on the wagon. Just remember that everybody can make a mistake, and the hardest thing to do is face the shame. You will do fine. Now, buck up sugar, you need to face this demon head on! Don't let it get you. You are stronger and in control. Always remember that.

Since I did not see a Happy Birthday thread for today's birthday's, I thought I'd start one myself. Sorry it is so late! So, without further ado, Happy Birthday to Maryland Quitter, Humbled (39), and Betsy!!!! Hope you all celebrated and had a wonderful day!!!!