Kris

You may have just saved many people from public humiliation and/or arrest. I don't think that the police would accept your excuse for being without your pants. Just to be safe I may hang a pair on the coat closet door. You learn so much from the internet! K

Okay Boo, this was the first time I have belly laughed since I started the quit. I sure hope you realized they were missing before you left the house. K

Doreen, I guess I could but it would probably take all day. I don't have a cell anymore since I hardly leave the house. Have not taught myself to zoom or skype etc.... It is a little better today, I will keep an eye on it and if needed get myself to the doc. Thanks for your concern. I just have no clue why it happened. I had acupuncture on friday but they say that would have caused it. That is only new thing other than my quit. K

Jillar. Thanks for asking, yes I still have what I call elephant feet and ankles. I cancelled my acupuncture today. Did not call the GP yet. I feel fine physically just mentally shut down today. don't want to get dressed or leave the house. If not better tomorrow I will see the doctor. K

Linda, I know all of this is a normal part of life, we all are going to suffer loss, health issues,etc. Why do they have to come so fast. I am reaching out and know I have found all of you. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to offer advice and/or just chat! K

Dear Katgirl You are absolutely correct, I do suffer from depression, anxiety and panic attacks....have all my life. I do have professional care and crazy as it sounds when my husband was sick it kind of went away. I was so focused on his health that I did not have time to breathe. When he died I fell into a deeper black hole. Lord knows I try and try everyday. Sorry, just having a pity party today. K

Katgirl, I lost my husband 10 1/2 years ago. He was and is my only, childhood sweethearts. I have no desire to meet anyone else just want him to come back or come get me. For a few years after he passed I was in close contact with his friends from the USPS. Going for lunch and or dinner every weekend. But as we have learned the hard way, nothing is forever and that now includes smoking. I have to admit I like to smoke but it is not socially accepted anymore. People look down on you for it. They have their own issues that they do not face but think it is okay to judge you. That is something I can't take well. No one should stand in judgement of others. We all have a cross to bear. To be truthful I would not have quit without the medical issues coming into play. I hate to confess but I am all out of faith, strength, courage.....I have used it all up. The last little bit I have will use for the quit. K

Not only the smoking thing, but constant death and loss of your family and friends. I have come to the conclusion that I am ANGRY, ANGRY and ANGRY. I am sick of doing everything by myself. I am so stupid thinking I can keep things under control when I can't. The only people I have left are my son and DIL and I will not put this on them. I don't want them to know how much I struggle. I miss all the simple things of everyday life. Sitting on the patio chatting and watching the dogs play, going to the grocery with someone to plan meals for the following week. Missing the fact my son is grown and I no longer have a home filled with hungry teenage boys, yelling like crazy playing video games. Missing those boys come in the kitchen and say Mrs. Mom, we need food, and my answer, I can fix that. Missing my husband taking me for ice cream or hot chocolate. Missing my Mom call that she had messed up the TV again and can I come fix it. I am tired and having a really bad day, Can anyone relate. I just want to scream and cry and beat my head against concrete. K

Jillar. I kind of understand where you being uncomfortable in public. My sweet husband died of skin cancer that spread to his lungs. He had to be on oxygen for 5 years. Had the tanks in the house and a concentrator. My guy would not give up his freedom and they gave him one of the portables he could just wear it on his shoulder. He just hated it when working because there were nonstop questions. He did not want to spend his time on that, he just wanted to be seen as the hard worker he always was. He was so brave thru the whole thing. I would not be uncomfortable at all, you should not either. You have a challenging health issue but you deserve to do everything you can do and to ENJOY your life! If they stare just stare back and if they are rude give them hell. K

Doreen, thanks for the reply, I am working on it. I am so bad right now I don't have the strength to shower or cook in the morning. I wish I could still work because I would have somewhere to get up and go to. Also working gives us social connection to others, but I am stuck here alone with my dogs (thank God for them) and it drives me crazy to be alone. K

Katgirl I know I have to find something to distract me in the morning. I don't drink coffee, a diet coke girl here. Okay so don't laugh, I hope you have seen the commercial for Cheetos with Ashton Kutcher. Yes, that is what I do in morning now, grab a diet coke and a little bowl of C.heetos. I have to stop doing that before I start to gain weight, also my keyboard is turning orange LOL. God came thru this morning and made the craves let up. I was surfing the wave this morning but the shark did not catch me. k

Dear God. Please be with us as we struggle to stay quit today. Today is my 9th day and for some reason up I woke with a terrible craving. Been doing okay but I think the mornings are the worse. When you have smoked as long as I have it is the first thing I would do when I got up. Does anyone else feel the torture in the morning? I know God that you have the power to heal all things. please be with ALL of us today!! K

Thanks for your reply. I have had my feet up all day, maybe to many chips yesterday. As for watching my grandson, he is no trouble at all, we just snuggled up on the couch and watched Americas funniest videos animal edition. My grown 33 yr old son wears me out more than the little guy K

Gus, I am new to this site so I have not read all your post but I can tell you really suffer from anxiety. Try to deep breathe before the interviews and get a little tube of vaseline to have in your purse, rub a little on your teeth before you go in, makes it easier to smile during the interview. You will land the job, then check your insurance benefits and start researching therapists. I want so much for you to feel better!!!! K

I do not think this could be related to not smoking, everyone said drink lots of water, so I have. Been on a salt crave which is normal for me. Do not know where the swelling is coming from. I was going to go to urgent care today but the kids needed me to watch the grandson. I will go to GP tomorrow, just wondering if anyone else has had this experience. K

Hi Steven, Glad you got thru it. Today is my 7th day, one whole week and I can't believe I did it. By the end of next week I will be 5'8, 115#s and 25 years younger. If I can quit smoking I can do anything. That said, I will need to win the lottery to make those other things happen. Let's stay positive and focus on win-win. K

Hi Gus, Just spent the last hour typing you a very long message, then I hit some button and it just disappeared. To tired to start over, so here is the condensed version. I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks since I was a small child. When I became an adult depression joined the party. After my son was born in my late 20s I became concerned that I would pass this to him thru my behavior. Went into therapy, talk, group and cognitive. Point is it really helped and changed my life. I have a brilliant son who is open to any adventure so I met the goal,, did not pass it on. I used to be ashamed and embarrassed of my condition, now I don't give a crap what anyone thinks. I do what I want when I can do it. K

Made it one week, never thought I could do it!! Thanks guys!! K

Abby. I agree one hundred and Claussen ten percent, let's go to the fridge and see what we have......Claussen kosher dill spears and their sandwich slices. Best Maid hamburger slices, small sweet pickles. Vlassic sweet and dill relishes and a number of olives. capers and horseradish. These are essential for life> K

Jillar, My son is not a doctor, he only has a degree from UT at Denton in kinesiology. Now a personal trainer and also working/studying for his real estate license. Feet and ankles still swollen, I showed them to my DIL when she dropped off my grandson, Still no pain or fever so I will leave it alone, my son says it may be related to the PT for recovering from the hip placement. Doing more than I should at this point. K TEXAS

Garry, so sorry it took me so long to reply. Your post brought up alot of fear in me. Sounds like you live alone. I do also, and have deep fears about the situation. I can only imagine how scared you must have been when you collapsed. You are blessed to have a friend that came to check on you, I am assuming they had tried to reach you without success. I am living alone for the first time in my life, my son, his wife, grandson moved out after they saved enough to be able to buy their own home. I had my mother here for a couple of years until she declined so bad I could not keep her safe. I lost the love of my life to cancer about 10 years ago, we were childhood sweethearts, together at 15 and parted at 51. The last blow was losing my best friend (and my husbands) last year. We had known each other from the age of 7. He was the person who looked after me when my husband died, calling everyday to make sure I was ok and give the weather and stock market report(LOL) I hate to say but I thought I was the only one being tortured but it seems we all are in one way or another. I pretty much left the world (became a hermit) when my husband died. All of you are the most human contact I have had for years. The stress of the quit is hard but the joy of meeting people who want help me is a blessing. Sorry to be so chatty. K

Thanks Diane Still no better last night, wish I could go back to bed now but this has one pay off today. Grandson coming over to stay with me while Mom and Dad go into work for a few hours. JOY, JOY, JOY! K

Thanks JILLAR, Has not gotten worse and is not painful. Spoke to my son, going to wait until tomorrow, if still swollen go to my GP office, they are open 12 to 4 for emergencies; Thanks for your reply, I have never stopped smoking since I was pregnant with my son 34 years ago, so I did not know if this was related to my quit, Thank you for letting me know it was not related. Had a hip replacement 3 months ago so maybe related to that. K

Hi Doreen, I have brought in everything that I thought would help and every distraction helps. I am just so proud that I am on the 6th day and am doing well. I am having a problem but I have no idea what is causing it, this afternoon my feet and ankles are swelling like the great pumpkin. I am going to wait another half hour, if it gets worse, off to urgent care. Has anyone else had this happen? Let me know asap, if it is normal when you quit, I will not worry, if not off to urgent care. Thanks to all K

Every thing I read tells me my sense of smell and taste will improve over time. I have not had that happen yet, but lazy tonight to make a proper dinner, so had a chili dog..............was pretty good. What are your craves other than nicotine? K a