Rain Forest

You guys... this loss is major to me... I have seen so many pass away since I joined the quit community about 8 years ago... but Beth was my best friend of all of them. I don't know what to do right now, I'm crying and can't stop. I talked to her almost daily on facebook in private messages and she had told me she thought there was something wrong with her lungs because she was quite short of breath lately. I am just so sad... our dear friend had a very tough life but she always did what she needed to, no complaining. Damn, we lost a major wonderful lady today.

Noooooooooooo!!!!! ******* no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, I forgot to add: when you first quit smoking, stay CLOSE to the quit forum... if you stay there and help everyone else, give encouragement, yell when they relapse (fine, be a sweetie, but I'm a tough-love person), etc., you will also be helping yourself to stay quit without even knowing it. The person I mostly think of when I say this is Babs, she stuck close by when she first quit and helped everyone that needed it, and I believe she understands now that by helping others she helped herself. You can do it, guys! :)

After receiving an email from Beth today, I was reminded of something: Yesterday was my 6-year quit anny… lol… how the hell does a person forget that special day? I can tell ya, and that’s why I’m here: When you first quit, you live for the days: 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, omfg, 1 year!!! After that, it kinda dwindles down to 1-1/2 years (yeah, you still look for the halvsies… haha)… but then after about the 3rd year, you forget… and do you know why? Because it’s like you were never a smoker to begin with so why remember an anny of something you never did? Seriously, if you can be so happy about quitting smoking that you forget about it, that’s amazing to me, and that is why I came by to mention my anny. I want the newly-quits to see this and say to themselves “well my god, if she can quit and be happy about it, so can I!” If I can help just one person (but I hope I help more than that… lol), then it’s worth it to me. I never went for the “one day at a time” method… I was all about “I am no longer a smoker. Period. Never again. F you, cigs!” Now I know we’re all different and if the ODAAT works for you, rock on! Just remember this: attitude is everything in your quit, especially at the very beginning. If you tell yourself you will win over the ugly cigs and that not a thing on this planet will stop you, then you WILL win! I went thru deaths in my family, deaths of my 2 dogs that I’d had for over 17 years, numerous drama in my life, and I did not once crave a cig because I knew it was over, never again, cigs help nothing. So for you that quit recently and wonder how you’re gonna keep that quit, this is the one thing that a lot of people PM’ed me about and told me it saved their quits, the thing I always said that I did: you craving really bad? Get a plastic straw, cut it to cig size and pretend-smoke that sucker. Most of our craves are not for the nicotine, it’s for the “ritual”… and with a pretend cig, you can do it all (well, don’t light it on fire, that ain’t good for plastic… lol), but you can take deep hits off that thing, you can even pretend-flick those ashes! I did and it worked, tricked my mind good. Anyway, keep your quits. Stop saying you relapsed… instead, post an SOS and wait for help. Be a winner, kick some ash and be proud of yourself for doing it. Over and out, love to all! Suz PS: This will be going to both forums that I belong to. I never post anymore because after a while, I just felt it was time to move on, plus the drama I provide can’t be helpful at times… lol. I have the utmost respect for those that keep posting after being quit for years and helping the newly-quits. Blessings to all!

Hey TAC, right on!!! I'm loving your attitude and I do believe you got this! Major groovy congrats from me to you!

Oh Bandito dude, look at you! 4 months and going strong... and I love reading all your encouraging words to everyone else... I say to you: you got this! Congrats :)

DevilDoll, rock n roll and right on! 4 months and totally rockin your quit... CONGRATS!!!

Hey there WhatAGuy (see how clever I was there? lol)... congrats, you are winning!!! 4 months is beautiful!

Cher, I hope you realize that you have helped many many many people learn to quit smoking... I am one of them. It's an honor to know you, and I'm so happy for you that you chose to be a winner because by doing so, you have made many more people the same. Love you girl, and major huge GROOVYLICIOUS congrats from me to you!!!

laura, you can do this, I know it! Jonny is right: sometimes it takes really messing up to realize that you need to get it together... I think you understand that now, and it's half the battle to know it. Hang tough, educate yourself on the addiction, have a backup plan... and if I were you, I wouldn't go near alcohol for a while since that's when you chose to smoke. I have seen more people relapse while they were out drinking. Anyway, today's a new day and it's a new you... you go, girl!!! Oh, PS, sometimes we're all dicks! lol

Markus, my friend, I totally understand... but I do hope you swing by every now and then to say hi. You will always be my buddy that shares my love of classic rock! Best of luck to you! *big hugs* Fabu (just for you!)

Ah (((((((((((((Beth))))))))))) Now most people would say "I hate to say this", but I happen to love to say this, so here goes: I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!! lol

On Monday afternoon I took my daughter to a dr appt and watched my Logan while she was there… then I drove her home… was home a few hours and get a hysterical phone call… Logan had fallen off a swing and got this: / He was on his way to the hospital, so I went there and spent the next 5 hours in the ER… just too damn much fun, sitting in the ER! Anyway, my poor little guy had to have 8 stitches, and he screamed bloody murder when they gave him shots to deaden the skin (the cream they put on apparently didn’t work)… I had left the room before this but could hear him clear down the hall… yes, I’m a wimp, I can’t handle hearing little kids screaming in pain. He's better, this is after the stitches: Then Tues morning I wake up to a horrible sore throat… no idea where I got that, could be Logan (he had a cough), could be the hospital germs, could be the people in stores I’d heard the last few days)… by Tues evening I knew I was sick… spent Wed and Thurs with a fever and just feely icky and pretty much just slept… felt better yesterday so went car hunting (I’m on a search, I’ll post more about that later today)… anyway, all that running around yesterday? Today I’m back to square one with a low-grade fever again! lol Ok, weekend, bring it on!

Evelyn, this is the place for you to be if you are serious about quitting smoking... my question would be: how serious are you? I have to agree with Tiffany because we can only help you if you want the help... saying "it's ok" when you relapse and holding your hand, that's not how I see helping someone to quit smoking. I really hope you get it figured out: you have to do the work, but we are here to support and help you thru the tough times, but only if you let us. I don't think you're wrote down 3 reasons why you want to be a non-smoker, so maybe you should print out what Tiffany just said and keep that with you, it would certainly motivate me to keep my quit because is speaks loudly of truth! Rain :)

Please don't hate me! lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRV4d9LCawU