Well good luck and may WHATEVER you believe in bless you!  I know it's 
hard, but my Dad's fighting lung cancer because he didn't quit - and it
looks like it MAY have metastasized (God forbid!), we're not sure yet.
.
When he was smoking, he would defend his right to smoke and say he 
wasn't hurting anyone but himself.  Of course that latter part was 
incorrect.  We now know how much harm second hand smoke DOES do to 
others from the medics.   But how his words have changed.  He now tells
me - after one round of chemo, one of radiation and the possibility of 
more and/or removal of his lung over his head - he says it DEFINITELY 
was not worth it.
.
If you get too tempted to smoke, let me know and I'll describe some of 
what he's told me about the horrors of chemo in detail. (Just kidding! 
I know you can't scare any addict - esp. not this one.)  
.
Anyway, I thought I'd pass that on to you and I hope it helps you to 
stay away from one for one day.  I like a saying I heard in a group my 
ex used to quit - they used to say they were a puff away from a pack a 
day.  I liked it because it always reminded me that it was the FIRST 
drink that gets me drunk because it triggers the physical compulsion - 
something it is VERY important for me to remember.
.
Oh, the good news is that even after smoking two-three packs of camels 
and pall malls - the brands that I understnad have the highest levels 
of tar and nicotine and other goodies - and doing so for some fifty 
five to sixty YEARS (at least), my Dad DID in fact lose the craving for
a cigarette after about 6 months almost entirely - even to the point of
having the remainder of the last carton in the house and stale as heck 
by now (over a year).   So I guess the craving - like the desire for a 
drink - is also a case of this too will pass.
.
I wish I had my OWN experience to share with you here.  I believe that 
is always best.  However, I never smoked - at least not tobacco.  And I
wanted to show you some support.  ALthough I never smoked, I do know 
what it's like to be in early recovery from other addictions and, in my
opinion, it's a b****. (know what I mean?)
--- TriToss (tm) Professional 10.0 - #66
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