Thank you for bumping this post. I thought of "joe cool" and this post when I woke up this morning. I had a smoking dream last night and woke up relieved to find it was just a dream. The dream was out of control; I was smoking and couldn't stop. All my convictions were fighting the action and the more I fought it the more I smoked. It was aggrevating. I think it was the out of control nature of the dream that made me think of Joe. His final challenge was controlling him rather than the more desireable opposite. Like my father, he waited too long to quit.
I went out on the web this morning to read what I could find on many of the reasons I quit and the ones brought to the front by this dream last night. I've seen this before but needed to see it again, how I'm recovering and what to expect when from my quit:
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As soon as you snuff out that last cigarette:
Within 20 min:
Blood pressure, body temperature, and pulse rate will drop to normal.
Within 8 hours:
Smoker's breath disappears. Carbon monoxide level in blood drops and oxygen level rises to normal.
Within 24 hours:
Chance of a heart attack decreases.
Within 48 hours:
Nerve endings start to regroup. Ability to taste and smell improves.
Within 3 days:
Breathing is easier.
Within 2 to 3 months:
Circulation improves. Walking becomes easier. Lung capacity increases up to 30%
Within 1 to 9 months:
Sinus congestion and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia that sweep debris from you lungs grow back. Energy increases.
Within 1 year:
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a person who smokes.
Within 2 years:
Heart attack risk drops to near-normal.
Within 5 years:
Lung cancer death rate for the average former pack-a-day smoker decreases by almost half. Stroke risk is reduced. Risk of mouth, throat, and esophageal cancer is half that of a smoker.
Within 10 years:
Lung cancer death rate is similar to that of a person who does not smoke. The precancerous cells are replaced.
Within 15 years:
Risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a person who has never smoked.
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These statistics are based on a long-term heavy smoker quitting before they develop anything chronic. I was surprised at how many of these stats were based on the worst possible and smallest segment of the population in the study group. It's reasonable to assume if you're not part of that small population your healing rate would beat this timeline, you'd realize recovery and benefits of quitting a little sooner. And if you have developed something chronic then quitting is the only way to keep from getting worse (if that's possible).
Thank you Joe.
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/15/2007
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 66
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,320
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $277.20
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 24 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24
