Hi Ercion, Thank you for your response to my message. I feel being in a goup is like a life line. I wish ther was a magic wand that would put me back to the time before I ever tried smoking. But, sense there isn't talking to others that are feeling what I am feeling helps. Sounds like we both had hurdles to get over today. It's been 6 days for me now and I still have to self-talk, a lot. My test was some bad news regarding a job related incident. When I first became aware of the problem my nerves just freaked, my hart started pounding and I wanted, well you know. This is the bigest test I've yet had sense becoming a non-smoker. Old habbits flashed before my eyes and I knew this was going to make or break me. Well, I left the building and went to my car to be alone and do some much deep breathing. I told myself that a cigarette would NOT make this situation better. That was the old nicotine lie that is still pulling at my brain. I found some stuff in the car to eat, left overs from yesterdays lunch, yuck. But, any port in the storm right. Then I called my superviser and told her want had happened and was reassured that things were not as bad as I had thought and not to jumb to the worst possible conclusions so fast. Anyway, she helped calmb me down. I told her I was quiting smoking and she was soooo happy for me. She is in weight watchers and can relate to over coming temptation. I made it through the day, the sky didn't fall on my head and I didn't use nicotine. YIPPEE!!! I'll be able to put an X on day 6. Please let me know how you are doing. I love hearing from you. Red

Ericon, Glad the neighbor is still alive... I am reading everything here as I go to my quit date. I think I better stay out here on our 5 acres on day 3. Maybe I can go out and throw sticks for the dog.. I am glad your got past the demon and you truly give me hope. I have a cardio rider and think it will be getting a good work out. I think I will turn it around. We have a TV nor connected to satelittle but I can pop movies in and watch while I go to town. The post is great and really appreciated ... I am seeing the challenges I will be facing and finding new ways of coping. Thank Goodness my neighbors are far enough not to see or hear me. dawghouse

Hey Red; Good for you for getting thru that stressful work situation. And if it means a few more trips out to the car to get away for a bit, keep doing it! Anything at all, except smoking or homicide! I figure everything is fair game! Now that I'm through the physical detox, things in general (meaning the ways in which I'm thinking) are a little weirder. Course after re-reading my jump roping incident, maybe it's just a continuation of "weird" in hell week. Am I making any sense? But am still solid in my resolve not to smoke. Am glad you are also doing that along side of me, along side of all of us. Was today better for you? Ericon [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/30/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 5 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 194 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $36.25 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 2 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12

Hurray! I'm got through the first 72 hr period, and as an added treat, wasn't arrested either! This morning it's unbelievable how better I feel physically. First time I've waken without screaming pain in my shoulders/neck. It's still there but markedly decreased. Journaled this morning, read alittle, getting ready to get on with the day. Noticed a pattern, mid-afternoon seems to be my worst time of day. Does a particular time of day (for craving) stay consistent with you or have you found that it will vary as you get more time smoke-free? Ericon [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/30/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 3 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 120 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $21.75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 43

Thank you all for the support. I've always tried to find humor in life, and way back, deep inside my noggin I KNEW I was acting like a cartoon character in withdrawel!! I swear though, I just couldn't get a grip . . . I was going to get that jump rope going if it was the last thing I did in life. At least I didn't smoke though, eh Melonie? Anyway, I feel a zillion times better since eating. Your right Princess C & Rusty, I need to eat, eat, eat anytime I want. At least for the next few weeks. Thanks for helping me laugh at myself and get back on my 'quit plan'. P.S. I may be middle aged, but you know what - - I'm gonna jump rope! Day 3 Done - yessssssssss Ericon [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/30/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 2 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 101 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $14.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

Day 3 started just fine . . . had watered down coffee, ran an errand, and then off to the gym for 3-1/2 miles on the treadmill. Felt good, occassional flashes/visions of smoking, used positive self-talk, all going well. Kind of really . . . very slowly . . . really . . . WANTED TO SMOKE. So grabbed my jumprope, ran outside & started to jump rope. I live in the desert so I can't just go for a walk or a run when I feel like it, triple digit heat is something I have to be careful with. This silly jump rope has been something that tires me out quickly, like real fast. So I use it as a handy physical release when craving. OK, so here I am, really starting to majorly crave for the 1st time since quitting so I run outside & start jumping rope. Now picture this 49 yr old crazed woman trying to jump rope FAST as I'm craving so badly, and think that it will help me to jump rope as fast as humanly possible . . . but I'm not very good at it yet. The rope gets caught on my foot a lot & I miss. And I swear at it. And I start to try to jump as if to break the world book of guiness record, but I get the dang rope caught on my leg every 3 tries, but I'm so crazed from craving that I just keep at it, just keep swearing, louder & louder. Until my neighbor leans over the side fence and says, "excuse me, but what the . . . "? If looks could kill I would have committed homicide. So here I am trying to gather my wits, weakly smiling, telling George that I've quit smoking and HE LAUGHS. He chuckles and I want to rip his retired, yellow teeth out. So I figure I better get on the SSC and post, rant, whatever. And I just posted to someone that my craving seems to increase when I'm too hungry, or too tired , etc . . . and just noticed that it's 2 hrs past my lunchtime & I haven't eaten yet! I'm afraid to eat as yesterday (in my Day 2), once I had lunch I just kept up a steady stream of eating for the rest of the day & night. Even my little 'chew stick' didn't help. So will finish this post up and go make something to eat. Intellectually I KNOW I should eat on schedule, especially during this quit. Emotionally, I just want to sit here & drink coffee until I'm buzzed up enough on caffeine to find the strength to go over & choke my neighbor. Sigh, Ericon [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My

Wow Ericon, 5 days already... Well Done... I bet you are starting to feel a whole lot stronger now right?? And I bet you are getting pretty good at the skipping too.... LOL Well done so far, I am really proud that you hav emade it this far... Krissie

YAY Ericon... 3 Days Quit... Well done, hope you treated yourself??? Glad to hear also that your neighbour is still alive and well.... I am really proud of you for manageing this far.. I found days 2 & 3 to be the worst, since then I have had a fairly good time of it... My worst time of the day for cravings is about this time of day.. After dinner, when the little one has gone to bed and me and the hubby are sat in the lounge watching tv... I find it more constructive to come on here and post or to add to my quit livejournal I have online.... Keep it up, you need a chat any time, just holler.. Krissie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/28/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 5 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 113 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �21.7 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 56 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34

Congrats Ericon on surviving day 3... and thanks for giving me such a great laugh... Your poor neighbour!!! ROFLMAO... I know exactly how you were feeling, day 2 and 3 I wanted to kill my partner... for the slightest little thing... It does wear off though, I haven't had a good homicidal rage in a whole 2 days now... LOL... Hope you keep up the skipping... It's good for you, but how the Heck do you manage in the heat?? Krissie I have been quit for 5 Days, 3 hours, 6 minutes and 23 seconds (5 days). I have saved �22.71 by not smoking 102 cigarettes. I have saved 8 hours and 30 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 28/07/2006 00:01

Hey Ericon, LOL.. Thanks for sharing! I hope that you keep up the good work. I'm in the desert as well.. AZ. Been steady 120 where I am, but it seems to have cooled some just recently. Either that or it's just the hot flashes subsiding. LOL [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 16 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 885 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $208 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 28 [B]Seconds:[/B] 26