Butterfly Swimmer and gonnadoit, Congratulations! These are two of the more emotive texts that I already read here! They had made me cry, actually... (I am a little sensible per these days, I recognize) And everything this for your courage, pinktexas, to tell us what are your feelings. Thank you fellows!

P.S. I know that I will be able to spell again too! Gosh I wish they had spell-check on these things or that I took the time to read my posts before sending them! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 15 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 318 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 12 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51

Hi Pink We really do know how you are feeling. Over years, I have become very proud of the work that I do and the skills that I have developed. I have been proud of my ability to deal with crisis and help other people. Now, I am a blithering idiot, and I have found myself getting really stressed out by the things that I know I am capable of dealing with. 2 weeks is great, but we are both functioning as "stressed out" on a daily basis. Is it no wonder that adding on those extra problems throws us off the deep end or makes us feel like crawling under the covers. I have decided to give myself some slack for "AT LEAST" a month if not longer. On the good days, I will enjoy every minute of it and accomplish as much as I can. On the bad days, I am going to crawl under the covers when I need to. (If only I had a nice comfy bed and a t.v. at work). Please don't be too hard on yourself - take care of yourself - and I'm sure know that you will be okay again. Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 15 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 318 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 12 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38

I know...geesh...how sad is that your best friends are named "Pink", "Gonna", "58" or other such things. At least we have a Marie. But honest, I got out bed this morning and said, I just have to get on the computer and see how "Gonna" is doing. My old friend's had normal names like Lori, Gail or Sandra! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 15 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 318 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 13 [B]Seconds:[/B] 46

So glad to know you had a GREAT day Pink! Shall we try for another one tomorrow? Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 17 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 359 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $85 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 55 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

Hi Pink, It was lovely to read this post today. Such a journey! Reminds me of myself a couple of weeks back. I think that as long as we are getting our windows of feeling 'normal' or positive on either side of the bad or difficult days - we are doing ok!! Sounds like you are doing very well. Giving up such a strong drug as nicotine, getting rid of it from our bodies, is not an easy thing. It will not happen overnight. But, as everyone here who has longer quits than us say, 'it will get better' - 'this is completely normal'. The gym, I think, is one of the best things you can do at this time. It is a physical and practical solution to the blues or irritation. I have to drag my sorry bottom there as often as I can - but, I do it because I know it makes the quit so much easier. I hope that you are feeling better today. I'm sure you will be feeling better soon, your attitude is very healthy and positive. Well done! Best wishes, Deli [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/1/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 59 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 889 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �177 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 54

What a great thread. Wow BS you are very inspirining,not just bs in your post. LOL. Pinktexas I hope you are doing well. I question what is normal. I do feel different since I quit. Even still have good days and some not so good. I love what Windy said about enjoying the good. I actully enjoy the bad too. This quit thing has been such a ride. So worth it. I do feel like I am changing. Kinda neat, like ok who am I gonna be today? You are doing well. In all honestly I started feeling more like me around a month. I think you should start doing somethings you like to do. Just prepare yourself before hand. We will be different people. We will be stronger, more confident, more agile, healthy, proactive, and greatful of your new life. Keep up the quit We can do all things With love, faith, and Grace [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 50 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,013 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $200 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 14 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 54

Pink, We can't take any of the credit for that! You've earned it! I say you go celebrate those 16 days and do something fun as a reward for your hard work! Crave the Quit! Pam [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 333 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,347 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1375.29 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 24 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 20

Pinktexas, What is normal? Well, what you're going through is DEFINITELY normal!!! But I know that's not what you mean... you want to know when you will feel like YOU again. Well honestly, quitting changes us... I'm definitely not the same person I was when I was smoking... does that mean that I never returned to "normal?" Well, I guess in a way that's true, but that doesn't mean that I feel abnormal anymore... oh, I did for a long time. I know exactly what you mean when you say that you just don't feel like yourself. But now, it's different. How? Well, "normal" for me when I was smoking was to take a break from life every 20 minutes to feed my addiction... I now get to enjoy life without having to take a break from it. "Normal" used to be panicing if I didn't have cigarettes on me at all times... now, I rarely even think about them. See, the reason you don't feel normal is because something that controlled who you were and what you did and every action and thought that crossed your mind is no longer in your life. Now, you get a chance to be YOU... but you're not quite sure who that is yet. That's OK. You'll figure that out. See, if you're like most of us, you started smoking when you were a teenager and have spent your entire adult life hiding behind a cigarette. Now, you can't hide anymore and you're left with... well... you! And that's great! Although it takes some getting used to. So I suggest you figure out who "you" are - take a pottery class or join the gym or take up rock climbing or something... something that you've always wanted to do, but cigarettes got in the way. Remember how you used to not go places because you were afraid that you couldn't smoke there, so you avoided things that secretly, you really wanted to do, but kept from doing because you were scared of withdrawals? Or you didn't do them because you weren't in shape and had breathing problems due to smoking? Well now's the time to do those things! I guarantee that if you go out and start living life and doing some of the things you've always wanted to do, the new "you" will start to feel normal again, and you'll understand what I mean about it being a different normal. Right now, you're doing awesome! What you're going through is tough, but I promise that

It's so true too G!! You should see me at this very moment. My head has been so itchy since I quit!! My hair is very long, curly, and thick! So I sit here, and literally scratch my scalp!! I swear I can feel my eyeballs roll into the back of my head!! HAHAAHAHAHA!!! It's *feels* soooooooooo good!! HAHAHAH!!! Erm, excuse me for a few moments, I can feel my circulation to my brain improving. I have this need to SCRATCH!! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/21/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 64 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $12 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 11