Hi, I just found this site and immediately signed up. I am a 39 year old mother to 5 beautiful daughters, ranging in age from 14 to 2.5 I have also been married to a mostly wonderful man for the past 20 years. My husband is a never smoker so he tries to understand but doesn't completely. He's also one of those people that can't give a compliment without following it with a 'but'...'You're doing great but...' is NOT what you want to hear at this point in a quit! :gasp: My mom, sister, sister's fiancee, both brother's and sister-in-law all smoke. No one in my husband's family smokes. Mom is very, very proud and buying me things at every turn. I have told her the material things are not important, the words "I'm proud" are. So far, I've started getting a classic manicure every other week at a day spa. I often will get at least one other service while I'm there (massage, facial, brow wax, pedicure) to reward myself. My husband does not complain about any of it since he knows we are still saving money! I got the results of a chest x-ray on 6/13 which showed a collapsed lung. The doctor from the clinic told me I needed to get to the ER at the hospital and be admitted. After making overnight arrangements for all of the girls (all family is 2 hours away), we headed to the first of 3 family member's house to drop off the first group of girls. lol I had decided that when we arrived at the hospital, the cigarettes were going in the trash at the entrance. They did and I have not had any nicotine since. I quit cold turkey. The collapsed lung has healed but the lung specialist says it could recollapse at any point (more likely in the first 2 years than after that). He said that it was more likely to happen if I was smoking. He also told me that I was lucky to get away this time with just observation and the lung reinflating itself. The 2nd time usually requires surgery. I was VERY lucky! Since I have a very high tolerance to pain, we all thought it was nothing and were going to brush it off or wait it out a bit longer. The only reason I went into the clinic was that I'd had what seemed to be a muscle pull in my back that was affecting the muscles in my chest (or so I thought) for 4 days and it hadn't gotten better. But it didn't even hurt to the point that

Let's see, things that helped me the first couple of weeks. First, keep some kind of a journal that you can look back on. Record why you quit on the first page. Then, record feelings, what helped, triggers, what you are going through as frequently as you have something to add. I've found it to be invaluable because we tend to forget bad things and remember good things. How many women here have more than 1 child? A very good example of how our minds work. I am still keeping a journal. I look back at the beginning sometimes for reinforcement of my quit, why I'm doing it and what I've gone through that I never want to have to do again. I used deep breathing the most, some sugarless hard candy, and sugarless chewing gum. I told my family that I was working very hard at doing this and they needed to work very hard, as well. I told them if I snapped at them, instead of coming back at me every time, maybe only do it every other time. I let them know what made me feel good when they did it/said it. For me, I just liked to hear that I was doing great. The main thing that got me through the first couple of weeks was just knowing that it would get better. I knew this from others who have gone before me. Places like this forum told me that it would only get better. All I had to do was not take that first puff. If I took that first puff, I knew I was doomed! No 'just one' as a reward because I was doing so well. Instead, I took a relaxing warm bath with a good book as a reward. I was tired a lot so I rested when I could and went to bed earlier than I have in a long time. I gave myself permission to kind of take a vacation. My husband helped with making sure there were dinners (mostly fast food but the kids loved that!), he took over dealing with the kids when he walked in at night, he tried (most of the time) not to roll his eyes at me when I was crying hysterically over something he felt was not that big, he brought me my favorite takeout pizza at 1 week and 2 weeks. He made sure that I was stocked up on candy, gum, bottled water .. I don't think that I've yet had to tell him that any of those are getting low. I started Pilates to help me relax and I started low impact aerobics to burn off restless energy or when I got angry and couldn't leave. I bought DVD's of

I just remembered one more thing. I can't believe I forgot it since I still use it. Don't think about forever at this point. Take it one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time if you have to. Basically, think to yourself "I will not smoke for today". Each night when you go to bed, pat yourself on the back and say "I didn't smoke today!" Get up tomorrow morning thinking "I will NOT smoke today, maybe tomorrow but today I will not!" I will not have even just one cigarette...ever. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/13/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 55 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 838 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $302.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 4 [B]Seconds:[/B] 39

Welcome Kimm! I have 5 kids myself... 3 boys and 2 girlies. 16 years to 13 months. Sounds like we have a bunch of other things in common as well.. Glad you're here! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 21 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,205 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $273 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 13

Mom, Welcome here-your knowledge as your quit will be great for all us new quitters-you been thro` a lot. That demon crept up on me 40 days into my current quit and I failed but I`ve got straight back on it. Hope to read many more of your posts. Jacko(UK) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/4/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 3 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 190 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �45 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

Welcome MOmto5 girls, you seem to be doing great. One day at a time :)Marie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/13/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 55 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 839 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $220 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 9 [B]Seconds:[/B] 14

Welcome! It sounds like you have a stable quit already going! Your past the hard parts now it is maintaining that is a must. This is a wonderful site to vent, read, learn and give advice to others. We are always here to offer support! This site has been a HUGE factor in my quit!!! Stay strong! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 84 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,696 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $378 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 51 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Kim, What a story! Thanks for sharing and yes you are in the right place :) Members will be along shortly to welcome you :) You are on the right path and we are glad that you are well. Sometimes it does take a wake-up moment to help you make that final choice. Please take the time to let us know how you are doing and share with us what you did during the first few weeks of your quit. We are all here to learn from one another and to support each other through those tough times. Congratulations on such great stats, and keep sharing your rewards with us! Keep Strong, Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.