Becky - Looks like you have Rusty payin close attention to you. She is an awesome support source with so much knowledge and compassion.
I too was a closet smoker. It is funny how so many of us in "helping professions" (education, medical, mental health) felt the need to keep our smoking secret because it was so out of whack with the image we were trying to convey. [url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?topic=23658&forum=1]Click here to read my story[/url]
We are so used to sneaking, that it is very easy to continue sneaking one here or there when we are quitting. In addition, there are often few in our lives to give us support when we were quitting, cause they didn't know (or we didn't think they knew) that we smoked in the first place!
I also live in a rural area. I had no access to a formal support group. Then I found this place. I learned about addiction and withdrawal. I accepted myself as the nicotine junkie that I was. And with the humor, compassion, education and support of those here, I took my tentative first steps. Here I am over a year later - the freedom is just wonderful!
Take some time to do the exercises, set up a reward plan, read and post as often as you can, and pay close attention to Rusty! Best wishes!!! - Carole (aka Luna)
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/15/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 631
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 15,792
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2208.5
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 89 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 10 [B]Seconds:[/B] 2
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Quit Meter
$801,570.00
Amount Saved
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Quit Meter
Days: 6341
Hours: 7
Minutes: 53
Seconds: 9
Life Gained
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Quit Meter
45804
Smoke Free Days
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Quit Meter
1,145,100
Cigarettes Not Smoked