I QUIT SMOKING 10 YRS AGO, FEBRUARY, 2000

Oh yes I did!  I started smoking in high school when I was about 16 years old.  It wasn't cool not to smoke.  I'll never forget the first day I smoked, I was sick as a dog!  We're talking totally green!    Something should have told me that day that smoking wasn't good for you, but I ended up smoking for 34 years on, and off.  The first time I quit for nine months when I was pregnant with my first child, but I was a single Mom, and the pressure got to much for me I guess, and I picked it up again.  Another time I had caught pneumonia, and the illness wouldn't let me smoke, and there were other times, but it just never stuck!

One day I was on my way home from work, and I had been feeling heaviness in my chest for a few weeks, and that day it actually hurt.  You see my Dad died of lung cancer you think an alarm would've gone off in my head, but NOOOOOOOOOO!  Dingbat!  Well, back to on my way home from work.  I  had this deep pressure in my chest, and I said to myself, "Self, oh no you don't!  You're too smart for this crap.  We have too much to live for", and I crumbled my pack of cigarettes, and through them out the window!

It was hard at first because my husband smokes (and he still does, but I'm trying), and sure I asked him for a drag every now, and then especially after meals.  Driving in the car was hard too, but I picked up another habit, chewing gum!  In fact, I caught myself one night going out at 10:30 p.m. to buy gum because I didn't have any!  Gum, who cares!  Here's the only downfall I had to quitting smoking!  I GAINED WEIGHT BIG TIME!   Oh, sure big pat on the back because I quit smoking, but what about the other habit?  Stuffing my face???  It has made me depressed, unhealthy, and just all around feeling so not cool!  I've tried losing weight, but due to a bad back that's been a VERY SLOW process!  Anyway, I just wanted to tell my bloggy friends who do smoke YOU CAN QUIT!  IT IS POSSIBLE!  I DID IT!  BUT --- be careful of picking up another habit to appease the one you're getting rid of!!

Today's is the hubby's birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!  Must go make him his birthday brunch!  Have a great day everyone!  See even Dave says, "EVEN YOU CAN GIVE IT UP", now let's see if he can!