I say! Day 29.

Morecambe and Lakeland Hills.

It's nearly the end of day 29 of my stop smoking thing! Never, have I gone this long.
I must admit, it's not been easy and I don't think I will wake up tomorrow and not want a cig, I would love that to happen and soon. But I realise, after 45 years or so, it could take me a while to stop craving or thinking about them.
Yes, I will blow my own trumpet, I think I have done quite well. Many the time I have thought, "Oh, go on, have one." But hand on heart, I haven't.
Patches, yes, dummy cig, yes, sweets, yes, chocolate, yes. I admit to all those. May end up like a little barrel. But when I have really got this beaten, can start on the eating healthily thing!
Not heard from anyone else that hasn't had a cig this year, I live in hope. lol But anyway, the best of luck! Hope it's worth the struggle.

Bad day! 28th.

Not been a good day today. yesterday too, I would have loved a cigarette. It's four weeks tonight since I last had one. Surely things should be getting better by now????
Must admit, not had much to do today so possibly been a bit bored. Hope to go out with sister tomorrow if the weather is dry.

Tuesday, will talk himdownstairs to go up town. Wednesday, shopping, Thursday, work. All those things will keep me occupied.

I am helping out the chocolate industry! Just hope the craving isn't as bad tomorrow or any day thereafter!

It's hard work is this quitting job. lol But in the end, well worth it!

I want a smoke!!!!!

I really, really, fancy a cig. Had a good day yesterday, just knew it wouldn't last though. Cusses.
Still, not going to have one. At least I pray I'm not.

Nearly a month of not smoking, all that time and effort! If I had one now, I would cry.

Going to be strong. Got to be strong, will be strong.
Go away craving, begone with you! Now.

24th Day.

Picture of Lancaster Castle taken from our car, on the way to work.

Well, went shopping this morning, then a quick snack and off to work.
It has been busy so not a lot of time to think of smoking.

Then, I came home and guess what? Yes, I rather fancied a smoke. Didn't have one though.
Working tomorrow, then have Friday off and back on Saturday. So short of staff.

Day 23.

Good Booklet!

This month seems to be taking forever! I am now on Day 23 of the no smoking thing, still on the patches, still on step 2.
Thursday I go and see a "Stop Smoking Nurse." I don't know what will happen then. Maybe ideas on diet, exercise and stuff like that. I will let you know. lol
I am going through quite a bit of chocolate and cough candy sweets. But not really going completely mad with them.
I still feel something is missing, not the cigs although it is because of them I am missing whatever it is.
I do have a dummy cig and that does help. Not really much good at work or doing the shopping though is it?
I think today has been a little better so I suppose tomorrow could be bad again. Oh yes, I look on the black side. Always have done. But I will be at work all afternoon after shopping in the morning, so that will help, I hope it will anyway! Hope anyone that is going through this hell, the best of luck! X

Week three!

Hospital helicopter landing site!

Well, in just a little over an hour, I have not had a ciggie for three weeks.

I don't want one either but I do. I think I won't have one but the craving is still there. I think I am on just willpower now.

It's strange, feel like I have lost a good friend, miss them. They were my companions for over 45 years. I suppose after all that time, they will be missed.

Worked tonight, too busy to think about cigs. It's when I am bored or just sitting about that it "gets" to me.

Yes, I should get a new interest, but what? Too cold or wet to go for long walks as I am a wimp.

Can't find any sewing classes, don't fancy going to a club every week, you know, Keep Fit or anything like that. I really hate to commit myself to a certain time or place. Had enough of that while I worked.

My own fault isn't it? Ahh well, I will keep going! The struggle MUST get better soon, surely?

Hello Non Smokers!

Car park, weekend. Flooded!

Good evening to smokers and non smokers.
I have been to work today, finished at 9pm. Strange but at the back of my mind were the cigs. Now I am at home, it doesn't seem as bad. Still fancy one though.
Tomorrow night at 11:45 pm, it will have been three weeks since I last had a cig. I could really do with one now. But I'm not going to. Why?

A/ Would have to start again.
B/ Would let myself down.
C/ Would end up smoking too many.
D/ Would let my granddaughter down.
E/ Would let my husband and family down.
F/ Would lose face. lol

Wrote the list in no particular order! Just my reasons for not giving in.

Day 19. Yikes.

Photo above taken while we were driving home in the rain!

I am on day 19 and everyone that gave up new year, will be too. Not too hard for me to work that out, didn't even use the calculator! Honest.

Rain today and now the wind is getting up again.
Read in the papers of the damage it has done here and abroad.
I have always hated wind, it frightens me when it is really blowing hard. So goodness knows how other people managed yesterday.

Work for me tomorrow and Sunday. I find it hard to believe that it will be 3 weeks on Sunday since I last had a ciggie. Yet it seems ages ago.
I wonder if anyone is like me and keeps thinking of cigs, not maybe, really wanting one but missing them somehow?

Promenade in Morecambe.

Midland Hotel, Morecambe.

Very windy today. Enough to drive me to drink, never mind the fags!

Although you can't see him properly, there is one brave firefighter near that roof. In all that wind too. Hope he got danger money. Well done sir!

Glad I took up nursing. lol x

Day 18.

This is what would be left. Waste of time and money really!

It's midday on my 18th day. By now, I would have thought things would be better! After all, it's not that far off 3 weeks since I last had a cig.
Yesterday was good but I somehow knew it wouldn't last. lol
Hopefully, there may be more good days than bad.
I admit, I am still struggling a bit. I think I have just about got to the stage where I really want one but won't give in.
The Quit Smoking site I use is good. One lady said, "Be strong, don't pong!" I thought that was a great saying.
I am still on step 2 patches. I think step one are too strong for me now, so that must be an improvement eh????
The wind outside is really strong and I hate it very much. I just expect the roof to blow off or something like that.
Ahh well, not to worry, tomorrow is another day.

Wednesday. 17th Jan.

Well, I don't remember writing the last post today, I think I wrote the wrong date.
It's the 17th January today, not to worry I am back on track now.
Happy Birthday to our younger son. Poor lad is working.

It was a bad day for me yesterday but today, it seems a lot better. It's not 4:30 pm yet so there is still time. I just hope that all goes well for me up to bedtime.

Went to have my hair done this afternoon. I was praying, lol, that my hairdresser lady would ask how I was doing. (I am a big show off!) Anyway, she did and of course, I had to tell her, I mean, it would be rude not to have done so. She said I had done well. She smokes so she knows how hard it is.

To be really honest, I am worried. I just don't have faith in myself, I feel if I do show off and tell everyone, I will fail.
If I did have a cig, I would say so.
I mean, 17 days without a smoke! Me!
Ok, getting small amounts of nicotine in the patches but I don't think as much as I would be getting if I still smoked.
Oh shut up Fagash, ok, I will. Bye. x

Oh dear me!

Today has been the worst yet. I nearly lapsed. Just the one I thought. That thought could have set me back 16 days. The day isn't over yet but it's 6:30pm and I hope I can manage now.

It was quite scary earlier.
I just seem to get fed up with the battle against cigs. I wonder, why am I doing it? Yet, I know why. But then I think, if I just smoke about 3 a day, it would be ok. I know me, it will go from those 3 to ???????????????????

Then I would have to start all over again. Another 16 + days of misery. lol
Finished the mints and am now on cough candy! :<))

Day 16.

Wouldn't you think this stop smoking thing would get a bit easier??? I suppose, it is better today than it has been other days. Tomorrow it could be bad again or it could be better. It's like a little adventure, you wake up and don't know what the day could bring.
As long as it isn't having a cigarette, it might be ok.

I admit to boring myself with this battle. I just wish I could stop thinking of how I am stopping. Sounds daft doesn't it?

Sometimes I go for a while, not wanting a smoke and not thinking of my "battle," Then it comes back. So then, if possible, I come and write on here, bore the pants off any soul who has the misfortune or patience to read all this! lol

But, good luck to anyone who stopped on the last day of 2006.
Good luck to anyone else who are quitting, whether it is stopping smoking, dieting or other things. I hope we can do it.

Day 15. Help.

This no smoking thing does NOT seem to get easier. It's 11:05- Monday the 15th. Despite the patches I still fancy a smoke.
Although I could just have "the one" I am not going to.
I DO want to stop and I suppose after all the years I have smoked, I have done well. But I don't like the feeling of constant yearning.
Perhaps I am being impatient, perhaps I should just go with the flow. Let the feelings pass. I suppose that if I am really honest, it is getting a little easier, even if I did say it wasn't at the beginning of this page.
Also, if I continue to be honest, I would be very happy if I could manage to just smoke 3 cigs a day. But I tried that, did very well at first but then crept slowly up to over 10 a day. That happened about 3 years ago. In the end, I suppose it would have been about 15 daily. Sometimes more and sometimes less.
I notice how much people who do smoke, smell of stale tobacco / smoke. Not that I am judging them, how can I judge anyone? I used to think that a toffee and a spray of perfume or something like that would cover up the ciggy smell. WRONG!
Please wish me luck. Thank you. x

Day 14.

A fortnight....... day 14....... two weeks..............last year, whatever you call it, I have done it! No smoking.
Too soon to show off though.
No one said it would be easy and it ain't. Would have loved a cig earlier this afternoon.

Funny, one minute you forget about it, the next it hits you. Patches, lozenges or whatever, that will be where the willpower comes in.

Good to be able to say that I haven't had a cig since last year. But I must not be "clever" about it. I am not out of the woods yet, maybe never will be. Maybe, after years, just one could start me off again. Hope I don't have to test that theory.

It's getting a bit boring now, not smoking. Tend to wake up and think, another day of struggling. At first, it wasn't too bad. I felt good about it, I still do but get cheesed off with the daily battle. Suppose it the nicotine trying to get you back! lol Ahh well. Keep going. X

Day 13.

Hello. Well, yesterday was enough to turn me to drink never mind a cig. Today all is different!
Pump for hot water and central heating mended. I am impressed with the Gas people. Thank you.
Work was much better too.
I am on day 13 and although I still feel something is missing and I would dearly love a cig, I have refrained!
I know I am not completely cured so mustn't become too cocky! lol.

Day 11.

Well, I do know it ain't all over until the fat lady sings and I know I am not out of the woods yet but today has been quite good for me! Ok, I do still fancy a cig, will do for ages I suppose but it has seemed a little bit easier.

Now I have told you that, I will be craving for one soon. It's 8:30 pm and surely I can last until bedtime. I will do if it kills me. lol

Is anyone out there at the same stage as me? I would love to hear from you.

Very windy here today, especially on the promenade but the gulls liked it!

Help.............

Have been to work. It was awful.
Some elderly people aren't half strong. Not long been home and I want a cigarette! Not had one though. The crave is bad.
It's day 10 and it's not really far off 10 pm.
It was an awful shift.
I get the happy job of going on Friday and Saturday too. Aren't I the lucky one???? I really think it's time I retired properly. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Goodnight everyone. x

Photo of a staff nurse who tried to escape! lol

Still going, day 9.

It's day 9, I am still plodding on.

I am on the step two patches now. I think it maybe a bit soon but since I have been trying to stop, on and off since October 21st, maybe it's time to go on to step two. Will let you know how I go on.
Work tomorrow so I won't be sat around thinking of cigs.

Now I have a problem, why won't my MP3 player play?? There is always something isn't there??? lol I know if I have a cig, it won't make the MP3 player play will it?

Day 8.

What a day. Really fancied a cig. Just one I thought. Big mistake I thought. So I didn't.
I sat and watched Skye programmes instead. Luckily they were kinda biographies of my kind of people.

Country and Western singers, Johnnie Cash, Hank Williams and someone else, but I forget who.
They say that while you are in the early stages of giving up the fags, your concentration slips a bit. Now that worries me, mine wasn't that good when I smoked anyway. lol

Couldn't play with my new camera, rain and wind. I really fancied going out to take some pics today.
Work rang me and I agreed to work 3 shifts this week.

Pic taken with new camera of a plant and my phone. I am good to you. hee hee.

Day 7.

It's day seven of my non smoking life. I really wanted a cig earlier, but yet, I didn't. Strange feeling really. Had a feeling that something was missing. I tried without my patch but put on the 14 mg one on in the end. Maybe it's all in my mind but it seems to have worked up to now. 18:14.
Felt a bit "strange" last night, sickly and stuff so decided that it could be the 21 mg patches. I really don't think it was though. I take them off at bedtime even if they are able to be used for 24 hours.
Wonder when it will REALLY get better????
Take care and all the best to you all, especially those new, non smoking people. I feel for you, I really do.


Must tidy the remains of New Year's eve. Photo shown, took it tonight with my new camera! The cans of bitter are missing, think himdownstairs has hidden them.

:<)

Day 6./ 6th Jan.

Today and tomorrow are the bad days for me. The others after that maybe too. I will let you know. lol
I am getting a lot of support from http://www.stayquit.co.uk
There are some great people on there. Gives me faith when I find that Barry has lasted 67 days now without a cig.
They, (the site,) don't judge you and you can keep things private if you wish. Not that they know your real name anyhow. lol I have joined twice now, felt a bit guilty but last night I found others have too.
It's good to know how much cash you have saved, how many days you have added to your life and also read about the benefits to your body.
Soz if I am getting boring now.
I bid you a fond farewell. x
I will award myself a little "Well Done." Please don't let it be famous last words

please.

Day 5.

Hiya my friends. (And those that aren't.)
I am on day 5 now. Usually I get up to day 6 and lapse. Not this time, no, I don't smoke anymore, haven't had one since last year.
I have been looking at the price of nicotine patches today. I mean, they don't help you to stop do they? They are very pricey. Ok, maybe less than a week of non smoking of 20 a day.
I think that New Year and No smoking Day, they should be really, really cheap!
Personally, I find them very helpful indeed. But for people who haven't used anything to help with the craving and wonder whether they will help them or not, I bet it's a bit offputting.
I shouldn't moan really, I am over 60 so I get them free. Also, if you get them through a doctor, they are a good bit cheaper.
I went out to lunch with my niece today, she thought we would have to sit in the smoking area then realised I had stopped the habit. It must be hard for her as I have smoked through all her life. Scary thought, innit?

4th Jan, day four.

118 hours of no cigs. Not bad for me. I am now on day four and it's about 13:41 here.
I still feel as though something is missing though. But yet, I don't want a cig. I don't think I do anyway. lol. If I did, I just know from experience, that I won't like it as much as I thought I would and will feel as though I have let myself down. So that is a good reason for not smoking. Am still on the patches, the high dose. They DO help.
I won't pat myself on the back until I find the need NOT to write about it or forget to write about it!
I suppose, I will be a recovering ex smoker for the rest of my life. I do notice, when it's quiet, I don't hear me wheezing now.
If you stopped as a New Year resolution, best of luck. I am with you every step of the way. X

Another go at it..............

Happy 2007.
Well, I haven't had a cig now since last year! (Oh, I wish it was April and I could still say that!) Not that I am wishing my life away. If I had stayed ciggie free since the day I started this battle, I would have been able to say I hadn't had one since the 21st October. I would have been really happy about that and most possibly, surely, over the worst of it.

I hope anyone who has made the effort to stop is good and gives up the weed. If not, be like me and keep trying. I will manage one day.

I had a last one on New Year's eve at about 11:45 pm. I smoked quite a few that night and didn't enjoy them at all. Well, maybe I did enjoy one or two. I certainly didn't smoke more than seven cigs though. Even though the last ones weren't nice, I still, somehow fancy a smoke. But why???? I know it won't taste good. For goodness sake, I have slipped before and wasn't very happy with my 3 minutes of smoking. I felt I had let myself down, which I had.

The patches are helping as I think I may have, shot my husband, run through the street, screaming and swearing or torn down the curtains or something like that if I wasn't wearing one.
Silly really, I couldn't have shot my husband, no gun!!! lol
Take care and good luck. x