So after almost 15 years, I am finally quitting smoking… Well, ok, my intention isn’t to entirely quit - I’d like to have one every so often after a hard day. And drinking isn’t quite the same without a smoke every couple of beers. But as far as the day-to-day kind of smoking, the kind that makes you answer “yes” when the doctor asks with disapproval, I’m done with that kind of smoking.
Surprisingly, I’ve been doing really well at it. I’ve cut down to a handful a day, and it’s getting easier and easier to go longer and longer without a cigarette. The most amazing part is that my determination has never waned. I know exactly where I want to get and have a plan to get there. Step 1, get to less than 5 a day. Step 2, go cold-turkey. Step 3, stay cold for at least 1 month. Step 4, let myself have the occasional but never, ever go above 3 in a day again. No excuses this time. No backing down… I’ve been on this plan for 2 weeks now and have never felt so assured of success before.
So there’s my little pep talk. With that said, I have noticed a few things over the last 2 weeks that I want to share:
- I will survive the quitting process. My cat may not (probably won’t) be so lucky
- You quit smoking and you lose ALL energy. I am so tired… How f’ing unfair is that?? I should be running marathons and bouncing off walls. Instead, all I can manage to do is lie on the couch and think about how long it’s been since my last smoke. That’s just cruel, man. It should be a war-crime or something.
- My apartment smells. I need to clean it. I would like to think that it just started to smell, but I find it odd that I didn’t notice the odor until this past week.
- I’ve been told that vicodin helps take the edge off the nicotine withdrawls. Apparently, I need to make more friends with clinical pain.
- My biggest challenge is traffic. As soon as the highway slows below 20mph, I instinctfully reach for my lighter. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have started the quitting process the same week they started repaving my primary route to work.
- I will NOT miss the smell on my clothes or hands, the taste in my mouth, the tightening of my chest, or the stigma smoking carries with it. I WILL however miss the natural alarm clock, reminding me every couple of hours to leave my desk and go outside for a few minutes.
One more for the road…
