Week One: The Plan

 January 1st 2032 was my day that I decided to make a real effort to quit smoking. My reasons are my own. I wheeze, gurgle and cough like a dying camel and I can't do it anymore. I'm tired of sounding like I'm dying (and I know the smokes are killing me regardless). But I gasp for air putting my shoes on, I hack and cough so bad in the mornings when I wake up that I vomit and dry-heave. I wheeze severely when I laydown. I gurgle and wake myself up in the middle of the night. Smoking has made my life a living hell.

THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL

My first cigarette was when I was 16 years old. I was in highschool and everyone I knew was smoking. I was a freshman and had friends who were seniors and they would spend time between classes in the Senior's Smoking Area, and I was an outcast. I decided one day to buy a pack of Kools with my lunch money. Back then packs of smokes were like $3.00 for brand names. I had always gone over to the store to get my mother's when she ran out so the store clerk thought nothing of it. I lit up my first one behind the building where we had waited for the bus and amazingly I didn't cough or gag. It was a tingling sensation as I inhaled. I will never forget my first cigaretter. It was the one that hooked me. Hooked me for 36 years.

I would sneak my smokes out of the house and take walks out in the yard away from the house where my parents couldn't see me. I thought I was being sneaky. One doesn't stop to think that the cigarettes make you smell like a stale ashtray to those who don't smoke, or who had quit years previous. My parents knew. My father confronted me. My father was in remission from Cancer at the time I picked up the bad habit and even him going through all he had it didn't stop me. My father even tried to buy me off to quit with the promise of $50.00 a month for everymonth I didn't smoke. Yeah, we see how well that worked don't we?

THE NUMBERS

After…	You’ll Save
1 Day	$18
1 Week	$126
1 Month	$540
1 Year	$6,570
10 Years*	$98,364
20 Years*	$262,752

Scary isn't it? To know that at this point of spending $12.00 per pack that that will be my savings.  That's smoking a pack and a half a day!

I don't even want to calculate how much I've spent over 36 years! It's almost depressing thinking about it..

MY PLAN

I have support people in person, online and through a community of fellow quitters. I've taken this past week to get my plan together.

1. I've chosen my quit date of January 15th but may quit the 11th if possible.
2. I've ordered my free quit NRTs. I chose patches and lozenges.
3. I've ordered my free "hands busy" goodies of a stress ball and a worry stone. Both can go everywhere with me and are readily available when I need them.
4. I have made a list of pros and cons of smoking and one for quitting. I eliminated the excuses off of the smoking list. There are no pros to smoking on my list. Realistically!
5. I made a list of things to do to keep busy, and distract myself when craves hit.
6. I wrote a goodbye letter to my smoking and the cigarettes.
7. I wrote letters to family and friends explaining that I'm quitting, and how they can help and support me in this.
8. I wrote my Smoke Free Vision.
9. I am a member of BecomeanEx where I get support, advice and medical information. This site is invaluable!
10. I'm getting my Crave Care Pouch together the next few days as I wait for the NRTs to arrive. This pouch will go in my bag and go everywhere with me. Containing cinnamon sticks, cloves, gum, sugar free candy and blow pops and straws cut in lengths of a cigarette.
11. My first week of no cigarettes, I plan to avoid places and people where smoking occurs, and prepare myself for week two where I have to venture out amonst the throngs of smokers dropping or tossing smokes as they enter buildings, smoke clouds hanging in the air in front of businesses.
12. I will be taking a daily pledge at BecomeanEx to remain smoke free for that day. To take the hand in front of me, and reach my hand out for the hand to come after me in support.

TAKE AWAY

I can't continue smoking. It's taking a toll on me. It's expensive and I'm not happy with the smoker I've become! I will say no to the Nasty and I will remain smoke free from day one! I can do this, I will do this!