My Wake-up Call

Well, I began smoking around age 12 and it was a matter of doing as my older
brother did, and we were sneaking dad's smokes behind his back. After being
caught numerous times our parents allowed us to smoke when I was 12 years
old.
I smoked the worst ones out there - " Non-Filters" because my dad did, and
this is what set the path for my smoking career. I refer to it as a career
because it took so much of my time out of the day that it has to be viewed
as a career.
This past December .. .. 12/26 I had a major heart attack at home. I was
rushed to the local hospital and Life Flighted to a nearby hospital that can
handle this type of heart attack better than they could. My coronary artery
was 100% blocked and it was determined at this early stage that it was the
result of cigarette smoking. After 35 years of smoking it all led to this
one major event, this time I survived but I knew there will be another one
in a short period of time unless I stop smoking " Pronto."
12/26 was the last day I smoked, and I had two " Stents" installed and I've
been involved in cardiac rehab since, plus diet change & my new way of life
to include fitness. This is the key to sucess also, you need to make fitness
a part of your life and have a healthy diet.

Today is officially four months since I had my last puff of smoke - I am
looking forward to making it to one year but for now my goal is the 9 month
marker.
If I can quit after smoking this long then there is truly hope for others
out there. I hope I am a feather of inspiration to others out there battling
the very same fight I have engaged in ( and I'm still fighting it).

Think of it like this too. If you pump iron to build your muscle don't come
easy - - there is much pain for little gain. So your health is the same, to
make an improvement there will be pain along the way. Hence, quitting
smoking will not be easy, it will have much pain with it to get where you
want to be.

That's my " Thought Of The Day"

Welcome to AS3, Bob, and thank you for sharing your story with us. It
sounds that you have your quit well in hand at this point, but I
always do suggest to new folk here that they take some time and look
through our FAQs which are kept at our unofficial webpage, www.quitbuddies.org.
There are so many ways that our addiction can fool us into 'just one'
and there is never one that can fulfill the fantasy that the 'just
one' does. The more knowledge you have the better you to smack down
the nicodemon and feel glad that you said *NOOOO* in a loud voice!

Keep on keeping on, you are doing fine!

FlatironMike
One year, two months, two weeks, one day, 20 hours, 27 minutes and 29
seconds. 8817 cigarettes not smoked, saving $2,644.86. Life saved: 4
weeks, 2 days, 14 hours, 45 minutes.

Glad you finally were convinced to let it go. Sad that it took such
trauma for it to happen.

Four months is superb!!!!! I belive you're going to make it to not only
that nine-month and year mark...but far beyond. You go Bob !!!


---
Wayne Baker
Quit Date: August 4, 2007
Nicotine Free: 8M 3w 1d 7h 44m
Not Smoked: 7,728
Money Better Spent: $1,275.12




"Bob" <rhamm618@verizon.net> wrote in news:kKNQj.3115$r12.934@trndny03:

> Well, I began smoking around age 12 and it was a matter of doing as my
> older brother did, and we were sneaking dad's smokes behind his back.
> After being caught numerous times our parents allowed us to smoke when
> I was 12 years old.
> I smoked the worst ones out there - " Non-Filters" because my dad did,
> and this is what set the path for my smoking career. I refer to it as
> a career because it took so much of my time out of the day that it has
> to be viewed as a career.
> This past December .. .. 12/26 I had a major heart attack at home. I
> was rushed to the local hospital and Life Flighted to a nearby
> hospital that can handle this type of heart attack better than they
> could. My coronary artery was 100% blocked and it was determined at
> this early stage that it was the result of cigarette smoking. After 35
> years of smoking it all led to this one major event, this time I
> survived but I knew there will be another one in a short period of
> time unless I stop smoking " Pronto." 12/26 was the last day I smoked,
> and I had two " Stents" installed and I've been involved in cardiac
> rehab since, plus diet change & my new way of life to include fitness.
> This is the key to sucess also, you need to make fitness a part of
> your life and have a healthy diet.
>
> Today is officially four months since I had my last puff of smoke - I
> am looking forward to making it to one year but for now my goal is the
> 9 month marker.
> If I can quit after smoking this long then there is truly hope for
> others out there. I hope I am a feather of inspiration to others out
> there battling the very same fight I have engaged in ( and I'm still
> fighting it).
>
> Think of it like this too. If you pump iron to build your muscle don't
> come easy - - there is much pain for little gain. So your health is
> the same, to make an improvement there will be pain along the way.
> Hence, quitting smoking will not be easy, it will have much pain with
> it to get where you want to be.
>
> That's my " Thought Of The Day"
>
>
>

Welcome Bob,
I hope you are counting yourself lucky that your wake up call didn't come
too late ,most people who have a heart attack don't live through it. I can
see you made some great changes and your quitting smoking is one of those
steps. Congrats on 4 months!
--
Lynn VOF+ Leaper
"Everyone seems normal until you get to know them."



"Bob" <rhamm618@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:kKNQj.3115$r12.934@trndny03...
> Well, I began smoking around age 12 and it was a matter of doing as my
> older brother did, and we were sneaking dad's smokes behind his back.
> After being caught numerous times our parents allowed us to smoke when I
> was 12 years old.
> I smoked the worst ones out there - " Non-Filters" because my dad did, and
> this is what set the path for my smoking career. I refer to it as a career
> because it took so much of my time out of the day that it has to be viewed
> as a career.
> This past December .. .. 12/26 I had a major heart attack at home. I was
> rushed to the local hospital and Life Flighted to a nearby hospital that
> can handle this type of heart attack better than they could. My coronary
> artery was 100% blocked and it was determined at this early stage that it
> was the result of cigarette smoking. After 35 years of smoking it all led
> to this one major event, this time I survived but I knew there will be
> another one in a short period of time unless I stop smoking " Pronto."
> 12/26 was the last day I smoked, and I had two " Stents" installed and
> I've been involved in cardiac rehab since, plus diet change & my new way
> of life to include fitness. This is the key to sucess also, you need to
> make fitness a part of your life and have a healthy diet.
>
> Today is officially four months since I had my last puff of smoke - I am
> looking forward to making it to one year but for now my goal is the 9
> month marker.
> If I can quit after smoking this long then there is truly hope for others
> out there. I hope I am a feather of inspiration to others out there
> battling the very same fight I have engaged in ( and I'm still fighting
> it).
>
> Think of it like this too. If you pump iron to build your muscle don't
> come easy - - there is much pain for little gain. So your health is the
> same, to make an improvement there will be pain along the way. Hence,
> quitting smoking will not be easy, it will have much pain with it to get
> where you want to be.
>
> That's my " Thought Of The Day"
>
>

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:09:20 GMT, "Bob" <rhamm618@verizon.net> wrote:

>Well, I began smoking around age 12 and it was a matter of doing as my older
>brother did, and we were sneaking dad's smokes behind his back. After being
>caught numerous times our parents allowed us to smoke when I was 12 years
>old.
>I smoked the worst ones out there - " Non-Filters" because my dad did, and
>this is what set the path for my smoking career. I refer to it as a career
>because it took so much of my time out of the day that it has to be viewed
>as a career.
>This past December .. .. 12/26 I had a major heart attack at home. I was
>rushed to the local hospital and Life Flighted to a nearby hospital that can
>handle this type of heart attack better than they could. My coronary artery
>was 100% blocked and it was determined at this early stage that it was the
>result of cigarette smoking. After 35 years of smoking it all led to this
>one major event, this time I survived but I knew there will be another one
>in a short period of time unless I stop smoking " Pronto."
>12/26 was the last day I smoked, and I had two " Stents" installed and I've
>been involved in cardiac rehab since, plus diet change & my new way of life
>to include fitness. This is the key to sucess also, you need to make fitness
>a part of your life and have a healthy diet.
>
>Today is officially four months since I had my last puff of smoke - I am
>looking forward to making it to one year but for now my goal is the 9 month
>marker.
>If I can quit after smoking this long then there is truly hope for others
>out there. I hope I am a feather of inspiration to others out there battling
>the very same fight I have engaged in ( and I'm still fighting it).
>
>Think of it like this too. If you pump iron to build your muscle don't come
>easy - - there is much pain for little gain. So your health is the same, to
>make an improvement there will be pain along the way. Hence, quitting
>smoking will not be easy, it will have much pain with it to get where you
>want to be.
>
>That's my " Thought Of The Day"
>
Bob,
You are a brave and wise person.
Please keep posting here.
You are an inspiration.
Fred

"Bob" <rhamm618@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:kKNQj.3115$r12.934@trndny03...
> Well, I began smoking around age 12 and it was a matter of doing as my
> older brother did, and we were sneaking dad's smokes behind his back.
> After being caught numerous times our parents allowed us to smoke when I
> was 12 years old.
> I smoked the worst ones out there - " Non-Filters" because my dad did, and
> this is what set the path for my smoking career. I refer to it as a career
> because it took so much of my time out of the day that it has to be viewed
> as a career.
> This past December .. .. 12/26 I had a major heart attack at home. I was
> rushed to the local hospital and Life Flighted to a nearby hospital that
> can handle this type of heart attack better than they could. My coronary
> artery was 100% blocked and it was determined at this early stage that it
> was the result of cigarette smoking. After 35 years of smoking it all led
> to this one major event, this time I survived but I knew there will be
> another one in a short period of time unless I stop smoking " Pronto."
> 12/26 was the last day I smoked, and I had two " Stents" installed and
> I've been involved in cardiac rehab since, plus diet change & my new way
> of life to include fitness. This is the key to sucess also, you need to
> make fitness a part of your life and have a healthy diet.
>
> Today is officially four months since I had my last puff of smoke - I am
> looking forward to making it to one year but for now my goal is the 9
> month marker.
> If I can quit after smoking this long then there is truly hope for others
> out there. I hope I am a feather of inspiration to others out there
> battling the very same fight I have engaged in ( and I'm still fighting
> it).
>
> Think of it like this too. If you pump iron to build your muscle don't
> come easy - - there is much pain for little gain. So your health is the
> same, to make an improvement there will be pain along the way. Hence,
> quitting smoking will not be easy, it will have much pain with it to get
> where you want to be.
>
> That's my " Thought Of The Day"

My warmest wishes for a positive success on your battle and thank you for
your kind advice.
Hope that you'll keep us posted on your progress.

Maria
>
>

Welcome, Bob and thanks for your inspirational story. I'm sorry that
it took such a major bad event to inspire you to quit but it sounds as
though you've made some excellent changes in your life.
Congratulations on 4 months. Remember, do *not* get complacent.
Sue
Two years, one month, six days, 18 hours, 34 minutes and 57 seconds.
25369 cigarettes not smoked, saving $4,224.03. Life saved: 12 weeks, 4
days, 2 hours, 5 minutes.



On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:09:20 GMT, "Bob" <rhamm618@verizon.net> wrote:

>Well, I began smoking around age 12 and it was a matter of doing as my older
>brother did, and we were sneaking dad's smokes behind his back. After being
>caught numerous times our parents allowed us to smoke when I was 12 years
>old.
>I smoked the worst ones out there - " Non-Filters" because my dad did, and
>this is what set the path for my smoking career. I refer to it as a career
>because it took so much of my time out of the day that it has to be viewed
>as a career.
>This past December .. .. 12/26 I had a major heart attack at home. I was
>rushed to the local hospital and Life Flighted to a nearby hospital that can
>handle this type of heart attack better than they could. My coronary artery
>was 100% blocked and it was determined at this early stage that it was the
>result of cigarette smoking. After 35 years of smoking it all led to this
>one major event, this time I survived but I knew there will be another one
>in a short period of time unless I stop smoking " Pronto."
>12/26 was the last day I smoked, and I had two " Stents" installed and I've
>been involved in cardiac rehab since, plus diet change & my new way of life
>to include fitness. This is the key to sucess also, you need to make fitness
>a part of your life and have a healthy diet.
>
>Today is officially four months since I had my last puff of smoke - I am
>looking forward to making it to one year but for now my goal is the 9 month
>marker.
>If I can quit after smoking this long then there is truly hope for others
>out there. I hope I am a feather of inspiration to others out there battling
>the very same fight I have engaged in ( and I'm still fighting it).
>
>Think of it like this too. If you pump iron to build your muscle don't come
>easy - - there is much pain for little gain. So your health is the same, to
>make an improvement there will be pain along the way. Hence, quitting
>smoking will not be easy, it will have much pain with it to get where you
>want to be.
>
>That's my " Thought Of The Day"
>

I want to thank everyone for the welcomes & congrads












----------------------------------------------------------
2 battles down....another one to go...
_____________________

beaten Alcoholism 1997
beaten Smoking 2007
Food Addiction - Still Working On It.