Well this has not been the happiest of holidays

[SinsOfTheFlesh]

I am hoping the New Year is an improvement over the past month.

The week before Thanksgiving I came down with a flu bug. Lost my voice and instead of partying it up for my 40th birthday, I celebrated with a snuffle and a cough instead.

After a week of sneezing and coughing, it seemed that I was on the mend, until I took a turn for the worst. For the past 3 weeks or so, I have been in and out of the hospital with pneumonia. I can't say I recommend coming down with pneumonia. It really sucks. One never truly appreciates the ability to breath until you can't.

On a positive note, I had already planned on taking another stab at quitting smoking after the holidays. But when I suddenly found myself unable to breath, I thought "Why wait??" So I am now completely cigarette free. Woo hoo, and finally at long last starting to breathe better again!

I am breathing better now, getting my strength back, craving a cigarette but refusing to give into the cravings, and finally able to start being active again. So Thanksgiving, my birthday (which was Nov 30), and Christmas all sucked this year, but here is hoping that New Years will make up for it all! As long as I'm smoke free and breathing easy, I will call it a big win

So, I'm sorry that I've been out of touch, I know I've missed alot of emails, PMs, and phone calls. My apologies to all, but I'm back now and feeling much better! Talk to you all soon

[Unique_Carpenter]

But, don't kick any other habits.

[i'va biggen]

Originally Posted by SinsOfTheFlesh

I am hoping the New Year is an improvement over the past month.

The week before Thanksgiving I came down with a flu bug. Lost my voice and instead of partying it up for my 40th birthday, I celebrated with a snuffle and a cough instead.

After a week of sneezing and coughing, it seemed that I was on the mend, until I took a turn for the worst. For the past 3 weeks or so, I have been in and out of the hospital with pneumonia. I can't say I recommend coming down with pneumonia. It really sucks. One never truly appreciates the ability to breath until you can't.

On a positive note, I had already planned on taking another stab at quitting smoking after the holidays. But when I suddenly found myself unable to breath, I thought "Why wait??" So I am now completely cigarette free. Woo hoo, and finally at long last starting to breathe better again!

I am breathing better now, getting my strength back, craving a cigarette but refusing to give into the cravings, and finally able to start being active again. So Thanksgiving, my birthday (which was Nov 30), and Christmas all sucked this year, but here is hoping that New Years will make up for it all! As long as I'm smoke free and breathing easy, I will call it a big win

So, I'm sorry that I've been out of touch, I know I've missed alot of emails, PMs, and phone calls. My apologies to all, but I'm back now and feeling much better! Talk to you all soon

Sorry about the illness, but any excuse to quit smoking is a good one.

[Wizard of Ahhhhs]

Hope you feel better soon, Stacy! Congrats on kicking the smoking habit! Those things'll kill ya!

[Doc Savage]

Congrats on the smoking, although, no one likes a quitter. Stay strong. I have no doubt that you will be able to fulfill your oral fixation somehow.

[Guest030114]

After a few years, barring any more problems, your lungs will self-repair themselves so that it will be almost like you hadn't smoked before. I'm sorry about your illness, but any excuse to quit works. Congrats.

[royamcr]

If you have to smoke something try one of the many vapor devices. I am sure nothing is better, but there are far less chemicals in the vape device liquid than there is in a cigarette.

[Smoking Monkey]

I stopped smoking when I had Mono and a strep throat! Best thing that I ever did for myself! It's horrible addiction! I hope you keep at it and don't start back.

[Knight69Fun]

Originally Posted by royamcr

If you have to smoke something try one of the many vapor devices. I am sure nothing is better, but there are far less chemicals in the vape device liquid than there is in a cigarette.

Still bad for the people around you. The lungs aren't efficient at pulling nicotine out of what you inhale, so a lot of it still ends up in the air around you. And some of the liquids you can put in the vaporizers are not so carefully manufactured as others, and contain things you wouldn't want in them.

[royamcr]

Not as bad as smoke that doesn't go away... Ya some of that liquid is better than others, but as an alternative it is better than relapsing to the cigs.

[malwoody]

Dang...sorry for your trouble and I hope your recovery is ongoing..

[Starry69]

Sorry to hear you've been feeling sickly Stacey but glad to see you've found a silver lining!

Stay strong and kick that habit!

[algrace]

Best wishes for a healthier new year, Stacy!

[paragod]

Congrats Stac! That's great that you've quit. My last cigarette was 12/21/94 cold turkey. It wasn't easy but it was so worth it.

As long as you're still smoking pole, then the world is still right

[bartipero]

I've never been a smoker, but had relatives who were and all eventually quit cold turkey, but it was very hard for them. One substituted Certs for her urges, but I think it took about 4 years of those substitutions, but she never reverted and quitting stuck. Others quit after health issues/scars, or seeing those of others.

'Roaming' is correct, though, eventually your lungs do clear up, that is well documented. You can get inoculated against pneumonia now. No doubt your smoking contributed to that problem, so at least something positive came of it in quitting.

I had it as a child and to this day getting the common cold seems worse for me than others which I unscientifically attribute to that bout. Hopefully, all that will be behind you.