Winding Down For the Big Day

22 Day's ago I began my Smoke Free Journey, It wasn't easy to come to terms with the trip I was about to embark on. I had been a Heavy smoker for about 35 years I had already overcome a battle with Alcoholism and Drug Dependency which I had put behind me many years ago thinking that my life was in order and at least for now I wouldn't have any more problems, I thought at least I can still have a smoke to help get me thru the day, "Cannabis thru the night" This went on for over 20 more years, I never really had any bad experiences with Cigarette's, other than a bad cough here and there but it was getting dearer and dearer as the years went on. Cannabis also played a big role in my life, Smoking it since I was a teen I couldn't tell you the many Thousands of Dollars I wasted on it or the trouble I got into with the law. I thought that selling it was a good way to support my Habit and nearly ended up in Gaol over it. Some thing had to give, I became very Anxious, Depressed and Suicidal and I thought there was no escape, until one day when I talked with my Doctor. I had Decided that enough was enough and I asked him for help, He wrote me out a script for 3 months worth of 21mg Nicabate Patches and sent me on my way with a referral to a Clinic and a visit with a Cessation Nurse who assessed me and got me to blow in a Carbon Monoxide Meter, I reached a reading of over 50 It blew my mind and the Nurse's as well, I had a Dangerously high level of Carbon Monoxide in my system and was at risk of either having a Heart attack or a Stroke, I had already began coughing up a black mucus like spit and that was my Inspiration to stop smoking. Praying that it wasn't to late already to get Help. I hadn't Smoked any Pot for 4 weeks as it was making me feel sick and I was already very worried that some thing was wrong when I began coughing up this muk. I got the patches and began to ween myself of the Smokes wearing the patches. For the first week I began going for 1 Hr before Having a smoke. The second week I began smoking 1 every 2 Hrs. The 3rd week I had 1 every 3 Hrs. Then on the Fourth Week I went 4 Hrs without a Smoke and on the Fifth Week I began not smoking at all, by this time I had gone 8 weeks without any Marijuana that hadn't fazed me at all thanks to the Patches. After going back to the Clinic with my news and having another go at the Carbon Monoxide Meter I had already cut the Carbon Monoxide level in my system by half from 50 to 25 and a week later down to 15 and another week later to 9, 7 is optimal. That was nearly 3 weeks ago I haven't felt this Good in a longtime. I have been using Nicorette's Quick Mist Relief for the Cravings and I stopped coughing up crap a week ago. It hasn't been easy at all but keeping my mind bizzy and finding things to do has kept me focused and on track. Iv'e visited 6 or more different sites like this looking for support, my Family and Face Book Friends have been Great, Especially my Wife. I still have bad dreams and get a Little impatient and I would love to have had enough cash to join a Clinic type recovery but this way has been just as effective, I started up a page on Face-Book for other Ex-smokers to get help or advice to past the time, I spend a lot of time on-line after hours trolling the web looking for forums and reading other Peoples story's, I have spent a lot of time on website's in a bid to get help or help others on there journey, I've been thru a lot and I have alot to live for today I hope this story reaches the right people and it helps them with there plan and the battles ahead of them, together we can do this and live to tell some else how we did it and help them too.