Why I'm stopping

I recently had to return to Canada to care for my mother, who had been diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. There is no "cure" for this cancer, only treatment to make the patient more comfortable. After a very short battle (five months from diagnosis) my mother passed away in August. It was a heart-wrenching experience, and I never want to put my husband through this.

I gradually cut back from about 10 cigarettes a day to 6, then to 4, then 2, and finally none. It only took about a week to wean myself backwards. I did falter during that first week, but discovered that smoking caused shortness of breath and chest pain. I had a fairly bad chest cold about a month ago, and I suspect that the smoking is only aggravating any lingering problems.

I want to become a healthier, more fit person, and this is the first step of many that I need to take.