My family gives me support and love
It seems that most times when I get an urge to give-in and light-up, someone who loves me and whom I love give me a reason not to. Hearing my son say that he is proud of me is probably the best support mechanism I could think of. I haven't had many opportunities in my life to do something my son could be proud of me for. Quite the opposite, he has given me many, many opportunities to be proud of him. He is an individual who can set his mind to doing something and you can rely 99.9% that it will get done or that he will accomplish it. Isn't it strange that I view my son as my hero . . . as the person I would most like to be like? Well, that is the truth and hearing him say that he was proud of me for being able to quit a 53 year addiction is reason enough to carry-on with my non-smoking trek. My wife is another leg of my support structure. Hearing her say that I am doing so well in my recovery from the nicotine addiction gives me strength to keep-on fighting. She tells me that she knows it isn't easy because she is an ex-smoker herself. When someone you know who loves you, indicates their pride in you and/or happiness with you, it means so much. You simply do not want to disappoint them. So now, with their help, I have remained quit from nicotine for 4 years, 2 months, and 29 days. In another 37 days I will have reached my 70th birthday. As I lay in ICU/CCU after the heart attack that my 53 year addiction brought about, I had some very serious doubt that I would live to see this birthday. Thanks to the advice, care, and love shown by my family, it looks like I might just get to set my beard on fire with 70 candles this year.
Yes, you are a true inspiration and please do not set fire to your beard when you blow out the candles. Good Luck mate.
Hi Old Phart. You have the best support team. Your son leads by example and your wonderful wife, an ex smoker, truly understands how hard it is and feels your pain. With one life and such a fantastic family, you probably will not dare to err. Best to be with them on this planet for as long as you possibly can. No doubt you treasure every waking moment with them. Enjoy the ride...
Well written. I pray that you will be out of hospital soon and recovering with your family at home. i recently had a scare and a real wake up. I quit 8 months ago after smoking for years and years. What a stupid habit. Anyway; i would like to relay a story. I had been getting up early and walking the dark streets in the morning.On my return home i would get a very painful left hand and i swear that if i didn't look at my fingers i would have thought they had swollen up like big sticks of salami! After ignoring this pain and the worsening pain in my shoulder.my doc referred me to a visiting cardioligist. We live in a small seaside town called Port Lincoln. The next thing is being told i will be on 4 tablets for the rest of my life and i need to have a stent inserted in my artery. laying in a cold operating tablr surrounded by people who are talking about the weekend and feeling as if you have just wet yourself is a great leveller. I am feeling better now. no more pain. My daughter Ruby told me how proud she is of me and my wife has been very supportive. I have been given a 2nd chance. I lost my Dad too young. I miss him. Stop smoking. Stop nicotine replacement. 3 days is all you have to take to stop forever. Look at your family.Look at the world that has been created for us.3 days.Love to you all. God bless you. Remember ; you are not giving anything up;you are getting back what was originally yours. Have a good day Olphart. Thankyou for encouraging me to type!!
Hi Johnboy:
I am happy you had how you felt checked-out in time. You are so right about everything. We all need to take a good look around us at what we stand to lose if we continue on with nicotine. I never thought to view my quitting as an attempt to regain what I had lost but again Johnboy, you hit the nail right on the head. Thank you for your insight and thank you for the well-wishes.
TheOldPhart