Friday, January 5, 2007

Snags or tags

             

I'm on my way to work but wanted to update you on my "quit smoking" week or days.  No, I have not totally stopped.  I've hit so many sites and talked to so many people.  Every successful smoker who has quit has devised a plan that works for them.  Some stop cold turkey, and then there are so many ways others quit that worked for themselves but not for everyone. 

I smoked a pack a day, on a good day; more likely a pack and a half if I was being honest about it.  Cold turkey turned me into a withdrawal freak.  Honestly, I do swear I looked like I was needing my next fix of heroin on Tuesday.  My plan and what I'm doing:  I take a few puffs off of a cigarette.  It started with five or six; now it may be two or three, then I snuff it out and save it. It was every hour that the cravings came back.  Yesterday, I extended it to two hours.  I bought a pack of cigarettes Tuesday evening.  I still have six left which will take me well into tomorrow.  One pack of cigarettes has lasted four days.  For me, that is a monumental step.

I've had a cough since my ear infection is October.  Amazingly, it has cleared up in the past three days.

I know this is a bandaid approach.  Two girls I worked with at my old position told me this is how they quit.  Actually, they told me about this a couple of years ago, as did a friend of my son's father who is a pulmonary specialist.  He has been adamant frequently with Joey and me about the smoking.  This way of stopping was also his suggestion to us.  I'm ridding my body of the need for nicotine slowly.  Once I get down to three cigarettes a day, then I will stop completely.

Some things I've heard and read which blow my mind but I totally believe:  In the past 10 years, the American tobacco companies have added more components to cigarettes to make them even more addicting, and some health insurance companies have their fingers in the pot which totally floored me.  Another thing I read is that people in other countries prefer American made cigarettes.  Hmmm...wonder why?

I'm stepping off of the soap box for now.  I'm not on my computer as much because I always had a cigarette lit when I was on.  This is one area that I really have to work on.

Here are a few snags or tags that I've made; most were for my PSP groups little challenge things.

              

                  

LOL...the top one is downright strange.  Shelly, Missie, and I are in Angela's PSP group.  This tiger thingy was a tube we were supposed to use.  I have to get my butt in gear or I'll miss my bus.

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

HUGS  Chris

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well done for cutting down on smoking Chris, I hope this way wiorks for you! The graphics today are gorgeous, I love them all! Have a great weekend! I think alerts are down, I didn't get any over night and yours is the first one I got! Good old AOL starting the year as they mean to carry on! Jeannette xx  

Anonymous said...

Well done, you're doing great.  The only way is, like you say, to find a way that works best for YOU.  I found the hardest bit was to be at the pc without a ciggie.  Now, now problem at all...I just have a choc bar instead LOL....take care, have a lovely weekend! Millie :))

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris,well love I agree with you to stop completly all at once I do not think is good for anyone personally.I do not smoke anywhere only hung out of my kitchen window in the home(In Winter).I found to limit oneself to one room was good.I could see the differance almost immediatly in the decor how clean it stayed it the other parts of the none smoking areas.I go outside in summer,but in the winter months with arthritis I have to stay indoors.So I decideD to hang out of the window LOL!!I used to smoke at my computer and two yrs ago I decided to move it to a none smoking room. I was amazed how many ciggy's I had left over the next day.I too am taking your approach as from yesterday, as I have had a cough this winter and just cannot get rid of it no matter what meds I have taken even from the DOC.Which followed that dreaded flu everyone seemd to get.I will see how I go now and keep us all updated will you.I am interested to know how you go on.Take care it is time now since 9-30am for me  to do my trapeze act again (and hang out around that old window frame) LOL!! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! PUFF PUFF lets hope not for long and we can both be smoke free by summer.Hope you didin't miss ya bus,and end up like me and my friend did in my last rhyme LOL!! and just think too,you will be able to have much longer on your pooter in the mornings, as you will soon be able to run faster to catch the bus once you have stopped Haaaaaaaa!!!!Good Luck.God Bless,The graphics are great.Snagged the top one thankyou sooooooooooo much.You are a star.
Astoriasand http://journals.aol.co.uk/astoriasand/MYSIMPLERHYMES

Anonymous said...

sounds like you're doing well with the effort... and you have to do what is best for you or failure will be the result.. sending good vibes your way.
Love the graphics!
hugs
d

Anonymous said...

I loved all of them, snagged all too...very nice in my eyes...hugs and love,
Joyce

Anonymous said...

Well done cutting down ,you are doing well .Wish I could ,...but do I? not bad enough obviously lol ,great graphics as ever ..love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

I think cutting down slowly is the best way to quit.  I've never smoked, but everyone in my family did while I was growing up.  No one smokes anymore.  They've all quit.  My sister quit cold turkey.  Everyone else did it slowly.  Good Luck.
Missie

Anonymous said...

i know you can do this! Good luck. You go ahead and do it anyway you have to do it to quit. i did it cold turkey. PURE HELL ON EARTH. Best thing i ever did. Now if i can lose 100 damn lbs.
love,lj

Anonymous said...

way to go:) let me know how the cutting down goes:) the graphics are great thanks

Deb

Anonymous said...

((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGSTOYOU))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))I am proud of you on trying to stop smking,I know its hard,watching my Mom do it cold turkey.I am praying for you.I lvoe the graffics.HAve a nice weekend.

Anonymous said...

that top tag is cute i have a bunch of animated videos like that.

Anonymous said...

Chris, I am proud of you for trying to quit smoking, Love your snag, Hugs Lisa

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris,

I wish you luck in your endeavor to stop smoking.  I know several people who have quit, with various methods like you mentioned.  I don't know about where you live, but here in Texas they raised the price of cigs a dollar a pack recently.  That's another incentive, besides the obvious health issues, huh?  Love the tags, as always!

Take Care,
~Bilinda~

Anonymous said...

Good luck on quitting Chris, this is a major hurdle for you and isn't as easy as some people think. When I read about the over 4000 chemicals in cigarettes I almost freaked. The more I read the sicker I got but trust me, when you do quit you will be amazed how you will notice how awful it smells on everyone, everything and how good you will feel when you can notice a change in smell, taste, and health. Every year I use to get bronchaitis, bad colds and stay sick, it was hard getting rid of illness's until I quit, I have had the flu once in 13 years. :))))))
Good luck, you fight a long and hard addiction but you have a great support group here. :)))))) Doreen

Anonymous said...

ohh I forgot, stick pretzels!!! Keep them in a jar near your computer, they are awsome and I loved munching on them when I generally grabbed a cigarette! I smoked pretzel sticks :)))))))) Doreen

Anonymous said...

whatever works for you as far as quiting smoking.  kind of like no one diet works for everyone.  your in my thoughts and prayer on this.

Love the tags.  Love the top one with the tulips and adore the last one with the tiger.  Could I get the tiger one tagged with Kathy?

Thanks so much.

Kathy

Anonymous said...

(Hugs) I'm proud of you, whichever way works for you. The fact that you are trying says alot. I didn't smoke inside , so it wasn't a problem at the computer. I Think someone mentioned pretzel sticks. I had another friend that used to suck on the dum dum lollypops. It gives you something to distract from the fact you don't have a cig. Doc is doing the nicotine gum, yuck. LOL I'm here for you. Hope it works out missing you on the comp. ;) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Chris...  Boy, I tell you, quiting smoking is not easy, and you're right, everyone has their own method of doing so.. that works for them.  For me.. I just carried around my 1/2 a pack of cigarettes (just in case), and somehow, just knowing they were there, helped me.  I don't know how I did it, because I was a 2 pk a day smoker 11 years ago, and I just got up one morning and decided that I was going to quit.  I never touched a cigarette after that.  After about 4 months of carrying that pack of cigs around in my purse (they were totally stale by then..lol), I tossed them.  I do remember sneezing my ass off for about 2 weeks straight when I quit.  After the first week of no cigarettes, I just sneezed and sneezed and sneezed.  Doctor said it was my bodies way of ridding itself of the nicotine and toxins from the cigs.  I remember all my sneezes smelled like nicotine to me.  Weird I know, but it's true.
I am keeping you in my prayers, that you will be able to do this!  I know you can!  If I can do it.. I KNOW you can!

Love you
Jackie

Anonymous said...

cute graphics :)  good luck on the quitting smoking i know it is so hard i smoke myself and really need to cut back and eventually just stop i know its awful but its so hard.
hang in there if you find a way that helps let me know that snuffing trick seems to help me cut back now if i can stick to it
have a good one
em

Anonymous said...

GRRR...I hear ya on the quit smoking thing..i am trying again...started cutting back and gonna lower the amount then quit...I will pray for you and you pray for me...Big hugs,TerryAnn

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a really good idea to cut down gradually ~ i really do wish you all the best with it and I hope you'll keep us posted as to how you are coping xx

Jenny
http://journals.aol.co.uk/jmoqueen/MyLife/

Anonymous said...

I have never smoked, but my husband does and I see how much he struggles to quit. My heart goes out to you and I wish you the best of luck in succeeding with your plan. My best wishes are with you!
Now, don't want to sound greedy,  but if possible could I have all three graphics with Maria on? Please! If not, I will understand.
Hugs, Maria

Anonymous said...

Still playing catch up here.  I've never smoked on a "full time" basis.  I've done it occassionally. I tend to smoke when Joey is here because he smokes.  So I join him.  I think you are doing the right thing by cutting back first.  Not sure the "cold turkey" method is successful.  I wish you good luck in quitting.  I know it's tough.  I hope you are able to keep this goal.  
Hugs to you, Pam

Anonymous said...

Have a great day!! you are so talented. I wished I knew how to make these things.
Some day I will learn I guess.
God Bless,
Liz in VA.
http://journals.aol.com/bethjunebug/Bethjunebug

Anonymous said...

Love the tags. I'll probably snag a couple.  You're doing GREAT on the cutting down.  I had a HUGE problem of  what to do with my hands when I quit.  My son (in JR High at the time) took the barrel of a white bic stick pen and cut it to the length of a cigarette.  I played with it. Put it my mouth.  Left it at my side for about 2 weeks, until the need for something to suck on and have something in my hand left me.   Ya never know what might work. LOL Good luck kid.  I'm sending prayers and good vibes your way. Hugs, Barb  

Anonymous said...

Hello Chris... beautiful tags :)  Could I please have the bottom one with the Tiger Cub with the name "Teresa" on it ?  Thank you :)