Stop Smoking Support Thread

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  • tami48
    tami48 Member Posts: 270
    edited April 2009

    Pantufas - I'm still smoking too, please continue to post.  I know this thread seems to help me as far as not letting me forget that I want and need to quit.  I still haven't smoked in my car!

    Janzin, Webwriter & Noble - Let us know if the Chantix helps.  Wishing you luck!

    Candie - How are you doing?

    NervousKnitter - Yeah!  Almost 3 months...that's awesome!  I hope to be there someday!

    Wishing all of you ladies a wonderful weekend!  <HUGS TO ALL>

  • tami48
    tami48 Member Posts: 270
    edited April 2009

    I must have missed a couple of posts, oh well, you know how it goes!

    candie - Day 6.....that's great!!!  You go girl!  Wishing you a speedy recovery with your wrist!

    Pantufas - So glad your posting...love hearing from you!

    <HUGS>

  • malleme
    malleme Member Posts: 164
    edited April 2009

    Hello to all you wonderful women,

    I just got done reading all the post and I have to say I must have missed a few myself.

    But now I'm too tired Nelusata shot really getting to me.

    Have a great sleep tonight and get ready for some warm weather soon

  • looper
    looper Member Posts: 61
    edited April 2009

    Candie1971~~Congratulations on getting through day 6 smoke-free!  I quit when I was diagnosed with DCIS last August after smoking for many years.  I used the Commit lozenge and found it very helpful.  I tried Chantix, took it for a week, then gave it away.  It made me queasy and gave me the strangest dreams--lots of naked people!!

    I like the lozenge because you can put them in a little mint tin in your purse, and nobody has to know what it is, unlike the patch you stick on your body.

    Best wishes to all of you who are facing BC and know you must quit.  The most important tip I got is this:  The urge to smoke will be there, but it will pass whether you light up or not, so you might as well not!

    Suzie

  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Jill--3 months...you ROCK. 

    Candie--way to go on 6 days. 

    Nancy, we are not frightened of you.  Bless you for trusting us so much with your personal information.  We will quit, we will.  I just know it!!  A sunshine baby huh?  My daughter lives in Tampa and I can't drag her out of that town.  She just LOVES it (of course, if I were 20, I would want to live there too Tongue out).  Actually, she turns 20 in two weeks so I will be heading up to spend her birthday with her....hello Ybor City!!  I think the constant sunshine helps too, I never have a reason NOT to take a walk, because it is always nice.

    Janzin--how is the Chantix going?  I hope it works for you.  I wish it would have worked for me, but I could not take the headaches, but that was just me.  You will do it!  Bless your workers heart, he walked over 20 blocks in the snow to take the bus.  If we could just put as much effort into quitting, we would not have a problem.

    My new idea for helping me quit??????  I am pissed about the new federal tax that changed it from 39 cents a pack to over a dollar a pack.  Always picking on the smokers.  So, since I am somewhat of an anarchist, I will quit smoking just so I don't have to pay more taxes!!!  They already take enough!Yell  Maybe my anger in the government will help me quit.  Whatever works right?

    Hugs to all!

    Ellie 

  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Suzie, thanks for the tip on the lozenges.  How do they taste?  The patch made me feel dizzy (and I am dizzy enough from the Tamoxifen...heehee).  The Chantix gave me headaches, so this is a good alternative option for me.  Since my quit date is next week, I will try stocking up on those.  Thanks.

    Ellie

  • Janzin
    Janzin Member Posts: 491
    edited April 2009

    Nervousknitter, 3 months is awesome!! You rock. I hope to be there soon. Thanks for being here and letting us know that we can do it!!

    Candie, sorry to hear about your wrist. Today must be day 7, one whole week and that is so huge! We are still pulling for you even if you can't post with your wrist.

    Pantufas, Nancy and Pat. Love all of you! Thanks for your disclosure and trust, I feel safe here too. Good luck with your chemo, can't think of any good names but I do think you should do another dead picture with your bald head. I will try to do another good one too. Though I do think you are way more creative than me with the dead shots, you had me laughing for days.

    2NewBoobs, that's great you haven't smoked in your car. I haven't been able to kick that one yet. One step at a time, I think you are doing great.

    Malleme, I always miss a few things. I think everyone does, especially my staff, lol. And they are in their 20's. With the stress of BC and meds, losing gray matter in our brain every year, I think we are doing great! Though I think I lost a lot of my gray matter in the early 80's, lol.

    Looper, thanks for your support. So you have 8 months in, that is awesome.I think I will use your tip on food too.

    Fifish, I had friend who quit on lozenges. I might try that too if chantix doesn't work, day 2 for me. I have about 5 packs left but my roommates dug into it last night. But I AM NOT going to buy any more cigs. I am with ya on the taxes!

    With Looper seeing naked people and Fifish getting dizzy, that might be a fun mix, lol.

    The rest of you ladies, thinking about you and wishing all of you a beautiful day.

    Hugs,
    Janet

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited April 2009

    pant, thank you for trusting us...good luck while starting chemo..we will help u

    Jill, 3 months!! You are my hero!! I will get there...I will follow you.

    Malleme, hope u had a good night's sleep

    ellie, get ready,set go to ur start date!!!

    To everyone..thanks for your encouragement. I was with a friend thismorning before work and I "watched" her  smoke...I did it...I just watched!!!

    Have a great day...hugs and prayers

  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Ok Pantufas, I might have a name for you to consider.  Do you guys remember Susan Powter?  She was the fitness guru on late night television back in the 80's that use to yell "STOP THE INSANITY"......heehee.....I don't know what made me think of her but she was pretty much bald and that lady looked like she could kick some A$$.  Just like you, you will be bald during the chemo, but you will also be kicking A$$!  So, my suggestion for a name is Susan.  Whatcha think?Smile  Ladies, any other suggestions?

    Ellie

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited April 2009

    Ellie, I like Susan too

  • Janzin
    Janzin Member Posts: 491
    edited April 2009
    Fifish, that is an excellent idea, you are so smart. And Pantufas will kick A$$!

    I think if I had to go through chemo, I would try a different tatto on my head. Maybe flowers on a happy day, tribal tatto so I look like I am a bad A$$ when I am feeling dangerours. And maybe "Go _uck yourself." on a bad day.

    Sorry for my twisted humor.

    Best Janet
  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Janzin, you are not twisted.  I seriously considered getting a big pink ribbon tattoo on my radiated booby!!  Now it would not only wink, but it would send a message as well.  Thank God we didn't lose our sense of humor when we got cancer!!

    Ellie

  • Janzin
    Janzin Member Posts: 491
    edited April 2009

    Fifish, you are not getting a new nipple?

  • nancypat
    nancypat Member Posts: 239
    edited April 2009

    You Ladies are AWESOME!  I can't thank you enough!  You accept me for what I am and who I am.  SUSAN IT IS!  Just help me remember it.  Thanks flfish !  I do remember Susan Powter.  She used to make me laugh.  We all need to laugh.  Have a good time with your daughter and have a look around for me.  I bet Tampa has really changed.

    Janzin, now you have me thinking of tattooing my head.  I think I would just have the phrase.  " Now you see me, now you don't."   Take it from someone who is twisted!  You're not twisted and you better be laughing.  Flarbio ( I gave all of my children a name besides their real names ) is coming up tomorrow and will be spending a week with me.  She will have to teach me how to post pics.  I will have a good one for you when I am bald.  It never ceases to amaze me at how normal and well grounded the kids are, and I'm the one who raised them!

    candi, you are such an inspiration!  I have 11 cigs left in my last pack and I intend to smoke them tonight and NOT buy anymore.  From the words of Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor, YES I CAN! 

    2NewBoobs and malleme, i am so glad you are back!  I am like a mother hen and worry about you.  Really, I'm just nosy as hell.  Get back in Pat!!!  2New, I am proud of you for still not smoking in your car.  You are making big strides!  You will get there!

    looper, naked people huh?  I think you have a deep seated suppressed desire to become a naturist.  That will be $150.00 please.

    NervousKnitter, thanks for keeping an eye on us. 

    REKoz, wishing you well and hope to hear from you soon!

    Well, I guess I better go take my meds and check out the lymphedema thread.  My right arm began swelling today and hurts like crap.

    Good night Ladies.  You are the most wonderful group of Ladies I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and I am wishing you all of the best!

    Bejinge ( hugs and kisses, and for those of you who don't know, pantufas is Portuguese for baby's slippers )

    Nancy, Pat, Susan

  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Pantufas (Nancy, Pat, Susan), I am glad you liked Susan.  She was so ridiculous that she made me giggle too. I like the idea of giving your kids different names.  I just call my daughter "kiddo" and it stuck, so everyone else calls her that as well. 

    Janzin, nope, no new nipple for me.  I still have mine.  I just had a lumpectomy so the scar is just to the side of it and pulls it a little, that is why I say it is "winking". Probably more than you wanted to know, huh?

    Looper, I am considering going back on the Chantix just to see if I can have the naked dreams too!

    Candie--keep up the good work!  You will be my motivator.

    Well, 89 and sunny today.  As long as the smoke stays away (8000 acres are burning in the Everglades about 20 miles away).  I think my dh and I are going to hit the beach.  We haven't been there in a year....funny, I sometimes forget we are on the water. 

    Have a great weekend ladies!

    Ellie

  • REKoz
    REKoz Member Posts: 164
    edited April 2009

    My goodness this group is growing by leaps and bounds! Why Pantafus alone just added 2 to the list! Welcome Candi and Looper (we need successful people here!) As you see, this is a most entertaining group. As well as incredibly supportive and loving. Candi, you and Jill (Nervous Knitter) are our heros! I believe you both are the only ones who joined as smokers and quit right away. Congrats, congrats, congrats to you both! You serve as my inspiration for quit day on Tuesday.Can't find your post Ellie, but isn't that right around your quit date as well? It would be great to travel this difficult road in the same time frame. Not only are you one of the sweetest woman on any of these boards, you strike me as someone with a track record of succeeding when you put your mind to a task. I need to "hang out" with someone like that as I am one so burdened by the ever present "instant gratification" gene! An addict in every sense of the word! I'm gonna need alot of help so I hope you former smokers will pop in often to keep me from tearing my hair out! Ooops, what am I saying? I don't have the hair to tear out! So you ladies can keep me from flipping my wig how's that?

    Janzin, you are the BEST! You truly keep this thread alive. Not only that, you KICK BUTT in the business world, though I still don't exactly understand what it is you do. Bottom line is you're great at it. And not only succeeding but surpassing the ex while on your own? OH, AHHH, how sweet it is!

    Nancy, Pat and Susan. You are hilarious! Your sense of humor is RIGHT up my alley. This is how I picture it: You bring Pat to meet Janzin, Ellie and I (and anyone else up for some hell raising!) and we conjure up some activity that is teenage obnoxious and maybe even bordering on misdomeaner insanity! Ellie as the most sensible in the group, makes sure we don't ramp it up to the felony level! And we all just laugh and laugh until we have to flip a coin to see who is going to buy the one size fits all DEPENDS to replace the undies we've all soaked through. Sound like a plan?

    Just lovin you ladies!

    xoEllen

  • Janzin
    Janzin Member Posts: 491
    edited April 2009
    Pantufas, you had me cracking up. Sorry your arm hurts, I know we all cannot wait for the day when we feel like yourself. But I do want to say that with all of your support and humor, I am coming out of this better than I thought I would. I wake up some mornings smiling or laughing because of all of you. We are probably the silliest fun loving BC quit smoking group with a tendency to go right over the edge for some extra spice!

    Looper, had some really crazy dreams last night on Chantix, no naked people but there was a couple I wouldn't mind being naked. Was afraid to tell you just in case Pantufas wants to charge me for her Lucy support, lol.

    Fifish, I will envy you at the beach, I really miss it. Would love to see the Everglades too. My wink is even wider than yours since there is no nipple, just a long slash from one side to the next. I tell people you can call me nip if you want to since I only have one nipple. Will get a new nipple sometime after June. Talking about tattoos, I could write, "Out of service, try other side" over my new nipple.

    REKoz, I have missed you! Love your wit, Pantufas added two. We have a great bunch of gals here and your are so right, we would have a blast!!! I am with you on that instant gratification gene, I even have the, "More is better," which has gotten me in trouble a few times. Like planting flowers and bushes too close, too much garlic. And one of my favorites, I bought that diet tea and didn't read the instruction, but really wanted to lose weight so I used 2 tea bags. Woke up in the morning with the worst cramps and then I read it was a pooping aid. I did lose a lot of weigh though in the most painful way, almost passed out. My quit day is coming up soon so I will hopefully be with you all. I am shooting for either Monday or Tuesday, just want to get some major work behind me so I can concentrate on battling the urges. Good luck to you and we will help keep your wig on!!

    Candie, hope you are doing well, day 7 right? Hang in there, you are doing awesome!

    Malleme, thinking about you, sending you sunshine! Miss you.

    2NewBoobs, how are you? I thought of you as I tried not smoking in my car yesterday. Hope things are going good for you.

    Nobleanna and MB, haven't heard from you two in while, hope you are doing okay. It's okay to post here if you want with a Yo, etc. But I am writing to you both to let you know we are thinking of you.

    Nervousknitter, any ideas on tattoos? I know you can come up with some funny stuff.

    Webbie, sending you a sunshine day and much love.

    Hugs,
    Janet
  • NervousKnitter
    NervousKnitter Member Posts: 46
    edited April 2009

    Good morning, gals! I think I have switched my morning cig addiction to checking this thread!  Highly suggested for all of you trying to quit--try and check in and spread some cheer without spreading ashes!!  Then again, while smoking there's nothing like a good piece of ash.....

     Janzin--when I was being reconstructed and was talking to my plastic surgeon about getting a tattoo I told him I didn't even want to attempt something that resembled a nipple. My re-do doesn't look like the other since it was done after it had been radiated (I had a recurrance) and I thought if I ever needed surgery again a nipple could be "cockeyed". So my previously quiet PS said, "Well, if you think it might be "cock"-eyed then how about a tattoo of a penis?  Then maybe if you stroke it your breast will get bigger!"  I about peed my pants on that one!

    Have a great day filled with humor!

    Jill

  • deanie
    deanie Member Posts: 15
    edited April 2009

     Hello,  I am new to this site and am amazed again with all the help available.  I am a 40 year smoker who loves smoking.  However, I know smoking does not love me and I want to quit.  B/C was enough cancer thank you very much and I don't want to get another bad phone call.  Anyway wanting to know if you mind if I join your group?  You all make me laugh and laughter is suppose to be the best medicine.

  • mbscruggs
    mbscruggs Member Posts: 72
    edited April 2009

    Welcome Deanie- Of course you can join in here!! Smile  I agree- this thread has an incredibly great group of ladies.

    Hope things are going well for you.

    Mary Beth

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited April 2009

    Day 9......welcome deanie...I understand the love of having a cigarette. I would like to have one right now but  optting not too. Jill, it Feels good to have someone go  thru the non-smoking routine. Good luck to those who have May 1st as the quit date.

    I am not posting much cause I had wrist surgery last week and I can only type with one hand and it just too long. Love all you great ladies...I can only do this no smoking thing cause of all of you, your support and the fact that I can vent here. My PCP scared me... I have to continue this!!

    hugs and prayersand have a great day!

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 40,366
    edited April 2009

    Good morning everyone....just stopping by to say hi and big thumbs up to all who are doing well as non-smokers and those who are well on the way to beginning that path.  I don't have any fresh ideas on things other than making sure ( non-smokers especially ) that your clothes are clean and areas where you might spend a lot of time ---- computer area etc.  It does take awhile for smoking odors to become ( hopefully ) offensive and in a weak moment these "odors" could set you off and create a lot of desire to have to defeat. 

    I have a couple of BIL's who smoke...quite a bit and they do so in their homes....anywhere in the house and I have gotten where it's difficult for me to go there ........  and I easily recall being in places or going places  while I was a smoker and never noticed  any discomfort in the least...in fact, quite the opposite.  If ( like Candie with the wrist operation ) there is an area where you can't clean or clean well....  just take a bowl into the room....put white vinegar into it and let it set.  This will absorb all the order.  I used this method in my walk in closet  and was astounded at the difference it made in a few days.  It does take awhile but this will work.  Later you can use those little electric oil burners and  you will enjoy the fresh smells of vanilla, cinnamon, or any odors that you like. 

    And.....once you are a QUITTER for good....you more than likely will find it to whatever degree a little offensive to be around smokers.  I have a SIL who when she comes back from smoking ( she chooses not to smoke in her house ) and talks to me I can smell this sort of bitter/acid/smoky breath emanation and it's extremely un-pleasant.  My husband said my breath never smelled like that when I smoked ( he was a non-smoker years before I quit ) but it still bothers me to think I might have been like that....even just a time or two. 

    So my thought for now is to deodorize everything and replace any smoky smell with clean fresh smells of your choosing and if you have too many clothes to wash....set a bowl of white vinegar in your closet. 

    Keep up the good work.

    Hugs,

    Jackie

  • Janzin
    Janzin Member Posts: 491
    edited April 2009
    Nervousknitter, I knew you would crack me up. Not sure if I like the new me, but I don't think about it much, just concentrate on work and if I am not too tired I paint.

    Welcome Deanie! This is a great group! They have been my savior to my insanity! Most people will not understand the process of BC and trying to quit smoking at the same time except for the Butt Fondler group. I remembered when Candie started posting and she has 9 days in. We will all get there with smiles on our faces!

    MB, nice to know you are here! Sending you positive thoughts!

    Candie, you are amazing! I remembered when you started posting and you disappeared for a while, thought we lost you. But you came back and now have 9 days in! You inspire all of us! It will get better so hang in there. Good luck with your wrist, sounds like you have a lot going on with quit smoking, BC and a wrist surgery. I hope you have some great support at home! But we are here for you too!

    Illinoislady, funny you were talking about cleaning up the cig smells. I am getting ready to quit next week and I was going to detail my car then follow up by washing down the seat, roof, etc. One day without a cig and my car grosses me out. Thanks for the tip!

    I have been cutting down on smoking, nervous about my quit day as I have failed so many times since I started posting here. I won't get a decent break from work till July 1st. REKoz, I do Jiu Jitsu tournaments, it's kinda like wrestling. And it is very stressful for me but getting better as I rebuild my staff, etc, after the divorce. I am behind because of BC. Your are right, it is sweet surpassing my ex. He has dumped a lot of hurt on me and I was alone during all my health problems. I don't think he really appreciated all the work I did for us. But since he is down 15% and I am up over 100%, maybe he does now.

    Pantufas, took some new dead pics, will post them as soon as I get them emailed to me. Love you humor! Keep on smiling Nancy and Pat!

    Fifish, drank a margarita in your name last night since we live to far away to share cocktails! Good luck with your with quit date!

    Mallame, sending you some energy, hope you will feel better soon.

    Where is Nobleannna???

    The rest of you ladies, sending you my best wishes this Sunday!
    Janet
  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Hello ladies.....I hope you don't mind a loopy post, just got back from our Sunday bbq....heehee...

    Deannie--welcome, good luck with quitting.  You will do great and lean on these ladies to help you.

    Rekoz--you hit everyones personalities well.  I always say, a good friend is one who doesn't judge you when you are sitting in jail, but one who looks at you while sitting next to you in jail and says "whew, wasn't that a blast?!"  Although, I have calmed in my age and and I happy to say that I have only had one misdemeanor that kept me in jail for one night.......heehee.....so I have that going for me....heehee...college was a good time wasn't it???

    Janzin, I hope you enjoyed your margarita.  I too enjoyed some more mango rum drinks yesterday!

    Even if I quit smoking, I would have a LOT of ash in my lungs from this darn fire by me.  This stinks....it blocks my sunshine.  Luckily, no one lives where it is burning, but I hate to see the Everglades burn (even though I know it is Mother Nature's way of replenishing) because it is so beautiful!

    Have a great week ladies.  I will be smoking like a fool this week because I quit this weekend!!

    Hugs!

    Ellie

  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    By the way Ellen--your plan sounds like a great deal to me....can we do it in Hawaii?????????  heehee

  • deanie
    deanie Member Posts: 15
    edited April 2009

    Hello All,

     I have been reading constantly and want to say how glad God has led me to this site and these amazing women.  I have never gotten involved with a support group until now and I am 8 years out.  Some background about me.  I will be 63 years young this June.  I was 55 when diagnosed.  I went in for my regular yearly exam.  Fortunately the radiologist who read my mammo was sharp and on the ball.  The spot was so small that even when he pointed it out I could barely see it.  Anyway it was decided that I should have a needle biopsy.  I was told there was only a 3% chance that it was cancer.  Bingo I should have gone to the Palace (local Indian gaming center) and played.  I had a great surgeon and he did the biopsy very quickly and when the opened me up another larger tumor was found.  So I had two type of cancer.  My breasts were very dense and the larger one had never shown.  Anyway I talked it over with my surgeon and he recommended a modified radical mast.  I asked him if it was his wife would he recommend the same and he said yes.  I agreed and also told him I wanted the other breast removed.  I had read the pathology and I was estrogen/progesteron possitive.  He wanted to know why as there was no cancer in the other breast.  I said prove it since one of the cancers had not shown on mammo's.  He agreed to do the second mast but not both at the same time.  I had the first surgery on the 29th of October and the second breast removed on Dec. 10th.  My surgeon called me later and said I had made a wise decision.  There was no cancer but I did have a ductal papaloma(sp?).  Prior to my first surgery I went before my Church family and asked for prayers.  I was annointed and prayed for.  I still get emotional when I think of the way these wonderful Christians reacted.  Anyway after the first surgery every time I woke up my surgeon was sitting in a chair waiting to talk to me.  Finally I woke enough to comprehend and he told me that there was no lymph node involvement  and that he thought he had gotten everything.  Next I got a referral to an oncologist to see what my treatment if any would be.  At first he didn't think I would need treatment but he needed to see my full history before making a decision.  I prayed very sincerely to God that I didn't want to have chemo but if that was what I was suppose to do I would.  When I next saw the onc he told me he recommended 6 months of chemo because the combined size of both tumors was 8/10 of a centemeter over the size that would have meant no chemo.  Needless to say I was angry because God had let me "down".  The onc had drew pictures of the tumors so I could see the size.  Then he sent my newly introduced chemo nurse into the exam room to meet me and give me the scoop on all the wonderful drugs I would be getting.  Now I am a Christian and would not hurt anyone for anything and I remembered that I only had angry thoughts but she told me I actually said them to her.  She tried to put me a ease by saying something along the lines that WoW Doctor had drawn pictures for me and he had never drawn pictures for her.  Apparently I told her she could trade places with me and she could put her fat ass on the exam table and I would make stupid remarks to her. (I really only thought those words were in my mind only!)  She turned out to be another GodSend and we are still friends to this day.  I was so very frightened to do this chemo thing I had seen movies and read reports about hair loss, vomiting up blood, the whole nine yards.  I even developed a tic on my eye the jumped around all over the place.  I am a restless person and worried about what I would do for those hours spent sitting while poison dripped into my body.  My best friend Anne told me she would be with me every session and we would visit, play cards, watch tv whatever and when I puked she would puke.  What a Friend.  I prayed if I just didn't get sick I could handle the rest.  I never once got sick, however I craved cucumbers and strawberry's like there was going to be a shortage.  Couldn't get enough.  I did have some strange side effects but all in all not too bad an experience.  Made friends with other patients and Anne and I went to lunch and shopping every Tuesday.  I had treatment every other Tuesday and labs on alternate Tuesdays.  I can't remember how to spell the drugs so bear with me.  5 FU, Methaltrexate, and cytoxin.  After treatment tamoxifin then changed later to arimidex for 5 years. 

    Everything seemed to be going great.  My followup exams were alway good. Tumor markers low.  When I stopped the arimidex is when the tumor markers began to go up and down.  I thought I could put bc behind me and go on like it had never happened but I know now that it can be put on a shelf between visits, but that I will be consumed with sometime worries, some fears whatever for the rest of my life.  Because I finally decided to seek a site I have come to realize I am not alone in all my paranoia and that we all share the same in common.  I try to keep my chin up and most of the time I do pretty good it just every once in awhile (especially at night) the fear raised its ugly head.

    My husband was already ill when I was diagnosed.  He was so considerate and tried to help me as best he could when I was really, really tired.  He died 2 years after my chemo.  We were married for 36 years.

    Now for the reason I posted on this site.  I really need to give up the ciggs but fear (my middle name these days) that I will go thru the quitting and it will all be in vain.  Then again I think I will feel healthier and be stronger if I do.  I have one partial pack left and want to stop when gone.  I thought maybe I could exercise, ride bike, go for walk, work in small garden whatever each time the urge hit.  I really like my morning coffee and cigg and figure that will be the most difficult to let go.  I also smoke more before I have my labs done which probably causes my marker to go up. I just don't want to have a report of lung cancer to add to my resume.  Enough is enough.

    I have rambled on long enough but like I said this is the first time I have reached out or wanted to be a part of a support group.  Thank you all for listening to me and for being there.  God bless each and everyone of you.  Daphne

  • deanie
    deanie Member Posts: 15
    edited April 2009

    One of the things I forgot to mention....do you wonder why the med society talkes about all the harms of smoking, but when it came to the estrogen I took it was always for my own good and I know from the pathology report that the estrogen was what caused both my cancers.  Why aren't women told to quit taking estrogen?  Just wondering

  • malleme
    malleme Member Posts: 164
    edited April 2009

    Welcome Deanie,  I feel like God sent you to this group.  Welcome.

    I am presently in chemo and have had a few cigs mostly to stop the side effects.  I don't smoke the first week after chemo but by the 2nd week I admit I do cheat 1 or 2 a day.  Did you smoke while going thru chemo?

    I have  really cut down by using Chantix and just not feeling good lately.

      The ladies on this site are what keep me from running and getting a pack of cigs right now.  They are honest, funny and always available to help so Deanie jump right in your among great company for laughs, motivation and inspiration

  • tami48
    tami48 Member Posts: 270
    edited April 2009

    Just a quick note....I got home around 6 tonight, my dh and I spent the weekend at Hilton Head.  I like to go there and hit the Tanger Outlet Malls.  What can I say....I love to shop!  Although, please tell me how I'm supposed to find tops that look good when I'm a 32D now with 33 hips.  When I find a top that fits in the bust, it's too big everywhere else!  Totally sucks!

    Candie - 9 days!!!  That's GREAT!!

    I'm so glad to see so many ladies posting.  I love this thread!

    Goodnight!  <HUGS>

  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 309
    edited April 2009

    Deanie--the fact that you told your nurse to "get her fat ass on the table and switch places with you" cracked me up.  That is great stuff!  One thing I will say for this group, we may all have cancer, but the good Lord let us all keep our sense of humor.  In my case, I think it has gotten better.  I now find so many things funny....even stuff that use to make me angry now makes me giggle (for example--traffic).  So, I can honestly say I am grateful that cancer has brought me a new more light minded look at life.  Our time it too precious to be mad all the time.

    2newboobs, you went to Hilton Head and hit the malls?  Did you golf too?  What a great weekend.  We all need to get away once in awhile.  Welcome to the "clothing does not fit me" club.  I have been "blessed" (said sarcastically) with DD's while I am a size 10 on the bottom.  NOTHING fits me well, nothing ever has.  I wish I had advice for you other than finding a good tailor.  I had my cloths adjusted while I was working, but now that I am not, I just don't care too much.  I just have a lot of "tent" shirts....heehee.....Let me know if you find anything that works.

    Ellie