Stop Smoking Support Thread
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I didn't go. Too bad since my niece lives by San Antonio, 4 hours away, and I haven't seen her since last January. Maybe I'll get out there during the holidays. Speaking of food - that's what I did instead, ate yummy cranberry scones, toasted & loaded with butter. I think lunch will be lemon pudding cake. Judi - I'm amazed that you just look. Now that my stomach has recovered & my taste buds have mostly returned from that ugly chemo, I seem to be eating everything.
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Guess I am a weenie too cause I would not have gone ... Yeah food is all I think of these days.. guess it is better than smokes ..lol I am still going strong . spent the day with the grandchildren and my DD ... was nice .. Tuesday is my ultra sound for my thyroid .. we shall see ..I am not even on chemo and eating everything minus ...
xoxoxoxo
Lisamarie
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Ha, ha ladies .... glad we are all weenies and I'm not the only one eating food. Actually, I'm in boot camp and on 1200 calories a day. Good lord .... it's like nothing. Anyways, I've lost 5 pounds but hungry all the time. I'm not eating enough protein ... don't know how but I'll get it. I'm not going to kill myself on this .... last night and tonight was Chinese food .... hmmmmm good! Tomorrow I'll have to be better. If I had walked more today I probably would be o.k. Anyways, misery loves company!
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Judi - I got through chemo by mixing instant protein power in drinks. Oh not what you think - not yummy Margaritas or Daiquiris - just milk or orange juice. It mixes w/most hot or cold foods - applesauce, oatmeal, etc. Anyway, it's made by Nestles Health Science and at least I got the required protein that I wasn't eating. I expect it would work for protein in dieting too. One serving (scoop) has 25 calories and 6g of protein (12% of daily requirements on a 2000 calorie diet).
LisaMarie - you are amazing. Isn't it something when it finally clicks? Not easy, in fact extremely hard, but doable. Hope the thyroid ULS goes well.
Just finished reading The Emperor of All Maladies - a biography of cancer. I'd put off reading because I thought it would depress me or be gory or whatever but it's really a fascinating history. Here's a snippet from history relevant to all of us:
"The last cigarette commercial was broadcast on television on January 1, 1971. At 11:59pm, on the first night of the New Year, the Virginia Slims slogan You've come a long way, baby flashed momentarily on TV screens and then vanished forever."
Interesting personal note - when I was pregnant in 1970 my doc said not to quit smoking during pregnancy since I would gain too much weight. How the world changes!!!
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Minus, that is crazy stuff.. I did not realize the cigarette commercials were gone at that time ... I was pregnant with in the 80 s and we were just talking the other day about being alloud to smoke in the hospitals back then .. we sure have com e a long way baby ..lol
The book sounds interesting ...
Lazy Sunday for me .. I will do some cleaning .. and go to the Christmas Tree Shop and see what trinkets I can buy .. not that I need them ... maybe go see the precious Grandchildren ... and then make it an early night .. as work tomorrow ..
XoXoXo
Just for today I Choose not to Smoke.....
Lisamarie
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Ha, ha .... MinusTwo and LisaMarie .... both funny stories. In Ontario, we are introducing a by-law that prohibits smoking on patios now ..... back in 1976 when I started working in the City of Toronto Health Department, the no-smoking movement was on the move. I thought "yeah, like this is going to fly .... it's like seeing pigs fly in the sky". Now, 2014, pigs are flying in the sky and pretty soon I don't know where you are going to smoke. Funny, the last 2 days two people have been in front of me in line-ups and they have stunk so much from tobacco that I thought I was going to pass out. See what the cold weather does to one of your senses .... I couldn't stand it. So LisaMarie, I tip my hat to you on making it .... as MinusTwo says it's hard but once you get on track .... no stopping you. Have fun buying your trinkets if you go. I'm almost finished .... I say almost because I buy but I like it so much I keep it. Money out the window they say!
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Great job on not smoking Lisamarie! and to all of us whether struggling or taking it minute by minute or day by day or year by year...WE ROCK! This chit is really really REALLY tough!
Love to all xoxo
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The tobacco companies actually conspired to get tobacco advertising off TV because of the Fairness doctrine. Everything was fine until John Banzhaf sued the tv stations with the fairness doctrine---that non-profits should have equal time on TV to counter cigarette ads--and he won---this is when Yul Brenner did the TV commercial against smoking before he died.
All of a sudden smoking rates started to drop. The tobacco companies wanted to stop the PSA's against their product and to do so, they had to stop advertising on TV too. But all it did was save them money, since TV advertising is so expensive. It really didn't hurt them but it helped them because TV stations no longer had to run free PSA's against smoking.
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/nc/nc2b_9.htm
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Very interesting, VJ! I would have never have thought that what I have always thought was a win for the non-profit quit smoking side was, in fact, a win at least in the beginning for the tobacco companies!
I must say though, as effective as I think the graphic nature of warnings on cigarette packs in other countries and the commercials shown here (at least in NY) are, I am not a fan! From my personal experience as a smoker, they told me nothing I didn't already know, made me feel horrible and so tense that I would reach for a cigarette. Not what they were going for I'm sure!
Where I do think the ads may be effective is in detering those who do not smoke from starting! Or possibly preventing a relapse in someone who has quit. And if that is true, I applaud those commercials!
Going on 5 years (in January) smoke-free and going strong!
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Seaside - how nice to see you. Thanks for chiming in with a 5 year win. CONGRATS. How are you going to celebrate? Miss you on the dinner thread!
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Thanks Minus!
Just got my monthly Quitnet email and according to the info I entered when I quit I am almost at $17,000 in savings!! Wow.... Just.wow!
Been going through a bit of a rough patch and have not been posting much but try to read when I can. Hoping to jump back in on the Dinner thread soon! That thread moves so fast that it is tough keep up but it is such a fun thread and never fails to interest me! Great people and what's not to love about food, right?
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Seaside - the dollars are amazing aren't they. Hope you get over the rough patch soon. Hugs.
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VJ - great info as always. Thanks for posting.
April - glad to hear from you.
Now we just have to "find" Beckers.
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The more I know about the tobacco companies, the more I know they are evil incarnate. Most people do think that banning tobacco commercials on TV was a good thing but the tobacco companies have controlled their marketplace for too long. They are light years ahead of the rest of us in their planning and scheming to protect their blood money profits.
I do a presentation on the RICO case against the tobacco companies. Most do know they were convicted but when you look into the the facts of the case, it just blows my mind how they have manipulated the public going back to the early 1950's. They knew at that time that smoking was causing lung cancer. So they all got together and issued the "Frank Statement". Which basically said--nobody knows what causes cancer but somebody should find out and if we ever do find out our product is harmful - we'll let you know. And to show you what good guys we are, we're going to fund research to find out if smoking is harmful." That was a a sham.
That started their conspiracy. There were seven pillars of fraud that the government proved and convicted them of under RICO. If you really want to get pissed off, after spending millions of $$$ and over 15 years getting through the legal system (and the case still isn't over), all they got was a slam on the hand. They are so good at controlling politicians from the local levels to the state and federal levels. They know everything that is going on and they fight dirty. Even the Master settlement, which makes the tobacco companies give money to the states--is in their favor. Instead of using the money to clean up the mess they created (helping smokers quit or at least paying for medical services), the states are encouraged to use the money for anything else but cessation and prevention. It would be as if Exxon after spilling oil in Alaska, told the state to use the money on something other than cleaning up the oil spill and kept dumping oil into the environment.
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Recently finished reading Emperor of all Maladies. It has a really good history of the tobacco companies & legislation.
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VJ, from the parts I have read of this, it is fascinating and maddening! Thanks for the link. I am hoping that some of my friends/family will read some of it and take it to heart. This has been a long battle for me (40+ years) and I am one who believed the BS about light cigarettes, even AFTER the reports came out saying there was no discernible difference and in fact, they may be worse. ugh...I was in such denial and would believe whatever kept me puffing away at the time. Even after 19 months, I still struggle sometimes. It is truly a beast.
Hugs and Happy Thanksgiving to all of my sisters in battle. xoxo
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Hello. I am still hanging in there. My UHaul trailer was stolen during my move back home with my hubby. I would love to smoke. Stress is unbelievable right now.But....I don't think I will ever be able to quit again. So....I didn't.
Just wanted to wish you a happy Thanksgiving.
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Bradley Jameson. One month old already!
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Beckers - Congrats that you didn't smoke, although it certainly sounds like you had grounds. The baby is adorable. Thanks for posting the picture. Glad to hear from you.
April - yup I bought the story too - I started with Kent's (because my first boy friend's father smoked those), went to Virginia Slims and finally to Benson Hedges lights. I wanted to believe lights were better, so.... I flirted with Kools off & on when I had a cold or a respiratory infection. Note - I didn't stop smoking when I was sick - just switched to menthols. How dumb was that. 45 years!!!
It should have been easy for me to quit. Parents never smoked, husband never smoked, son brought home all the stuff from school & cried that I was going to die. But we all have to quit when we're ready. For those of you still trying, your time will come. Don't give up. At the risk of sounding silly - remember the Little Engine That Could - I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I knew I could.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Judi - do you have a holiday in Canada that compares?
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Hi everyone! Wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and hope it is a good one! No MinusTwo, our holiday doesn't compare. Our Thanksgiving is in October and we don't have any parades or Black Friday but it still is a holiday .... no workie for me! Beckers, boy when the shit hits the fan, it sure hits. That sucks that someone stole the u-haul ... real low! Anyways, I wanted to share something with you ladies .... I think it will affect all of us (in a good way). I don't know how to post it on here so if someone is so kind to email me their email address then I can email it to you, and you can post it. I absolutely loved it when I received it, and I think all of you will to. Beckers, love the pic .... how beautiful .... so innocent. Try and keep it that way so no harm comes to someone so beautiful!
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Thanks to all of you for your friendship. It's made my journey easier.
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Hoping all of you ladies had a great Thanksgiving! I loved seeing my grandbaby soooo much. Got to hold her a lot (except when she was hungry which was a LOT! lol) and it was a great day!
Judi, I PM'd you as requested.
Beckers, that sucks about the U-Haul being stolen! Your grandbaby is gorgeous!!
Hugs to all and Happy Black Friday...me, I NEVER shop on this weekend. I know better...lol
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Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends ... I had an ok day .. the best part was seeing my grandchildren ... I think I am not working today .. boss has not texted me back .. so I am going to hit a meeting today . I need it so much ... The home life is blah ... I keep thinking of the word insanity when I think of home repeating the same thing over and over expecting different results .. Ugh ...
Other than that I cooked sweet potato casserole , stuffing, green bean casserole, bisquits, potatoes , brussel sprouts, turkey, choclate creme pie, apple pie with crumble topping ... I enjoyed it ... I did not smoke so that means everything to me ...
LOve the grandbaby april ..
xoxoxoxo sorry if I missed conversations .. Im trying to hurry so he does not come over here ad read thus
Lisamarie
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http://www.thepastwhispers.com/train_17_edited1.jpg Here you go Judi!
At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our life.Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, thank God for the journey.Lastly,I thank youfor being one of the passengers on my train.
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LisaMarie - so glad you'll get to go to a meeting today. We all need a re-charge occasionally. Big congrats for not smoking when things get rocky.
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Thanks MinusTwo .... every time I read this I get goose bumps. It is so true! LisaMarie .... stay tough and look into your inner self for strength!
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Um Judi, I posted it, not Minus Two..LOL
LisaMarie, you have come a long long way since a few months ago. Stay strong sister! xo
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April - you beat me in saying so. I had seen the story somewhere else but thanks for posting.
I like the train image. Houston does not have trains. In fact Texas doesn't have trains from one city to another. So train memory time. My Dad rode the train in to San Francisco to work every day when I was young, and we rode it in to meet him for lunch - just one child at a time for a special treat. When I got my driver's license we were allowed to drive him to the station at the crack of dawn on special occasions so I could take the car to school. We rode the train across country in the summer to visit the grandparents after my youngest baby brother was born - on the VistaDome no less, and I took it back & forth to college several times. I stayed w/friends around Larchmont one time & rode the train into NYC several times. My favorite train trip was when there was still a Canadian National Railway. We rode from Vancouver to Lake Louise & Banff - and stayed at each of those wonderful places a couple of days. What a fabulous trip. I'd like to re-create it but the Rocky Mountaineer seems to have lots of bus sections and looks very expensive. Well it's on my bucket list. Sorry for TMI.
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Oh no April485 ..... I've made a big mistake when you were so kind to post this. I've been so busy cleaning all day that I don't know what I was thinking ... I saw MinusTwo's post and my mind went there. Please accept this BIG apology .... a mistake never to happen again. But once again, thanks for posting.
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Judi - if it were me I'd never dare say it won't happen again. I've just gotten goofy somehow. But my standard excuse is Chemo Brain. Yesterday, today & tomorrow. Just sent my son a link to review and he said I sent the same link a year ago. Oops. Chemo Brain!!
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