My ONE YEAR Anniversary!

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bdsimpkins

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ECF Veteran
Nov 6, 2009
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SF Bay Area, CA
I wrote the following thread on my 100th day of non-smoking. It's now been a FULL YEAR! I still have same feelings and intent as I did over nine months ago. Short of a little weight gain - I have never felt healthier! I have recently bought a road bike and ride 20 - 30 miles on my days off. Here's what I previously wrote:


Wow, it is my own 100 day ONE YEAR mark of not smoking!!

Here is a re-cap of my smoking years: Started smoking non-filtered cigarettes (Camels) at 15 as kind of a test… “If I can handle these, I will be a smoker – if not, I will be a non-smoker”… Well, it stuck and my smoking addiction went on to become a 1-2 pack a day habit for the last 35 years. I moved from Camel non-filtered to Camel Filters to Camel Lights as the years passed. In my forties, I quit several times; varying from a month to almost a year. Invariably, I found myself falling off the wagon and bumming a cigarette whenever I found a friend smoking “my brand”.

Both of my parents smoked cigarettes. My father now has advanced stage emphysema and my mother was diagnosed with COPD ten years ago and lung cancer five years ago. Upon being notified of my mom’s cancer, I made a concerted effort to quit smoking for good. What a battle! During this time I tried patches, gum, cold turkey, Wellbutrin and even hypnosis. All utter failures… I remember five years ago of going out for a cigarette while my mother was in surgery to remove a part of her own lung. The surgeon came out to tell my siblings about the outcome of her surgery and I was there, reeking of cigarette smoke!

I discovered e-cigarettes through an acquaintance that had brought me a brochure from a mall kiosk e-cig salesman. They had given him a “trial puff” and he was amazed at the “real cigarette” feel of the vapor. I went on the web to find out more about these crazy “e-cig things” and came across this website. After lurking for a few days, I purchased my first PV (a Joye 510), e-juice and PCC from one of our trusted vendors.

My initial reaction to vaping was one of complete surprise and I quit smoking analogs that very day! I remember reading a post here from one of our members who said “…All I know is that I was hopelessly addicted to Marlboro Reds in every way (like most every smoker), and just up and quit painlessly. I know I'm ranting and making a speech here but it's the truth. To be honest, the fact that I no longer smoke is ....... ridiculous...” I couldn’t have said it any better.

It pains me to inform this forum, that my mother passed away of lung cancer on January 29th of this year. Through my sorrow, I can at least take some solace in that she finally got to see me quit smoking (for good) through my use of the e-cigarette.

The fact that I have now quit smoking for 100 days ONE YEAR is no surprise. Because of e-cigarettes, I will never go back to smoking analogs. Period. My surprise remains with the fact that e-cigarettes are not completely mass-marketed to every smoker on this crazy planet of ours.

Brad
 

Kate51

Vaping Master
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Mar 27, 2009
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Huge Congratulations, Brad, it is a very bittersweet thing to have found a way to survive well!
Very sorry about your Mom, I think you may be right, I'm glad she knew ~ we all take responsibility for what we do, but a little sharing the pain goes a long way. I'm glad you found your way as well. I knew exactly what was coming if I couldn't quit smoke.
I smoked for 44 years and couldn't have stopped without my e-cig. I took a chance it wouldn't be foolish! That was before I found ECF, by the way. Since 2009 in March, we've grown from about 5000 members to 47,124 . Not too bad for mass-marketing. But a ways to go still.
Best of luck to you.
Kate
 

hushedpuppy

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
May 26, 2010
174
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Greensboro, NC
Congratulations, Brad, on reaching a very BIG milestone! And my condolences on the loss of your mom.

My dad had lung cancer and my story is similar to yours. On leaving the hospital after learning that his cancer was inoperable, everybody else in the family threw their cigarette packs in the trash. I took a cig out of mine and smoked it. :( That was 24 years ago and it took me all this time to find a way to throw away my analogs for good.

Thank you very much for sharing your story. It encourages me as I travel the road behind you. :)
 
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