Thanks for all the congrats. To those chasing me, your vapaversaries will arrive sooner than you think. To those ahead of me, kudos to you! It hardly seems fair to be celebrating as it has been so painless and easy for me. This time.
I have had
three long quits in the past. The first was in the mid 70's. I quit by stepping down nicotine levels until I was able to stop smoking entirely. It lasted probably a year or so until I bummed one cigarette from a friend. I was soon back up to a carton a week. Then in the early 2000's I was able to quit with prescriptions for Wellbutrin and nicotine patches. That lasted until 2005 when I went on a Mediterranean cruise with my favorite aunt, a smoker. It kind of picked up gradually after that. I was able to not smoke when I needed to when visiting my daughter for a week or traveling with friends in Europe by using patches, which were now over the counter.
In late 2008 I was able to easily stop with Chantix. I really thought I'd never smoke another cigarette. Until my grandson moved in with me. He didn't smoke a lot, but the smell did linger right outside the front door. Then one day I bummed one off him and before I knew it I was back at it, though only 10 or so a day, In 2012 I just got fed up with smelling like cigarettes and, even though I didn't smoke in the house, the smell did leak in around the doors.
I bought my first little set-up online, put out my last cigarette, took my first e-puff and never looked back. I don't think I'll ever smoke again, but I've learned to never say never. I won't say that
vaping has saved my life because it will take many years to completely reverse the damage, if any, of my 45 year love affair with cigarettes, but it has certainly made my life more pleasant. And I love being part of this wonderful bunch here in the NT forum. So, thank you all again, and on to another year.
