But first time I had that one, it was almost a religious experience.![]()
Hmmmm..... I'll have what he's having!
But first time I had that one, it was almost a religious experience.![]()
I haven't shared this story before, and I'll go into the longer version some other time, but in 1989 when I was 19 and my Mom was 56, she had a massive heart attack that killed off 2/3's of her heart. Both my parents were heavy smokers (I often had to run to the drugstore with one of my siblings for "Silva Thins" for them!!) Sometime in the early 80's my Dad did Smoke-enders and it worked - he never smoked again, but Mom still did. Because of the damage, her heart could not work well enough and she was constantly going back to the hospital for weeks at a time in congestive heart failure. In July, 1990 we were told she needed a heart transplant - again, this was 1990 - this was not as common as it is now and it was terrifying. Again, long story, details for another time, but on November 16, 1990 she was being discharged, again, from a hospital in Newark, NJ when we got the call - a 16 year old boy had been killed 2 miles away and she was getting his heart. To this day I still can't say that or write that without choking up - how a parent makes such a brave decision at such a tragic time is beyond me. She was the 11th heart transplant done in NJ and the 4th one done that week. Now note - it was 5 years AFTER seeing her go through all that I went from a random social smoker to a full time smoker, soon a pack and a half a day smoker.If I could go back and talk to my 25 year old self....
But, my point is that maybe 8 or 9 years after the transplant, she told me this: One day, she was walking upstairs with the laundry basket from the basement and thought to herself "I'll just have a cigarette and then bring the basket up to the 2nd floor". It took her a minute to remember "oh wait - I haven't smoked in 9 or 10 years!" This was a woman who went through the worst you can imagine and still had that thought. I think a part of it becomes so ingrained in you - and it's not really the nicotine that you want, not when it's been so long - in this case, she wanted her "reason" to stop what she was doing and rest. For a lot of people, like me, like my Mom - that cig was permission to slow down and sit for 5 minutes. If you did that without the cig, it doesn't feel right - like you are doing something wrong/lazy, etc. A lot of smokers and ex-smokers are riddled with anxieties and fears and failure is one of those fears. I know I've been my own worst enemy with quit attempts in the past. There is just such a psychological pull towards smoking - it's easy to let that get the best of you.
My Mom passed away in 2002, not due to her heart but it was still a smoking related death.vaping has been a miracle for me and 5 week present to myself was a small charm that says "I can"....because I can and I am.
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Lots of great flavors out there. I haven't even scratched the surface myself.
I always suggest looking for vendors who do "sample packs". You'll want to try different ones, find the ones you really like. I think it makes a big difference finding the flavors you really enjoy. It "pulls" you toward the vaping and away from the cigs. Heh, my cigs never gave me blueberries.
MBV... Mount Baker Vapor? I haven't bought from them myself but I see folks here talking about them often.
Oh boy. Another site to bookmark.![]()
How do you find vendors that offer sample packs?
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How do you find vendors that offer sample packs?
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
I've had a couple dozen vape converts, about half of them go back to smoking.
You have to WANT to get rid of the cigs. That's it. Wanting to save money, or smell better, or breath better, or live longer........ won't do the trick.
Retired1: Give it a couple months. Then light one up of you favorite brand of cigarette. Do it. It will be enshrined in your memory as the foulest taste you have ever experienced. You will never crave another. You need to get a couple months under your belt before you do it though. Give your brain to reprogram your sense of taste.
Oh just as you gather bookmarks of sites people recommend, check to see if they offer them. A lot of the liquid vendors do. Like, oh, I just bookmarked Mom & Pop since folks talk about them often and their site has this: Samples. I'm going to order their Tobacco Pack when I get a chance. I'm finding sweet flavors I like but not yet a tobacco like flavor (but want one... I like Blu's version, their "Classic Tobacco", so I want to try finding some others).
Lot of the vendors offer samplers of several flavors. It's a great way to try out several and see which ones you like most.
If you like sweet, try Heather's Heavenly Vapes tobacco vapes. They are NET's (although there are three tobacco's that aren't. Read the description or type NET in the search box). Most have a sweetness to the tobacco and it is a great balance. Dark Horse and Huntsman are the least sweet (I think I'm remembering correctly). Shadow, Dragons Fire, Heanvenly Army are fantastic vapes to get started into the NET tobacco area. Very reasonably priced too.
You should go to the "blogs" link at the top of the page...I did that last night.....and found a VERY interesting thread about alkaloids that are in cigarette smoke...that seem to have been proven to show that some folks don't get enough from vaping alone...many reasons for this....it's a MUST read for all of us here. I was so intrigued by this that I printed out 5 copies of the 3 part article to give to some folks where I work, one of whom just now is starting to give vaping a try as a means to quit smoking. Go there and read it yourself...and become more informed. I consider it to be crucial information for any of us who have an interest in trying to get others to follow in our footsteps. I am very glad that I happen to fall into the group described in the blog who are easily able to stay away from smoking with only vaping.
My dad was 2 PAD for 40+ years and quit without WTA, I was 1 PAD+ for 14. You can easily do it without them if you want to. Yes I went through withdrawals, and yes I dealt it with. I'm also glad I did, I'm not sure if being addicted to more than just nicotine would have helped me quit the actual cigarettes in any way shape or form.
I'm hovering over the checkout button for Aroma ejuice WTA liquid, but I'm hesitant. I just want to not be a slave to smoking, nothing else, I don't care about the buzz or anything else, just losing my addiction.
I'm vaping nonstop and it seems to keep my craving at bay but there's that psychological thing where you want a cigarette which is what made it so hard for me to attempt cold turkey. I gave in today to one analog but it felt more like I was just curious and 'not ready' to trash the ciggs since I'm only on day 3, but that could just be addiction rationalization...
In all fairness, Alex is aware of it and he apologized early on.
