My aunts quiting smoking!!!

[Harmanie]

Hi! I have been gone from pt for three days now. I was at my aunts house because she called me up asking for support.

She had one pack of smokes left and she really wanted to quit. So basically for three days we have been hiking, swimming, going to the gym, cleaning, and cooking to get her mind off of smoking! I'm still at her house but she let me use her computer. But let me tell you, Doing this for her is kinda scary!!!
She gets sooo mad sooo easily. But whats so odd is that she hasn't gotten mad at me yet! lol

But yesturday, my unkle came in 20 minits late and she was like cussing him out and crying and screaming. I got scared so I went up stairs and let them duke it out. I came back down stairs when it was all cooled down!

I knew she was just having withdrawls. but still ya know???

I'm just glad that I can help her! But she just gets so scary somtimes! What should I do?

[lizzielou742]

That's awesome for your aunt. It's something I am going through too, so I'll tell you what works for me and maybe it would work for your aunt. I read a great article about smoking in the latest issue of SELF magazine (with Drew Barrymore on the cover) that seriously made me want to quit!!! So maybe show her that for "inspiration."

More inspiration/help breaking the habit (it's working for me, anyway):
-Add up how much money she'll be saving in a year by quitting smoking
-send her to quittobacco.org
-see if you can find her a quit smoking discussion/support group in her area
-get her something to play with or hold in her hands, like a rubbing stone, a handheld video game, or some needlepoint/sewing
-buy her some gum or hard candy to chew on/suck on
-look for some other way for her to reduce stress (you said you're exercising together, which is awesome. Yoga, pilates or massages work for me!!). Cleaning, cooking, meditation, sleep.

Every day she is off the cigarettes, the moodiness will get better and better. If she can make it through the next 4 days to a week, she'll have made it through the roughest part. Just your being there for her is awesome!!

Let us know how it goes!

[Harmanie]

Sure no problem! Hey thanks for the advice. I know that smoking is sooooo expensive! But In a way I am so proud of her. Its hard ya know?

[Tina]

That is great!!

I am also trying to quit smoking. I am going to try it just cold turkey. So far it is working pretty well. I did quit for 3 weeks in July then started again this month. It has been 2 days since I've had one so I hope I can keep it up.

[Karen]

Harmanie I am so proud of you for helping you Aunt!
Tina, Lizzielou - I'm proud of you, too!

It is not easy, but it IS worth it. My Dad - a long-term smoker who had to walk out of the house and uphill to the garage to smoke when he was home - never even smoked on the porch or when or where we kids could see him. He knew how bad it was for him, an asthmatic, and never wanted us to pick up the habit. (He started smoking when he joined the Army at age just-barely 17, when they gave out cigarettes to soldiers! Egads!)

He quit cold turkey about 10-12 years ago. He was going to go the hospital to get a (benign) cyst on his neck removed, and knew he couldn't smoke in the hospital. So a couple weeks ahead, he quit cold turkey. He says now that HE wouldn't have wanted to live with him during those two weeks (doesn't know how Ma stood it, or why the dog didn't bite him!) but has been glad ever since that he did it.

Benefits to quitting smoking (besides the obvious health benefits) that he points out:

1. You can suddenly taste everything so much better. Chocolate becomes more chocolate, tomatoes more tomatoey, etc. etc. It's a pleasure!

2. You smell better to others

3. The world smells better to you

So it may take a little time, and it's not pleasant WHILE you quit, but the rest of your life gets better - in big and small ways - every day afterwards!

[Harmanie]

Why thank you Karen. Oh and Tina, Good luck. I know that you can do it. But I found out some news today that really desterbed me. A while back I was house sitting for my aunt, Tessa, who just quit smoking. I was house sitting her house with my other aunt,Birnie, who also smokes. But at this time, my aunt Tessa was not smoking but my aunt Birnie said that she was. So this gave her an excuse to smoke in the house while we house sat. So when Tessa came back from vacation, she could smell the smoke and she got that craving. I guess sense then she started to smoke again. But finally she quit and thats why I'm here. But I'm so gosh darn(Excuse my language) Pissed!!!

But at least Tessa quit. Birnie still smokes though.

[slick]

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/ped_10_3.asp

Here's a link for quitting tips from the American Cancer Society. You might want to call an ACS office close to you to see if they have a Quit Line (a support phone number for smokers who want to quit). The Canadian Cancer Society has a toll free number for people who want to quit smoking and they can call it anytime just to talk things out and get additional information.

Congratulations to you and all you are doing to help out your Aunt. Kudos for your Aunt too; quitting smoking is one of the hardest things to do.

Tina, congrats to you too! Keep up the good work. I hope you too, have a good support system.

[davidpizzica]

Harmanie, I applaud your efforts to get your aunt to quit smoking. I am am ex-smoker. I smoked from 1962 to January 31st 1982 at 10:00 at night. I did it the tough way, cold turkey! I took a puff of one six weeks later, and I thought I was going to die! After that no more cigarettes! Harmanie, I hope your aunt gets the message and QUITS!

[Tonya]

Good for your aunt! That is wonderful that you are supporting her. I've quit smoking many times in my life. This last time around was easy because I was pregnant. For whatever reason (God's intervention), I can't stand cigarettes as soon as I become pregnant. So I'd actually quit smoking a few weeks before I even knew I was pregnant. I think I was probably only 2-3 days pregnant when I suddenly couldn't stand them. I have no intention of starting back up after the baby is born.

[Harmanie]

Hey thanks guys!! But really the thanks do go to her. Ya know?? she is the one making encredible effort! She also did it cold turkey! I Guess this is a good esperience for me. NO SMOKING! LOL

[DJFyrewolf36]

Glad you're aunt is quitting! I can't stand cigarettes, even when I did smoke bleh. I quit cold turkey myself, boy was I a big so and so lol! I'm trying to get John to quit...he says he will quit when he is good and ready . I think he has such an aversion to quitting because his mom (and everyone else) gives him so much hell about it. Sigh, stubborn men...

My mom quit cold turkey when the doctor told her that if she kept smoking it would really mess with her ulcer. Flushed her last pack down the toilet about 20 years ago and never looked back! Her story really inspired me to quit.

[davidpizzica]

Originally posted by DJFyrewolf36
Glad you're aunt is quitting! I can't stand cigarettes, even when I did smoke bleh. I quit cold turkey myself, boy was I a big so and so lol! I'm trying to get John to quit...he says he will quit when he is good and ready . I think he has such an aversion to quitting because his mom (and everyone else) gives him so much hell about it. Sigh, stubborn men...

My mom quit cold turkey when the doctor told her that if she kept smoking it would really mess with her ulcer. Flushed her last pack down the toilet about 20 years ago and never looked back! Her story really inspired me to quit.

I"m glad to hear it, DJF! We are both Missouri Synod Lutheran ex-smokers!!!

[DJFyrewolf36]

Originally posted by david p
I"m glad to hear it, DJF! We are both Missouri Synod Lutheran ex-smokers!!!

Happy to be one too!

[sammy101]

thats wonderful!! My dad quit about 10 years ago,and he's doing great.but still has a smokers caugh

[Harmanie]

Oh that stinks. I guess my aunt Tessa is lucky that she doesn't have that. But my aunt Birnie( the one who still smokes) has a horrible smokers cough. She won't do anything about it cause she doesn't want to quit!