Show Calling it Quits Brenda Lewis Globe Weekly News For the last few months Ive I've been waking up with numbness numbness numbness numb numb- ness in my left hand On Wednesday June 8 81 I finally went to my doctor to check it out Being a smoker off andon and andon andon on for the last 32 years made me think I might be developing develop develop- ing heart problems The EKG revealed that all was well and Dr suggested suggested sug sug- I stop sleeping on my left arm He surprised me though when he kindly looked me in the eye and said I beg you to quit smoking Doctors dont don't say that any any- more In the past visits to other doctors always included ed a stern stem look over tilted spectacles with the admonishment admonishment admon admon- that cigarettes were going to kill me I hadn't heard the lecture in more than five years so I I. I figured that they had given up Not on me particularly but buton buton buton on smokers in general Noone No Noone Noone one is going to stop smoking unless they really want to and I suppose doctors simply got tired of talking to the hand According to the American Cancer Society's web site smoking org Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease Cigarettes cause more deaths than cocaine auto accidents AIDS alcohol heroin fire suicide and homicide com com- There are over 1200 lives lost every single day from the results of cigarette smoking That would be the same as if every person I know was suddenly gone from the face of the earth Im I'm not even sure I know 1200 people I suppose I could m make e a list but you get my po point lOt Dr remark made me think Maybe I 1 really should stop smoking REALLY quit smoking Id I'd quit lots of times throughout the years I used nicotine patches I attended an eight eight- week smoking non-smoking class atthe at atthe atthe the American Cancer Society I tried hypnosis nicotine gum and aversion therapy I went cold turkey once only to have my boss ask me Why are you crying crying crying cry cry- ing When I told her I wanted a cigarette she said Then go smoke for chris- chris sakes Each attempt resulted in days weeks and sometimes months of freedom from cig- cig eJ except for Jor the cold turkey incident which lasted I think about an hour and a half Eventually I would always pick up a cigarette telling myself that I would be able to smoke just a little bit NOTOn NOT On my way yay back to work from the doctors doctor's office I thought about how much I wished I had just never started started started start start- ed smoking True to statistics statistics statis statis- tics I began smoking smoking- at 16 and was fully addicted by 19 At 16 I would bum cigarettes cigarettes cigarettes ciga ciga- from smokers or steal them from my mom By 19 I was ensuring I always had my next fix by keeping a apack apack apack pack with me 24 The ACS confirms that I Iwas Iwas Iwas was right on track Sixty percent of smokers start by the age of 14 and 90 percent of smokers are firmly addicted addict addict- ed before reaching age 19 Wanting to quit is nothing new for me Being successful successful success success- ful in doing so is Back at the there is isa isa isa a link called Quitting Tips Patrick Reynolds starts the page with a message in bold letters YOU CAN DO IT That got my attention and I read on One of his first suggestions suggestions suggestions sug sug- is to get support in inthe inthe inthe the endeavor This is where you all come in I think telling you about the process of seriously quitting smoking smoking smoking ing will help me keep at it I have friends and family whom I love and who love me They've seen me try and fail so many times that it would be meaningless at this point to announce to them that Im I'm quitting ing I dont don't know that they would even look up actually but I know they would be happy for me if I did Being accountable to somebody is is' important and Im I'm hoping all of you will keep me honest My dad died of lung cancer at the age of 54 That's only four years older than I am now One of the last times I saw him about 6 months before he died he told me to quit smoking He looked so pathetic and sad I told him I would So on June 19 I intend to give up cigarettes forever Its It's Fathers Father's Day and it seems like a good day dayto to start Ill I'll keep you posted Editors Editor's Note Calling it Quits will be a five part series on the struggles of becoming a non lOn If you'd like to share your comments suggestions suggestions suggestions or personal stories stories' on smoking email Brenda at bas- bas |