Two Years, Baby

Today marks two years since I smoked my last cigarette. That's 17,544 smoke-free hours. That's approximately 18,275 cigarettes that have gone unsmoked. That's somewhere in the neighborhood of $3,000 saved.

I've not experienced a single nicotine fit since I stopped. I get sudden urges for a smoke on a regular basis, but those are either habit-driven or simple wants (as opposed to anxiety-laced needs associated with nicotine withdrawal) that are easily and quickly denied when I remind myself how pissed off I'd be at having to start the smoke-free count back from zero again.

Here's the email I sent to some former co-workers about two hours before I had my final smoke (what I hope will prove to be my last smoke ever... I don't want to start thinking like a real ex-smoker because I've known too many people who fell off the wagon many years after stopping):

From:
Date: Mon, Feb 5, 2007 at 3:52 PM
Subject: D-Day Minus One

While on vacation last month, decided that it was time that I finally get serious about giving up cigarettes. Went to the doc who recommended a fairly new drug called Chantix that's designed to stop dopamine production in reaction to nicotine intake. Supposed to take this for seven days before I actually stop smoking. It finally started to take affect on Saturday about lunchtime (day 5): I went through just short of the normal number of smokes that day, but with only one or two exceptions, I would take maybe five or six puffs before realizing that I wasn't getting that little nicotine buzz and put it out. Sunday, same thing but went through only half a pack (100% behavioral: would realize that I'd lit a smoke without intending to while drinking my morning coffee or working on the PC or watching TV or sleeping or breathing or . . .).

Today (day 7), I've had two cigarettes in 10 hours -- none at all in nearly 7 hours -- and only did a few puffs on those.

This Chantix is some pretty cool shit.

Tomorrow is when I'm supposed to really quit, and as recently as Saturday morning I was kind of worried whether I could do it, but my confidence is now increasing. I've bought a mound of gum and mints for the apt, car, and office. At the moment, I'm taking a break from cleaning the apt, which means that any last smokes will have to be enjoyed outside in the comfort of our zero-degree wind chills tonight.

So anyway, I'm just kinda bragging some. Maybe within a month I won't get winded and start coughing at the mere thought of physical activity (whatever that is).