Today is
smoke-free day 367, if you count the first day as Day One. Throw in a leap year, and in
Maggie Mathit's time to celebrate the first of what I hope will be many anniversaries of the day I chose to give up every single bullshit reason not to quit smoking and to just do this thing.
Today, One Year, Smoke-Free, Me!
I feel like this should be a really super special post full of really deep insight or something, but really today will be a continuation of those days before it, a continuation of the same things I've been writing about here for the past year. I will commit to myself not to smoke today, one day at a time and then just keep that commitment, even if there may always be certain times I'd still love to be able to smoke with impunity. This is a choice I make daily for reasons I used to read from a piece of paper for courage but that are now becoming more of a living and breathing part of this new smoke-free me.
This year I've started living life more fully, beginning with
that first postabout my decision to try
Chantixand the days leading up to
my quit day poston June 18, 2007 (Day 13 on Chantix because I set my drop dead no matter what quit date further out since I felt I needed more time -
some people just do). If you are interested in reading from the start of my journey, you can start with
the archives pagefor June 2007, and read from the bottom up, month by month. I've had a lot to say, and the search box is your friend for specifics topics. Also, my email address does work, and I don't bite.
Unless you look too delicious. Or taste like a latte. Yummy!Other folks' blogs and articles I've found helpful along my journey are in my
Linky Loos, and
this particular portionof
this particular siteis a really great starting point for information and inspiration. One of many excellent bits on that page is this about what happens when we quit smoking:
20 minutes after quitting:Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
(Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification, Mahmud, A, Feely, J. 2003.Hypertension:41:183.)
12 hours after quitting:The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1988, p. 202)
2 weeks to 3 months after quitting:Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp.193, 194,196, 285, 323)
1 to 9 months after quitting:Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)
1 year after quitting:The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)
5 years after quitting:Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)
10 years after quitting:The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152, 155, 164,166)
15 years after quitting:The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker's.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)
And so, here at one year smoke free, still counting the days every single day because this works for me, my risk of coronary heart disease, an issue of particular concern in my family, is half that of a non-smoker.
What it didn't say is that at 1 year after quitting:
I have met some of the most wonderful fellow quitters (and even just fellow
people who blogbecause this experience has led me
beyond just not smoking) whose words have helped me along my journey and without whom this would have been so much tougher and likely not nearly as enjoyable. You all know who you are - if I've read about your quitting experience or you have ever left me an encouraging comment, that's you. From the bottom of my heart, sincerely, THANK YOU.
At the request of several of my favorite readers, I will come up with a way to celebrate in style, Maggie style, likely involving coffee, but for now
the laptopback in April and the
bloggy redesignwere both pretty much rationalized in advance of this day. It may sound simple to say, but waking up another day, being able to take a deep breath all the way to the bottom of my lungs, not coughing no matter if I'm laughing so hard that I pee my pants and feeling like I'll make it to bedtime without
sucking poisoninto my lungs is reward enough for a girl like me.
Today, One Year, Smoke-Free, Me!
I feel like this should be a really super special post full of really deep insight or something, but really today will be a continuation of those days before it, a continuation of the same things I've been writing about here for the past year. I will commit to myself not to smoke today, one day at a time and then just keep that commitment, even if there may always be certain times I'd still love to be able to smoke with impunity. This is a choice I make daily for reasons I used to read from a piece of paper for courage but that are now becoming more of a living and breathing part of this new smoke-free me.
This year I've started living life more fully, beginning withthat first postabout my decision to tryChantixand the days leading up tomy quit day poston June 18, 2007 (Day 13 on Chantix because I set my drop dead no matter what quit date further out since I felt I needed more time -some people just do). If you are interested in reading from the start of my journey, you can start withthe archives pagefor June 2007, and read from the bottom up, month by month. I've had a lot to say, and the search box is your friend for specifics topics. Also, my email address does work, and I don't bite.
Unless you look too delicious. Or taste like a latte. Yummy!Other folks' blogs and articles I've found helpful along my journey are in myLinky Loos, andthis particular portionofthis particular siteis a really great starting point for information and inspiration. One of many excellent bits on that page is this about what happens when we quit smoking:
And so, here at one year smoke free, still counting the days every single day because this works for me, my risk of coronary heart disease, an issue of particular concern in my family, is half that of a non-smoker.
What it didn't say is that at 1 year after quitting:
I have met some of the most wonderful fellow quitters (and even just fellowpeople who blogbecause this experience has led mebeyond just not smoking) whose words have helped me along my journey and without whom this would have been so much tougher and likely not nearly as enjoyable. You all know who you are - if I've read about your quitting experience or you have ever left me an encouraging comment, that's you. From the bottom of my heart, sincerely, THANK YOU.
At the request of several of my favorite readers, I will come up with a way to celebrate in style, Maggie style, likely involving coffee, but for nowthe laptopback in April and thebloggy redesignwere both pretty much rationalized in advance of this day. It may sound simple to say, but waking up another day, being able to take a deep breath all the way to the bottom of my lungs, not coughing no matter if I'm laughing so hard that I pee my pants and feeling like I'll make it to bedtime withoutsucking poisoninto my lungs is reward enough for a girl like me.