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The week before quitting
2004-08-30, 10:30 a.m.

Days T -7 to T -1

My employer sponsored a quit smoking class, to be given by a local HMO. Total of 4 classes, during our lunch hour, Monday & Wednesday for 2 weeks. Cost was $50 - company picked up the first $25, we paid the remainder. The remainder was refunded after completion of the classes. Essentially a free class.

The class was very informative. The instructor (Denny) packed a lot of material into her 1 hour presentations. During the first session (8/16), I decided to pick 8/22 as my last day of smoking. That way, I would have 2 classes for support during the first few days of quitting. In addition, the class included support phone calls on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 30. Figured by quitting during the classes, I'd get some extra support and be able to spread it out over the first 5 days or so.

One of the exercises we did for class was to track 48 hours worth of our own smoking in a journal. We were to track when, where, with whom, emotional state at the time and level of urge to have that smoke. Very enlightening. Mostly smoked by myself, either in the break room at work or in the van. Only time I smoked with the wife was at home in the evening, having cocktail(s) out on the patio. (We decided long ago to not smoke in the house, even in winter, so the garage or patio is really "it" for us at home.) The most telling fact - my "urge" to smoke was never that high - seems like it was more something I did to pass the time or did out of habit. Very powerful information.

Saturday, 8/21, we took our youngest son back to school at SUNY Fredonia. Made the ~2 hour drive with only 2 cigs. Oldest son showed up with his girlfriend just in time to help us hump all the gear up to the third floor. Got youngest in & settled, oldest headed back to girlfriends. Wife & I head home. Wife says she'll quit with me - and she knows 8/22 is the last day for smoking. On top of that, she declares that she will forego her usual cocktail the minute she gets home from work every day. I'm liking this because I've been after to cut back on drinking for quite a few years now. Anyhow - on the way home we stop and get OUR LAST pack of butts, to share that evening and for however long it lasts on Sunday. Get home, mix up some cocktails, sit out on the Riviera (front porch) and watch the neighborhood go by. Everything is peachy.

Sunday, 8/22, supplies dwindling. Decided earlier that we'd smoke a chicken for dinner. Injected it the night before. Also thought I'd try smoking it with peach wood rather than out usual hickory. Just happened to have some peach left over from some tree trimming last year. Know what? Smoke from peach wood is not like smoke from tobacco. At all. Although it does make a pretty fine tasting chicken. Clean up from dinner, wind down for the evening. Smoke my last butt at 7:30 that night. Kind of a weird feeling, knowing that one was it.


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