Weekly Goals

A while back, I tried to quit smoking, cold turkey. My result was to quit quitting; too much stress and smoking was my destressing tool.

A shorter while back, I attempted to quit again, this time with some information from my doctor, some nicotine patches, and some nicotine gum. My previous attempt ended with me so ornery I couldn't handle being around myself, so this time I talked to a doctor and the nicotine was suppose to prevent me from being king of the grouches.

This second attempt went better, I wasn't nearly as grouchy, but I still hadn't found a substitute for stress relief, and caved in to the wicked cigarette monster before a week was up. Another thing I realized with this failed attempt, was timing; I needed to prepare, set a date to move towards, and I needed to instill some other forms of stress relief.

Attempt three, my current attempt: Armed with nicotine patches and gum, lots of family support, better timing, and some other forms of dealing with stress, I launched my attack to overcome the wicked cigarettes. One day in and I discovered we would be spending time with some family that smoked. My timing wasn't the best, but I was determined. Then, later the same day, I stopped to pick up my youngest foster/adopted daughter from school, but she wasn't there. She had finished school, went out to wait for me, and vanished. With kidnapping threats from her bio family still present, my fear was she had been located and abducted. The pressure was too much and I was back to smoking.

Luckily, she had just been persuaded by some friends to walk home with them after school, and within a couple of hours she was back home. Even though I had reverted back to smoking, I had not had time or given much thought to stopping for cigarettes until after she was home, then I caved. However, I did not give in completely, I was still determined to quit and this setback was going to be controlled and helpful. I rationed the pack out to last through the weekend, since I would be visiting family who smoked, then once back home, no more cigarettes. We returned Sunday evening and with a fresh start and managing to stick with the plan, I started last Monday smoke free.

It's been kind of rough going a few times this past week, but I have managed to not smoke since last Monday. The only differences this time are some alternate means to deal with stress, and a big source of support through a new friend here on Writing.Com. One week is a big step and my chances of succeeding have greatly increased. Even so, I want to list quitting as a goal, because I'm also at the stage that, if I revert back, will likely be this week as well.

But, it's not just giving up cigarettes. As I mentioned, my doctor prescribed a nicotine patch and recommended nicotine gum. I wore my last patch yesterday and have been very conscious of not getting hooked on the nicotine supplements. So, I have limited my gum to the number of cigarettes I had rationed out, five per day. I've done well at not going over, and most days have managed with four. I also have been reducing my time on the patch. At first, I took it off at bedtime and put a new one on upon waking instead of wearing each for twenty-four hours as prescribed. I have also been putting the patch on later each day, and removing it sooner each evening, I was down to six hours of wearing the patch, but this morning, one week in, I am patch free and still limited to no more than five pieces of nicotine gum per day.

So, my goal for this week is to refrain from smoking or getting a refill on the patches while maintaining my current use of the gum. After another week, I will begin to wean myself back on nicotine gum as well, and by Thanksgiving, I want to be free from smoking and free from nicotine.

Sorry this got a bit long.