treepeo1
255 posts
Registered:
06 Feb 2020
23 Dec 2020
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Hi delta9,
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I really appreciate your honesty and your telling it like it is.
Oh man, the fact that you lit up while waiting to go to the hospital speaks volumes. There was a time that I probably would have done the same thing. I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years. She told me that she got throat cancer, and she still smoked throughout chemo and every other treatment, even though it burned and hurt. Don't kid yourself, delta9. The ritual of lighting up and having something in your hands may have been really significant in terms of your personal addiction, but there is always that physical addiction to nicotine and the other crap that is in cigarettes that keeps us coming back for more, even though we know it's killing us. That is the nature of this horrific addiction.
I can relate to you wanting to lose weight. When I quit almost 4 years ago, I definitely gained weight. And then I got cancer myself, and for various reasons related to that, I could not be as active as I wanted to be, and hence, gained even more weight. Like you, I was never even close to being athletic. My only exercise is walking (I don't drive), and stuff I do for physiotherapy and the like. But you know what? The more you walk, the more you want to walk. I find if I go even one day without a walk outside, I start to get sluggish. It's really true what they say, use it or lose it. So keep persevering. And try not to focus on losing weight. Focus on developing good healthy practices and maintaining some form of movement each day.
I also agree with you when you advise people not to wait for a medical emergency to quit. In your case, you ended up seriously ill in hospital and therefore, could not smoke, period. And in my case, I quit about 2 years before I was diagnosed with cancer. But one of my sisters got cancer and like my friend, smoked through all her treatments, etc. She was simply unable to quit, especially when she was so stressed trying to beat the disease. It is much, much better to quit while you can do so of your own free will. At least you know that if you develop any health issues, you will be way better equipped to deal with it as a non-smoker.
You should be really proud of yourself, delta9. You have been through the hell of a massive heart attack, and you battled through that and came out victorious. You quit smoking, which is another huge accomplishment. And you fought the fear you felt and decided to try walking again. That is HUGE, delta9. You are really courageous, and way stronger than you thought you were. And on top of all of that, you have come on this site to share your story and help others. So you are compassionate as well.
Kudos to you, delta9. I am really happy for you and everything you have accomplished. Rejoice in being a non-smoker. It has given you a new lease on life, and you are making the most of it. You rock, and I am rooting for you. Keep up the good work. I see good things in your future.