I guess it’s a day worth marking. Maybe having a celebration of some sort. But on the other hand, I’m sort of embarrassed I had the habit to quit in the first place.
As of March 3, I have been smoke free for two years.
For such a small sentence, it has a pretty big impact. I was never a heavy smoker. More of a casual smoker than anything, but I was still a smoker. I had been one and off for a little over forty years. I don’t know why. It’s not like I didn’t know it was bad for me. I just ignored it.
I had tried to quit at various times over the years. Anyone who has tried will tell you, it isn’t easy. I’d go a day, a week, even a few months, then backslide. I guess what I really needed was the proper incentive.
The proper incentive involved a bit of snow. I cleared a driveway or two, then decided maybe I should go to the hospital. Smart decision, since I was having a heart attack at the time.
You may have seen the low dose Aspirin commercials saying that you should know the warning signs. The warning signs can be pretty hard to recognize if you haven’t been through it. Sharp pain down your left arm? Nope. Not for me. Just a sudden onset of nausea and exhaustion. Like maybe you had been shoveling snow for a couple hours with nothing to eat. But it was a heart attack.
So I was admitted to hospital for the first time in many years. Since I was officially a smoker, I was offered nicotine replacements, which I turned down. I simply decided my body was trying to tell me something, so maybe I should listen. I made up my mind to quit. So I did.
It sounds easy. It wasn’t. I wish I could say it continues to be easy. It doesn’t. I still have cravings hit every now and then. They pass. And I refuse to give it.
I also have given up other things as of that day. Or at least severely reduced my consumption. Bacon is no longer a major food group. I think I’ve had it once in two years. And I used to love bacon. Other fatty foods have also been reduced or done away with. It should have all happened sooner, but I guess I needed a wakeup call. And a few days in the hospital with several doctors and other medical professionals and family members telling me I should change things.
I won’t say I don’t feel better. I do. Now I wonder what took me so long.
But maybe I should have made a bigger deal out of the anniversary. Maybe celebrated with a slice of bacon.
