RE: How I quit smoking

I started smoking at the age of thirteen, here is my story.

I had a dark habit, packet cigarettes when I could afford otherwise I would use rolled up cigarettes

When I was in around the age of forty, I was so ill with the tobacco; my breathing made it difficult to get up the staircase, once in bed I was okay.

Every morning I would get up, go to the toilet and vomit several mouthfuls of acrid, foul tasting phlegm.

I admit I was not deterred, as I would have my morning cigarette with my coffee and then on throughout the day.

The cure. My fifteen-year-old daughter said to me, dad if you stop smoking I promise that I will not smoke in my life.

I accepted the challenge and yes, as you said, getting it out of your DNA is not easy.

All went well, though painful, it is in the mind always, especially for the first two weeks.

At that point one of my social care clients gave me a cigarette, I put it in my pocket, then the war of wills started.

My next job was in a close by town. On my way there I stopped at a lay-by, I still had rolling papers and lighter. I took the cigarette, split it and rolled some of the tobacco into a cigarette.

I lit this cigarette and sucked the smoke into my mouth; the reaction was immediate, I started sweating profusely, and my body started shaking.

It was a now or never situation, I took the cigarette and all the other paraphernalia and threw them out onto the road.

It took some ten minutes to recover sufficiently to allow me to drive again.

The story ends with me in this situation, from that day I have never had a cigarette in my mouth and I will be seventy-three next month.

It takes a lot of will and determination, it is doable though it is hard.

By the way, my daughter kept her side of the bargain and has never smoked.