It is strange for as much as I would like to have a smoke, when I am at the checkout at the supermarket and the person directly in front of my buys a packet of cigarettes, what does yours truly say? "I gave up smoking three weeks ago" (Or five weeks or two weeks and four days or whatever length of time it is) and the person usually says, "Did you?" and I say back, "Yes, so far I've saved XX hundred dollars." I said this today at the local Coles, except it was, "I sopped smoking eight weeks ago today" the young woman ahead of me said "that's good, keep it up. They're very addictive." The lass serving was quite impressed and started the smoking is bad for your health spiel and from the way she spoke, I knew she had never smoked. I asked if she had, she said no. She is doing some lifestyle course and as part of it, they had to listen to the lungs of both smokers and non-smokers. She said there is such a difference between the two. When I asked what did they sound like, she said the non-smokers sound like air and she softly blew gently in and out. A smokers she said was like this, she blew in but when she blew out it had a definite uuur sound to it.
Let's listen to some lungs
With this in mind, I tried to find what a pair of lungs sounds like - both smokers and non-smokers. Google "what do the lungs of a smoker and a non-smoker sound like" and found "Smokers vs Normal Lungs - YouTube". Right, so I clicked on it and watched and listened. Twice.
The black lungs on the left look like a couple of fish before they've been skinned. I need to see more shock, horror stuff. Perhaps the more I see, the more I will be put of taking up or going back to smoking again. With this in mind, I decided to watch this video. Of the two, I think the second one is more take notice than the first one. My only complaint if complaint it is, is the video is in Chinese which I can neither read or speak so I have no idea what is being said, one can guess, but actually knowing would be better.
That brown and yellow stuff in the middle doesn't look too good does it? Oh yuk, looks awful and gooey. Towards the end of the vid, the man scrapes some of the brown stuff off, it appears to be some sort of sticky sludge which is stuck to the lung and only by scraping it was he able to get it off. Put it another way, if you washed them under the shower, I don't think the brown gunk would come off.
Lets talk about some other benefits of stopping smoking
Sorry, but I'm not at the sprouting about how healthier it is not to smoke yet, even after watching the videos. So, what advantages are there that I have noticed?
1. First and foremost is the monetary gain - more money in the bank means I can afford to pay bills without getting in a bind etc
2. Again monetary - the Japan trip I booked last year I can actually enjoy more and afford
3. My face seems softer - the skin is not as dry. I have always had good skin and was horrified to find a couple of years ago how dry my skin was. Now it is soft again.
4. I don't cough as much,
5. When I laugh, there's less chance of the laugh turning into a cough.
6. I feel good with myself because I have been able to stop and have stayed off them for eight weeks.
Yes I miss them wish I didn't hopefully the longer I am off them the less I will wish I had one. It just occurred to me, I had better stop saying I stopped smoking eight week/nine weeks ago when I am at the checkout. When I first stopped, it was acceptable to say something like that, but I think now, I probably shouldn't.
Someone reminded me "It has been about two months. Your brain has rewired itself so the cravings really shouldn't be there any more.
Move on. You're an ex-smoker now. Stop thinking about it."
I see what they mean but try telling that to my brain! Am I really an ex-smoker or am I still in the process of giving up? Wouldn't ' an ex-smoker be someone who hasn't smoked for at least six months? Groan, I don't know.
Today's quote: Nicotine patches are great. Stick one over each eye and you can't find your cigarettes
What Flower
Are You?
2 comments:
The videos are horrid of course but I like the monetary benefit you mention. It's wonderful to think of the money you've saved and the other uses you can have for that money. The trip to Japan is a perfect example. I love the idea of saying that this particular tour or meal is directly paid by your ciggie savings.
Regarding your conversations at the check out at Coles, I think it's perfectly fair to keep saying "it's been x weeks or months since I quit smoking" for a long time still. Let's face it, you'll be an ex-smoker for a very very long time, possibly for many years, and I don't see anything wrong with saying it. Every extra day, week or month is an achievement that you can rightly be proud of.
Keep going, I for one am super proud of you!
Three cheers from the south of France!
Nathalie
Thank you Nathalie, your words mean a lot to me. I was surprised when I saw there was a comment and ever more pleased when I read it. Words of encouragement and support do make a difference and I have your words singing in my ears this weekend.
You understand perfectly the analogy of money saved paying for special items and things. I bought a red puffer jacket and a black/white swing jacket as a treat and whenever I wear them the thought I could afford this because I gave up smoking will go through my head.
Thank you again dear Nathalie for your cheering words,
Blossom from Melbourne.
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