Breathing Easier

Happy 6-month Anniversery, Daniel and Roxanna.  How do I know they just celebrated their 6-month anniversery?  Because exactly 6 months ago today, in Lima (Peru), I had my last cigarette after their wonderful wedding.  I fired it up, smoked it down, and then stomped it out.  Since then it hasn't been easy, and there have certainly been days I've wanted one (or twenty), but a few things have kept me on the path.

The first, of course, is the support of my friends and family.  Even those that smoke tended not to do it around me (or, at least, not do it as often).  They certainly didn't try to pressure me into having "just a drag."  And that really helps.  Remember that next time you light up around someone who is trying to quit: every little bit helps. And maybe, just maybe, they'll inspire you into hanging it up, too.

The second little helper is running.  Getting back into running after 2 years away from it has provided me with the mental motivation to stay away from the cancer sticks.  Though in the past I was known for firing up a little lung cigar in the middle of a marathon I'm not that same young guy anymore.  Now I need all the help I can get to stay competitive.  I often wonder how good I'd be today if I had stuck with running all my life AND not smoked.  I guess I'll never know.

Third, is my ongoing support of the American Cancer Society.  We've been raising money for them through Club 10-56 (our non-profit) for over 8 years now.  Before I was able to get past the hypocrisy of smoking at these events by saying that I was funding my retirement, that by the time I DID get cancer they would have a cure, thanks in part to my fundraising.  Now I can support the cause without concern for my own well-being as well.

Fourth (and this is no small reason for an addict): I'm addicted to numbers.  As the streak grows I don't want to be the one to bring down that house of cards.  It feels GOOD to say I've gone one day, one week, one month, SIX months, without a puff, and see that number grow.  If that feels good imagine what it will feel like to say you've gone 1 YEAR, 10 years, a lifetime!  It's good to brag about the large numbers, and I don't want to start over at one measly day.  Would you?

Finally, how can I bring this full circle back to Daniel and Roxanna?  Easy: it's wicked cool to be able to say that your last cigarette was in Lima, Peru.  And who wants to replace THAT with some dive bar down the street?  Not this guy.

If you're curious of what the body goes through after that last puff, I've listed a timeline below for you (information quoted from American Cancer Society, this link):

Immediate rewards of quitting

Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal:

• your breath smells better
• stained teeth get whiter
• bad smelling clothes and hair go away
• your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear
• food tastes better
• your sense of smell returns to normal
• everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (such as climbing stairs or light housework)

20 minutes after quitting

Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.

(Mahmud A, Feely J. Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification. Hypertension. 2003;41:183.)

12 hours after quitting

The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1988, p. 202)

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting

Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 193, 194, 196, 285, 323)

1 to 9 months after quitting

Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)

1 year after quitting

The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

5 years after quitting

Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

10 years after quitting

The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a person who continues smoking. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease, too.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152, 155, 164, 166)

15 years after quitting

The risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker's.

(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)