When I quit smoking last year, I quit because my lungs hurt really bad. I coughed and wheezed and ..... it was not good. One of the best quit tools that I used back then for motivation was my meter. I have watched my meter grow with great pride and relief. Because as my meter grew, I felt my lungs heal right along with it.

One of the greatest blessings that I have realized from quitting smoking is that my lungs no longer hurt. Where I am now, I don't care about the money I have saved. I wish I had it but oh well. (I do have a new 10.2 gig HD though. BIG smile.) I don't know about life saved (whatever interpretation you give that).... we'll see about it down the road a ways.... down the road a *long* ways, I hope. I care about the length of time quit, of course, but NOT as much as I care about the cigs not smoked. For me, I appreciated watching that figure grow most of all.

And in regards to that figure, I reached a milestone today that sort of blows my doors off. What a figure this is to me.... and oh lordy, what it means to my lungs. Think about it.... 10,000 cigs not smoked. Isn't that an awesome amount of poison that I didn't inhale? HUGE Smile here.

One year, four months, one week, five days, 1 hour, 4 minutes and 27 seconds.

***10000 cigarettes not smoked***,

saving $1,575.27. Life saved: 4 weeks, 6 days, 17 hours, 25 minutes.

This is what that 10,000 cigs not smoked has meant to me: I enjoy deep breathing, I have increased stamina, I can laugh out loud and not have it go into a coughing spasm (gawd, didn't that hurt!), I don't stink, I am less tense, my stomach isn't acidic all of the time, I sleep better at night, I realized I had strength and courage and well.... the list is a long one by now. The gifts have been many.

I just wanted to share this with you. I am pretty amazed. Seeing that milestone come up reminds me again that it *has* been worth it all. My ATTITUDE just got stronger today.

Onward and Upward, In Celebration Mode,
Pat/Yukpa hashi/Laughing Moon/budette,
OF
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