Cigarette Free Since 9/7/12!!!

[Dale Seago]

Congratulations! It can be tough, but it can be done; just take it a day at a time.

I used Nicorette gum to quit; but then stayed on the gum for another couple of years because I liked it and figured it at least was "harm reduction" compared to smoking. What got me off that was the need for a new hip due to the cartilage in the right one having gone away for no reason that could be determined. The medical team wanted me off nicotine altogether at least 2 weeks before the surgery; the primary reason was that nicotine in your system slows the healing process. (Somehow I'd never realized that.)

That was an immediately persuasive and compelling reason to drop the gum and never look back. I was back working in the office, though using a cane, after 11 calendar days (not 11 work days) off. Nine weeks after the surgery I was doing 2 & 1/2 mile hikes in the hills, and was caught on video doing koshi nage (hip throws) on one of my black belts in the dojo. (Fortunately my surgeon never saw it, he would've thought I was pushing too hard.) At ten weeks I was teaching at an outdoor martial arts seminar:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...1&l=758514bb29

I'm thinkin' there's a good chance I wouldn't have had that sort of progress had I still been using nicotine.

Keep going!! And if you happen to slip and fall. . .get up and keep going some more. As long as you get up more often than you fall down, you'll make it.