 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Im a former smoker myself, 20+ years with several breaks of up to 1 year of being a non smoker. It wasnt easy to quit, but mindest is a major factor in success or failure.
Between running around to appointments, the recent cancer diagnosis and concern for my children, my stress level hit a new all time high. Internally I felt such guilt and overwhelming remorse that I killed myself and my children would be left without a mother to raise them. There was no one else at all. Then the anger set in and I threw them right out the window and never smoked again. It was not easy at all. I was not about to let cancer get the best of me when I did have some control over that part of my illness. My attitude was its the cigs or its me and the cigs arent going to win, it was a choice and it was my choice!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
