Quitting smoking?

[Ricer13 2,936]

Congratulations Bana! I remember when this all started. Great job getting to a year

[Josh 1,727]

Congratulations @Banackock! That's a huge milestone and you should be so proud of yourself.

[Moon 604]

Congrats @Banackock!! 

[JardyB10 4,870]

4 hours ago, Banackock said:

appreciate of

appreciative*, 5.75/6

 

jk, this is awesome, Banana! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us, you’re amazing and inspiring!

[Underclass_Hero 82]

Congratulations brother. It's one of the biggest challenges in this world. 

 

Keep it up! 

[Ledge 1,131]

Fuck yea Bana!

[The Domino Archives 334]

Just don't start again, aight? Pinky promise?

[Garsh 1,212]

congrats bana!

[Banackock 8,478]

3 hours ago, Domino said:

Just don't start again, aight? Pinky promise?

PINKY PROMISE. 
 

Thanks everyone! Appreciate it all. It was my last day of work today and could have teared up I was so happy/proud with the milestone (didn’t help I’ve had 9 days of hell at work, haha). I’ve basically told anyone who I came in contact with today! It’s funny but the app I used promoted that. Send out positive energy, get back positive energy, reinforce positive behaviour. 
 

Thanks again everyone!! Here’s to another year. As always, if anyone ever needs help quitting or has questions, feel free. It’s 100% worth it!

[Baozi 1,664]

On 11/9/2021 at 7:14 AM, Banackock said:

y

Hello, it’s been awhile since I open this. I didn’t read the OP again but as I’m sure I had to of mentioned, I had quit one time prior with a prescription called CHAMPEX. I made it 3 months. When I quit this time cold turkey (no vapes, smokes, gum, nicotine, patches or anything) I honestly probably didn’t think I’d make it because I couldn’t make it with the help of a prescription that allegedly is somewhat successful in assisting with quitting. 
 

I’ve had a stressful last while I guess. Girlfriend had the pains, the tumour, the cancer diagnosis. Covid and lock downs, restrictions and societal divide. Work has been extremely stressful - I work with right wingers, racist albertans who are obviously anti-mask, covid, movements etc that love to spread their extremely far fetched conspiracies that they find in the dark corners of Facebook. Work too has been extremely busy and hectic working my normal 10 day shifts, on call 24 hours a day.. example - 3 shifts ago on the final day I worked  A 20 hour day with a call out… the shift after my final day was 16.5 hours… so 36.5 hours in 2 damn days… today is fortunately my last day of this stretch… We got a new puppy - which he’s adorable but man, he makes me so happy and appreciate of our 3 year old Doberman.. 

 

but, there’s good in it all. My girlfriend did her last round of chemotherapy on last Halloween (not this most recent) and in December she received the good news with check ups every few months since… her hairs even comeback very quickly!! Covid is still apart of our days but seems slightly better with hope now! Work is still shit!! Lmao.. and my puppy is our puppy.. but not even 48 hours into bringing him home, I taught him to sit.. flash forward a month later and he has sit, lay and very minor leash training.. and is working some more on lay and now slowly being taught spin.. 

 

AND FINALLY.. didn’t think I’d make it and I am about 9 hours early from my last cigarette I ever smoked a year ago.. but today is the day. ONE YEAR! My girlfriend’s mom just messaged me and wished me “Congrats on your 1 yr anniversary of being a non smoker ****..so proud of you and I believe I'm ready!!!   You can be my sponsor   ” as I told her a couple days ago when visiting..  makes me happy and proud and it’s crazy I made it.. $3,700 bucks saved blah blah.. woo hoo!! Still can’t believe I did it!! Fuck yeah!! 

 

 

Yo what this is amazing. Not only for your health, but you can get a fucking good smoker(heh phrasing) with that $$$. Also really happy your gf is going to end chemo. Its been a tough year you've gone through but you did it!

 

#winning

Edited November 11, 2021 by tfong

[Seabass 593]

Wow dude congratulations this is huge. You've made it! 

 

I'm happy for you, it's a very hard thing to do.

[Banackock 8,478]

It seems like just yesterday I was making the decision to quit smoking.. I remember on day 365 I teared up pretty damn good because I was so proud and at the same time so surprised. I knew I could but it’s one of the harder thing I’ve done and you always hear and read how hard it is and how many people fail… I still have moments where it feels like I just quit..  and I’ve had a couple moments where I’ve REALLY wanted one - most recently on my 9 day mountain trip while having drinks around the fire.. BUT I DIDNT!!

 

600!!!

[Arce 755]

Good for you Bana! It’s a nasty habit that can cause so many different issues down the line. You’re doing the right thing, stay strong and lean on your girlfriend and support system!

[JardyB10 4,870]

Joke’s on you, the fire was smoking and you got it second hand. Rewind that clock back to zero, mister!

[Banackock 8,478]

Hey all,

 

I never thought I’d be here… I never thought I’d make a month, 3 months, a year.. like I did.. I knew I could.. but I would have bet on me failing.  It was a super good feeling to go through this and see all of my words and all of the updates over the last while! I’m so proud I made it to another cool milestone.. thanks for being part of the journey. The words in here have of course helped too!  

[AJW 2,350]

Well sir @Banackock you have inspired me and as I work towards my goal of playing pro football, I want in on this challenge. I’ve always had a drinking problem and have been semi addicted to weed for the last 6 months. So I hope you don’t mind me popping in here with a post but I’m hoping that publicly posting this can keep me extra motivated! 
 

My start date was yesterday November 12, I’m hoping to check in again December 12th with good news.

 

.

[Banackock 8,478]

1 hour ago, AJW said:

Well sir @Banackock you have inspired me and as I work towards my goal of playing pro football, I want in on this challenge. I’ve always had a drinking problem and have been semi addicted to weed for the last 6 months. So I hope you don’t mind me popping in here with a post but I’m hoping that publicly posting this can keep me extra motivated! 
 

My start date was yesterday November 12, I’m hoping to check in again December 12th with good news.

 

.

LETS DO IT! Post away brother. It helped me a bunch too.. I’m always here if you need anything too  

[Hogan 1,433]

LETS GOOOOOOOOO AJ GETTING OFF THE DRANK

[CrookedAnt 78]

Different struggle, but didn't know my mental health was bad, like at all had no clue.

 

Started the journey to bettering myself mentally two days ago really looking forward to the affects, and can already feel the boost from what I was prescribed.

Edited November 15, 2022 by CrookedAnt

[Motzaburger 1,590]

[Banackock 8,478]

 

November 9 I celebrated my three years anniversary of being smoke free. Not a single drop of nicotine, cigarette, vape, nicotine help or anything. Cold Turkey! It’s crazy to look back, think and just have the realization sink in that it’s been three entire years. I still have tough days. I still have days when I want a cigarette and while I really hope that goes away, it might stay for quite some time still.

 

 

These stats are also crazy. Based off what I was smoking at the end of when I quit, about 15 a day, because I was trying to wean myself off,  I would’ve smoked 16,449 cigarettes from my quit moment until now. Based off show long it takes to smoke a cigarette, taking about five minutes per, I would’ve sat there for 57 entire days had I smoked them all consecutively… that’s NUTS! Also saved a rough estimate of $11,000, however, the price of cigarettes has also gone up since I last smoked.

[Berocka 2,274]

3.5 year post coming soon?

[Banackock 8,478]

Wow. Going through this post is awesome and actually really makes my heart hurt/eyes water up a bit.

 

I failed. I'm ashamed. I hurt over it. After 3 years of being completely smoke/nicotine etc free, coming up on 4 years, I failed. I started smoking again in July of 2024. Slowly, but it kept becoming more and more until basically I was back smoking. It's been a really tough year and some on me.

 

• When we first came back from Australia, I started working for a railway company. At the start it was okay, but quickly it turned quite toxic. The way they treated employees was terrible. Every meeting for management and leaders they'd say "hire fast, fire faster". They underpaid, the benefits and everything were shit. They were never accountable for their actions. I was miserable here. They always talked about strippers, drug use and partying (management...) and they covered up employees using drugs to keep them around. Constantly making penis jokes. My final straw was when a "tire technician" came to our location. They hit the ditch when I was about a kilometre away from the incident. Didn't see it until I got there. They blamed me for hitting the ditch (not shitting you) I looked at my boss and told him I quit and he mouthed the words "no". 3 weeks later I was gone to a new company.
• This new company was also a railroad one. I went here because my father worked here. His mom, my grandma, was battling cancer. Her and I shared a birthday of September 20th. She was my rock. She was my person. When things got tough, she was who I called. I listened to her advice because she was the kindest, purest soul. I was so lucky to have her in my life. July we went out for lunch. Quickly, she started to disappear. By September, she was living in hospice care. I remember telling her "I held on for you, please hold on for me) when it came to making it to our birthday. I held on to come out (lol) on her birthday, now please make ours. My dad and I were working crazy hours and days in September. It was so fucking hard on the both of us but we made it through incredibly well. On September 20th, our birthday, my father and I were on our 23rd day straight of work - each day ranging from 10-12 hours. I sat there with her. She was there but she wasn't. I told her I loved her. I would miss her so much and that I was so thankful for holding on to our birthday. As I was about to leave, she squeezed my hand. Super surprising because for days there wasn't much activity. 4 days later she passed away. My dad and I took that day off and then we were back at work the next day. 
• My dog, Zara, had a bump form on her nose in July of 2024. We took her to multiple vets who tried multiple things for bacteria/culture etc. We kept thinking cancer and eventually, so did they. We wasted hundreds of dollars on antibiotics and what not - noting worked. As time went on, the lump changed. It went from a small lump like a thumb print on her nose, to transferring over to the other side. She sneezed more. Snored. Had issues breathing. It kept getting worse and worse. This dog is my girl. She's my best buddy and soul animal. She's incredible. Loyal. Smart. Brave. She listens so amazingly. Just the perfect dog. I see her and my kid and I was TERRIFIED of losing her. It killed me. I couldn't do fuck all. The diagnosing alone we were quoted at being 5-9k from CT scans, Biopsy, blood readily available, scopes etc. I lived for months just thinking "fuck, like fuck. What the fuck can I do? I can't sit here and do fuck all. I can't lose her". I always had the idea of the GoFundMe but I just didn't think it would work. Then In January, I guess I got scared enough of losing her to try. I called around to probably 50+ vets in the area and finally found one that offered everything at much cheaper for a bunch of reasons. I started the gofundme. We raised over 2,000 because of amazing people. We got her into diagnose FINALLY and everything is currently on the go.. shes on some medicine etc right now but it really seems to be working.. I think the whole process since July has costed about $5,000.
• When we got home from Australia and I got that first job back, I needed a vehicle to do the daily 1 hour and 10 minute commute to work, and the hour and 10 home every single day.. I bought a 2011 hyundai accent with 130,000km on it. Long story short, I take care of my vehicles but at about 160,000KM... the fucking transmission went and costed me another $3,500 and this was in... August.. so during all my shit with Zara, too. This was alsop on top of my brother getting into an accident in July and everyday on my hour and 10 commute to work, I had to leave early to drop him off at his own work along the way.. and then pick him up on my way home too..
• My new job is just as toxic as the last one. The moment I get to work at quarter to 7, everyone is always complaining about the place or whatever they can think of. It's non-stop negativity from 7-330 or later. Idk. Just all day sitting there listening to "we cant do that" or "this wont work out" or "this is bull shit, fuck this, fuck that" blah blah.. Idk, guys. Idk how to explain it. It's depressing. It makes my brain hurt. It sucks so much going to such a negative place. Then, the management is horrible. We have a female mechanic who was sexually harassed (and groped) by a male employee. That male employee was removed from service and was terminated. Our LEAD SAFETY GUY, following the incident after a few weeks), took the persons name tag that was fired... and put it in her locker.. and he laughed and joked about it in front of us and the HR lady we had there... Our "CEO" or highest manager is constantly telling people to suck his dick, talking about penises and making those kinds of jokes. It's so strange.. so depressing and weird lol..
• My relationship at home with my partner just isn't good right now. Maybe because of what I'm going through, but definitely because of who she is and what she does sometimes. I won't get into much here, but I'm struggling badly here and trapped. I feel lost. Trapped. Alone.

 

There's a lot more. You get the point. It's been.. tough.. really tough and I just haven't gotten a break from any of it and my brains just so exhausted. I know, everyone goes through shit. Man, it just never seems to stop. One thing after another. It started to eat me away. I caught myself thinking a few weeks ago that "if I could just push a button that would shut myself and my brain off, I would heavily consider it". Not amazing thoughts, so I've kind of been putting in the work I guess. Lots of excuses and eventually I looked myself in the mirror and said I want to be better again. It might be hard but lets try.

 

So today, as of right this second, I am 17 days, 17 hours and 36 minutes without nicotine, cigarettes etc. I guess just because you fail once doesn't mean you can't succeed. It's how we learn! It's how we grow. Thank you VHL for being an OUTLET for me at times.. Thanks for being there for me.. putting up with me when I'm grouchy. I'm sorry If I've been struggling and sometimes come on here with a short/shitty fuse.. Zero excuses. But know that I am always here for you. Despite my brain living in hell, my activity and loyalty to my roles as BOG, GM, Recruitment Head and more have never wavered.