June 11th, 2011: Day 23
Just mention that you’re thinking about quitting smoking and you are bombarded with information. My HMO has many pamphlets, seminars, classes and group therapy at my disposal. However, they don’t cover everything. I don’t know if it’s oversight or their way of protecting you.
Regardless, these are a few of the little things that I have discovered along the way…
- When you remove yesterdays nicotine patch, in its place there is a red-ish square outlined by dirty glue. This makes it easy to follow the instructions “place next patch in a different area on your skin”. In fact, you will not put a patch back on that area for a week because the glue outline remains there after daily showers and soap. Only Mary Kay Sugar Scrub and exfoliating gloves will get this crap off.
- The first week you are full of energy, so get as much done as you possibly can. Weeks 2 and 3 you are exhausted and too mentally unbalanced to get anything done.
- Do not expect people to notice you. Do not take this personally. Not smoking is very much on your mind, but no one else is thinking about it.
- Avoid airports. As you wait in the security line and then at the gate 1.5 hours before your flight, you will hear it at least 27 times. “Blah blah blah…There is no smoking inside the terminal… blah blah blah”. Thank you so much for reminding me I can’t smoke. Over and over and over. It’s torture.
That’s all I can think of now. There are more things I’ve learned, but the forgetfulness has kidnapped my brain again.
TTFN…
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