July 9,2009

I schlep into my smoking cessation group. I'm a little late and not feeling great to say the least. The fourth of July really knocked the sails out of my wind. As I enter, the group facilitator asks me how I'm doing. I relate my story of inducement and near failure. As it turns out, it was a bad night for all of us. My group mates fared no better and smoked a few. We processed what happened and how we were feeling and what we could do to avoid this entrapment the next time. The truth is situations are going to lure us in. As much as I try to place myself in safe situations, things are going to come up that are completely our of my control. I'm going to need strategies. I need to work on this, I do not have all I need to help myself in this area. Also slips may happen. A slip is one cigarette and you get back into your quit and your healing. A complete fall is buying a pack of cigarettes and sending off smoke signals. Forgive the slip and avoid the fall. Here's a distressing note to end on. One cigarette, ( a slip) can have adverse affects and setback someone with COPD for an entire month. Stuff that in your pipe and smoke it!