And now it’s for real…
As you may have read in my previous blog, this is the week that I finally stop smoking. I was to take the prescribed pills and keep smoking for two weeks and then just stop.
I always had it in my head that last Monday would hopefully be my final ever day of smoking. I did state that I thought the tablets would make me feel nauseous when I smoked.
Towards the last couple of days of smoking, I didn’t really feel nauseous, but I have to say that I wasn’t enjoying them as I once had. I was putting them out after only smoking half of the cigarette, which is unlike me as I like to inhale right up to the butt!
Support
I have to say that I am overwhelmed by the good wishes and messages of good luck sent my way. I’ve had people offering advice on ways that have worked for them and, particularly, this little twitter conversation with Danny really gave me some perspective. At first, I had no idea of what he was getting at.
@ericlalor Would you rather have a headache every morning for the rest of your life, but one tablet will get rid of it for 24 hrs? 1/2
— Danny (@DannyHanley__) February 13, 2015
@ericlalor Or have a headache constantly for 3 months but never have it again? 2/2
— Danny (@DannyHanley__) February 13, 2015
@DannyHanley__ Jesus Danny, wake up with a headache but it goes till the next morning when I take a pill?
— Eric Lalor (@ericlalor) February 13, 2015
@DannyHanley__ I think I’d man up and take the 3 months of pain
— Eric Lalor (@ericlalor) February 13, 2015
@DannyHanley__ nice work Danny. You’ll be getting into the diary next week!
— Eric Lalor (@ericlalor) February 13, 2015
Sage advice I think you’ll agree and if that’s not enough, I have also signed up for the HSE Quit campaign. I’m thinking I’ll need all the help I can get.I signed up and every morning I get a little motivational text of support which I think is a genuinely nice touch.
You can go further and enlist the help of a ‘buddy’ who you can talk to when you feel you need a little support and there are also other initiatives all designed to help you kick the habit. They even came in with their Quit mascot to present me with a Quit pack.
A little help from my friends
Some of you will know that I’m a stand-up comedian and currently doing shows all over the country with the brilliant PJ Gallagher as part of his Concussion tour.
PJ is a good pal and also has his own breakfast radio show on Classic Hits 4FM and he invited me into the studio to talk about my quest to quit the smokes. He presents the show alongside former 2FM man, Damien Farrelly.
They have decided that they want me in on a weekly basis to chat about how I am getting on and have asked their listeners to join me in trying to quit and have called the campaign The Big Smoke. There’s a certain strength in numbers idea at play here and I welcome it.
Damian himself is off the cigarettes two and a half years now so I’ll be looking to him for a bit of inspiration. The full interview can be heard at the bottom of the post.
Craving
The tablets must be working to some extent because, although not knowing what to do with my hands, the cravings are nowhere near as strong as they were when I was smoking. I know it’s only the first week, but this is the hardest week.
It’s been odd not having a smoke with a coffee or after a meal. This weekend will see me do some gigs with PJ and the aim is obviously not to have the ritual pre-gig smoke.
For some reason though, I am able to spot all the smokers in front of me in less than a second.What? Picture this – I am walking down the street and for some reason, I can spot every person within 200 yards of me smoking. My subconsciousness is obviously missing them too, and my eyes are inexplicably drawn to those enjoying a smoke.
I am drinking lots of water and have been warned that I may experience a bit of a cough for a couple of weeks as my body adjusts to not having itself poisoned by tar and nicotine. I may get a sore throat too, but this is a very small price to pay for coming off the smokes.
I will beat this.
Interview on Classic Hits 4FM with PJ and Damian
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
