Smelling Like Roses

“’Grandma, your house stinks,’ is what my five-year-old grandson told me. That really hurt. My grandson didn’t want to visit and stay with me anymore. Anyway, after several surgeries, my health was deteriorating and I was tired of smoking. I called the quitline and have now been free of cigarettes for 3 weeks! My home is smoke-free and I couldn’t be happier. I like the way my hair smells and my grandkids certainly don’t complain about the smell of smoke in the house anymore. I’m proud of myself. With the help of my mom, my husband, and my quitline coach, I put together a plan and thought about ways I could avoid smoking. I realized that having coffee made me want to smoke. So I changed my morning routine, and I don’t sit there and drink cup after cup like I used to. I have a sip here or there and I’m always up and moving. I also noticed that I feel irritable when I’m quitting, and I’m determined to stay more upbeat. I made a list of fun things to do. These days, I’ll take my grandson swimming and just try to stay outside as much as I can. As a non-smoker, I never take a day for granted. I’m grateful to be alive, and love being in a house that smells good.”