19 March 2008 - Posts

Day 8 - 1.05pm

Councillor Richard Gaughan and Councillor Jill McNally kept their promises and today gave me £20 - for not lighting up for a whole week. Thank you.

The cash has been donated to the British Heart Foundation, which was heavily involved in supporting last week's National No Smoking Day.

I personally handed the cash to the charity's Honiton shop manager a few minutes ago - on the day the shop re-opened after a refit. As a taxpayer, I was able to increase the donation by filling out a simple Gift Aid form.

I am not alone as a new non-smoker. Heidi Radford, manager of Honiton Tourist Information Centre, has joined me. She gave up smoking today and is wearing a patch. I wish her every success. We have already had a good chat about the challenges facing us.

Day 8 - 9.50am

I'm confident any cravings I get today will be few and far between, and short-lived. I've got an exceptionally busy day lined up - plus Honiton and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry's annual meeting in the evening.

I'm feeling a lot more confident about remaining smoke-free. I feel happy and relaxed.

My SmokeStop nurse was very pleased with my progress when I saw her yesterday. I don't have to go back to my doctor's for two weeks.

Reflecting on my first week as an ex-smoker, I think the first four days were pretty hellish. I wouldn't want to go through them again! For that reason, I am determined to stay off cigarettes.

I'm still waiting to develop a cough and mouth ulcers. Bring them on! I want to get all the unpleasantness over with! My breathing hasn't improved, but that could take months.

Constipation is going to be with me for a while, the nurse warned. I've got to drink prune juice. Apparently, cigarettes speed up the metabolism.

I haven't used the inhalator, so far, today.