Thanks everyone. I can't tell you how much your support is appreciated. Frank is in a coma now and hospice has come in. Hopefully they can help his family cope a little better and make Frank as comfortable as possible :( [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 24 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 488 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $67.2 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 4 [B]Seconds:[/B] 22

Serenity, Thanks for keeping me, Frank and his family present in your thoughts. The strangest thing happened today. I was sending a card to Frank at the same time I picked up my mail. The only mail I received was from Phillip Mo**is. "Freind", it said, "it seems we have lost touch with you" (probably because I didn't use my last coupons from them). "If you no longer wish to receive promotions and coupons, etc. etc. please call this number, etc., etc". Funny, in large bold letters "FREIND". It's like they knew I was quitting and were using nic to get me back. I only quit 3 weeks ago!!! Weird. And as I mailed a well wishing card to my buddy I already knew he wouldn't be able to receive it. He is unresponsive. I believe in hope though so I freaking mailed it anyway. Let his wife know how much he was loved at work. Thanks everybody for all of your thoughts and prayers. This is all happening so fast I don't know that there would have been a faster way to solicit them than through the gracious, loving SSC. Audrey [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 21 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 437 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $58.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 2 [B]Seconds:[/B] 36

To close this post, and thank all of you for your prayers, I wanted you to know that Frank passed away on Friday. This really wasn't the forum for this, but I sure do thank all of you, from all around the world, for your well wishes for my dear friend. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 27 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 558 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $75.6 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 16 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

Faith, I'm from tobacco country. Ignorant gloating is almost encouraged. :-( [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 20 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 418 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $56 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 51 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

Faith, Believe it or not, many folks, including Frank, had Grandparents or parents who made their living growing tobacco. Fact of life here. Fortunately, I'm from NJ and don't have those roots, but many around here do, and smoking is allowed in many public places. N2K, Great analogy with the car accident. I tell you folks, if you want a place that accepts smoking come to North or South Carolina. Again, I'm fixed and focused, but bummed and surrounded by folks with blinders on. Good Night, Audrey [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 20 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 419 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $56 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 59 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Hi Everybody, Probably about the time I joined this site is when Frank started to get headaches. We were smoking buddies at work. I decided to quit for the new year but only started taking my Chantix pill on 1/1/07 so I didn't totally quit until the 16th. Within those couple of weeks Frank was still at work to invite me to the picnic table, and I would kindly say no. He is the sweetest man you could ever know. He shared some of my office space. He started to get headaches and would just sit in my office in the chair and rest. He has a tumor in his brain that two weeks ago was the size of a lime. It is inoperable because it is too deep. It is at stage 4, the worst. My first thought was that it metastisized from his lungs since he smoked strong 100's for many, many years. But it didn't. It originated in his brain. Two weeks after being out of work his family put in a wheel chair ramp and accomodations in the shower for his wife to help him. He came to see us at work to pick up his paycheck and W2 and was already using the walker last Thursday. Frank, 3 weeks later is already in the cancer ward with no hope of coming home. He only has one or two more weeks. 50 years old. They told him 30 days. I guess they meant it. So, as I deal with how to deal with that. How do we deal with this? Frank himself told me of older relatives of his who smoked all their lives and died of something totally unrelated. All of his "current" smoking buddies are saying to themselves "see? Frank smoked and he isn't dying of lung cancer...it's something else...you can be hit by a car at anytime or some sudden illness may strike you at anytime". It's the "what's the point" attitude taking over and the "nourish and care for your body attitude" that is being smothered. I am fine. I see it all. I need to send good wishes to my buddy. I need to igore this new ignorant "gloating" by the smokers. Wanted to share. Audrey [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 20 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 418 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $56 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 45

A very good friend of mine just lost her Dad to brain cancer in his early 50's. It's very quick and sad to watch. I'm sorry for your friend and your pain Audrey. Marie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/3/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 37 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,111 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $277.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 57 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1

Oh, Audrey, I am so very, very sorry about your friend. How awful for him, his family and all who know and love him. It's all happening so quick, there's no time to really process what's happening. It's obvious how much you'll miss him and what a sweet man he is. It is interesting to see how smokers react to this and will find a way to do two things: 1) refuse to see a connection, refuse to open their open eyes -- too scary to be aware, you know and 2) rationalize why it's "ok" to continue to smoke. "Ignorant gloating", you called it. How apt and how very, very sad. All my thoughts and prayers to you and your friend. Keep the faith [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 120 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,835 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $960 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 15 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 27 [B]Seconds:[/B] 2

Audrey: Your post that in tobacco country, "ignorant gloating is almost encouraged" about took my breath away. Call me naive in my quiet little world here in the pacific northwest, but that's just shocking to me! That certainly can't help you in your quit. I guess you could look at your friend as leaving you a wonderful legacy, that he and his situation will forever help you cut through all that tobacco country garbage-thinking and get to the real truth, which will ultimately help you remain a nonsmoker. Keep adding to those hard-earned days, Audrey. Thinking of you. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 120 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,837 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $960 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 15 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 21

Audrey - it still counts, very much so. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/29/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 39 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 399 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $195 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 49