Here We Go...

[WhoDat?]

Thanks to all for the replies, advice, and encouragement.

FtheKodiak, if the FWB guy wants to contact, that would be fine. No pressure.

ScubaSteve, my surgery was much simpler. I had a herniated disc removed and replace by a titanium spacer. Overnight in the hospital, no halo, no collar. I'm back to work 1 week later. Thanks for confirming my fears about this stuff and ability to recover. Hate that you had to spend extended time in that contraption. I helped a friend through that about 18 years ago.

MSHowell, thanks for the welcome, classmate! Okay, two 30 year dip veterans in the same quit group. Wonder how often that happens? We WILL do it! You can call on me as well. I don't spend much time online. If you want to trade #'s, let me know.

[Ready]

Welcome Kenny. You have found the best place to quit and stay that way. All of the tools and support required can be found here. You can do this. We will help.

If today is day - 1, Your quit group is May 2010... here ....

http://z11.invisionfree.com/QS_Xtreme/i ... topic=2997

Here are some links you may find helpful...

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A how to get started by Remy:

index.php?showtopic=1360

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Quit Groups, What do they mean, by SOS

index.php?showtopic=88

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Roll call, why we do it your word by LOOT.

index.php?showtopic=120

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What to Expect when you quit.

http://www.killthecan.org/yourquit/what.asp

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Symptoms of Quitting dip and chew

http://www.killthecan.org/yourquit/symptoms.asp

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Contract to give up...

http://www.killthecan.org/facts/contract.asp

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Smokeless alternatives

http://killthecan.org/yourquit/alternatives.asp


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How to post roll.

index.php?showtopic=50

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How to Post ROLL CALL - Roll Call Instructions
Step 1 - Find the last Roll Call
Step 2 - Hit the "Quote" button in the upper right hand corner.
Step 3 - Click your mouse ANYWHERE in The bottom Box
Step 4 - Hit Ctrl and "A" at the Same time so it looks like THIS
Step 5 - Hit Ctrl and "X" at the same time so there is NOTHING in Either Box
Step 6 - Click your mouse in the TOP BOX
Step 7 - Hit Ctrl and "V" at the same time to Past the info into the top box AND ADD YOUR info to the bottom of the list
Step 8 - Hit ADD REPLY below the bottom box
Step 9 - Go back to the 1st unread post, pat yourself on the back, and have a beer cause you will not be dipping today.


You can do this.

[GlennFtheKodiak]

Hey there!  My name is Kenny and I live in Fort Walton Beach FL.  I have been dipping for 30 years, on and off.  I have been looking for just this kind of support group for quite a while.  So glad I found it (and you).  Let me tell you my story.  I started dipping at 21 and remember that first time vividly.  I was in my home town of Ocean Springs MS and for reasons I don’t quite remember (probably was drinking) I tried a dip of Skoal and got violently sick.  I have no idea why I tried it again, but I did and have been hooked ever since.  I have quit many times over the years.  Sometimes I quit for just a few months, sometimes for a few years.  My latest quit was last March when I found myself in a relationship that I really valued and did not want to tell her about my habit.  I felt that if I continued the relationship without telling her, I would be “lying” to her, so I quit.  I didn’t do it for her; I did it for me because I wanted the relationship to work.  The relationship ended 6 months later (we’re still great friends) and I found it easy to start again, so I did.  All of my quits have been cold turkey.  Most of them have coincided with some event that would take my mind off those first few days.  I quit on several occasions while on a live-aboard scuba sailboat trip to the Bahamas.  It’s pretty easy to quit when you don’t have a supply and you’re no where in sight of a store for 7 days.  Other quits were done when I was on a long distance bicycle ride or a long vacation with friends who didn’t know I dipped.  Those were the easiest, as I was replacing the nicotine high with an endorphin high or some other distraction.  Every time I’ve been quit, I enjoyed it and can’t quite figure out why I ever started again.  I guess that’s why they call it an addiction.

Why am I here now?  Last Tuesday I became a member of the ACDF club; Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fusion.  I had spinal fusion surgery on my neck.  During the pre-op questions the doc asked if I smoked, which I truthfully answered NO.  After the surgery, I got curious and did some internet searching about nicotine effects after surgery.  I learned that nicotine causes reduced blood flow and can inhibit bone growth.  In a spinal fusion, the two vertebrae being fused must grow bone that eventually fuses them together.  The rate of fusion failure is about 1% in non-tobacco users as opposed to about 40% in users.  I knew I could quit with such a serious motivator as the neck surgery, but I wanted to make sure this time was the last time I quit.  I have read everything on the KTC website and lurked the forums for a bit.  I just ordered some Hooch and now I’m ready for Roll Call.  Tomorrow will be my first full day, so I will count that as Day 1.  Wish me luck!

PS:  The April 2010 group has an ending quit date of 1/21/2010.  Should I be joining the May 2010 group?  When will that be started?

dude, two things.

there's another dude on here from your town. I don't think he gets around here too much but he's on my Facebook page. If you want me to hook you guys up let me know and you can trade numbers.

second, in 1998, i had an osteoblastoma in my neck. non cancerous tumor, but 14 hours of sugery and 6 months recovery. they told me i would never lift again or hold my baby.

i'm 42 years old and benched 315 the other night. that baby is 11 now, almost 12 and i can smack him around on the football field all i want.

it'll get better, hang in there. i promise.

ps, i asked back then if chewing tobacco had anything to do with it and they said NO. so of course 4 months later i started again and did it for 11 more years. What a fuck job I was. I know for a fact dip had something to do with it. so i am glad you did your own research.

[ScubaSteve]

Godspeed on the recovery! Use the tools here and lean on the men and women that frequent this forum. Get some phone numbers and use them.

Regarding the fusion...are you in a halo now or a neck brace? I'm also a member of that wondorous club as of 2003. I shattered C3, 4 and 5 while diving in a pool. It's definitely not any fun. I had to go the halo route and let me tell ya, getting bolts screwed into your skull while your awake is hell on earth. But you're right about the dipping/bone growth thing. I dipped like a madman through my recovery. I was supposed to be out of the halo in 3 months, but for "some odd reason" the bones just weren't growing as expected. So there's a little more confirmation for you that you MUST QUIT!!!!

[theo3wood]

Wish me luck!

Welcome aboard, Kenny! Good to have you here. Seems like you've given this a lot of thought, which is a good indicator for success.

Just a simple thought, though, regarding luck: around here, we just don't believe in it. I know it's probably just a turn of phrase for you. But words mean a lot, and we try to focus our vocabulary in a way that points us toward a lifetime of quit...one day at a time, of course.

So let's not speak of "trying" to quit, or "hoping" for success, of this "attempt" at quitting, or of "luck". They're all a sham.

Now let's get to quitting with the vengence it deserves, shall we? You own this bitch.

[MSHowell]

Hi Who,

From a fellow newbie, I welcome you and look forward to the trip together. I too was a 30 year user and stopped day before yesterday, so we'll be in the same quit group (march 10). We "men of a certain age" need to stick together and make this quit happen permenantly.

If I can ever be of assistance, just say the word, day or night. 'archer'

[Phat Pauly]

Welcome! Yes, May 2010 would be the group for you... but feel free to check out some of the others too. April is particularly ...uh... entertaining.

Check out the welcome center for info on Roll Call and it's importance.

There's some pretty fan-fuckin-tastic people on here who will support you through thick and thin... IF you are a man of your word.

Post your word that you will not use nicotine. Keep your word. Go to bed... and repeat. It's really that simple.

You'll have bad days, but this here site makes it a whole bunch easier.

[WhoDat?]

Hey there! My name is Kenny and I live in Fort Walton Beach FL. I have been dipping for 30 years, on and off. I have been looking for just this kind of support group for quite a while. So glad I found it (and you). Let me tell you my story. I started dipping at 21 and remember that first time vividly. I was in my home town of Ocean Springs MS and for reasons I donÂ’t quite remember (probably was drinking) I tried a dip of Skoal and got violently sick. I have no idea why I tried it again, but I did and have been hooked ever since. I have quit many times over the years. Sometimes I quit for just a few months, sometimes for a few years. My latest quit was last March that lasted 6 months. All of my quits have been cold turkey. Most of them have coincided with some event that would take my mind off those first few days; a live-aboard sailboat trip, multi-day bicycle ride or something to replacing the nicotine high with an endorphin high or some other distraction. Every time IÂ’ve been quit, I enjoyed it and canÂ’t quite figure out why I ever started again. I guess thatÂ’s why they call it an addiction.

Why am I here now? Last Tuesday I became a member of the ACDF club; Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fusion. I had spinal fusion surgery on my neck. During the pre-op questions the doc asked if I smoked, which I truthfully answered NO. After the surgery, I got curious and did some internet searching about nicotine effects after surgery. I learned that nicotine causes reduced blood flow and can inhibit bone growth. The rate of fusion failure is about 1% in non-tobacco users as opposed to about 40% in users. That was enough convincing for me. I also wanted to make sure this time was the last time I quit. I have read everything on the KTC website and lurked the forums for a bit. I just ordered some Hooch and now IÂ’m ready for Roll Call. Tomorrow will be my first full day. Wish me luck!

Should I be joining the May 2010 group? When will that be started?