Hello everyone. I stumbled across this site by accident. I've had that nagging voice in the back of my head saying "It's time. It's time. You need to do this. Do it. Do it." But I never could find the huevos to do it. After spending the last hour reading y'all's stories and exploring the forums and website, I've decided. I'm quitting. For my family. For my kids. And most importantly, I'm quitting for ME.
A little about me....I'm 35 yrs old. Up until I was 21, I was straight as an arrow. Never drank. Never smoked. Nothing. On my 21st birthday, I went to a casino. A multitude of doors was opened. Fast forward a handful of years, I was drinking, smoking (more than just cigarettes), and living the life. I played guitar in a bar on weekends, worked on week days, and went to school on week nights. At the time, I was living a dream. Looking back, it was a slooooooooow spiral down. By 2006, if I was awake, I had a belly full of pills, mouth full of whiskey, and lungs full of smoke. On July 26, 2007, I was slapped with an epiphany: I was a fuckup. If I didn't clean up, my parents would lose a son, my sisters would lose a brother, and I wouldn't have left a mark on this planet. One by one, I tackled my demons. I picked up Copenhagen so I would have SOMETHING as a vice. I have since finished school, got a job, got married, got 2 beautiful daughters, and a house with cats and dogs. But the Copenhagen is still here. And it's time.
Sorry, Copenhagen. You've been with me a while. And you gave me an outlet when I needed one. But you gotsta go. I will not abandon my family. And I won't let cancer force me out.
I will check in periodically. I will continue to read stories. And when the cravings and withdrawals hit, I will do what every man in the world does: turn into a total wuss and start bitching and whining. But I've got to do it.
Thanks in advance for the help and support. I apologize for the lengthy post. I tend to ramble at times. Maybe I should have been a politician.......
