I would like to thank everyone here at KTC!! I have reach my 100 day!! Everyone has been such an encouragement during my quit. 20 yrs of use and abuse from the can. April 25 2020 was my day that my eyes were opened and that was IT. I was done being a slave. I didn’t think it was possible to quit but I was going to try with God’s help. I have been sick and disabled since 2015 and the thought of quitting was so big that I thought it wasn’t possible. I quit cold turkey. It was rough very rough. I spent a week in bed so sick I couldn’t even function. I had caught a bug at the same time I decided to quit so combined I was very sick. I prayed and prayed that first week. I didn’t think I would live through it. Mental fog, anxiety, stomach pain, sore throat, sinus pain and headaches are just a few of the things I experienced. My family was there for me and I couldn’t have done it without them. My wife and adult kids were such and encouragement to me!!
I didn’t think I would survive the first week but I wasn’t going back no matter how bad my body screamed. This is when I found KTC !! I read and read. I read through each quit and it encouraged me to hang on and what I was feeling would pass. It would be worth it to be free and just hang on. Week two was tough as well. Mental fog, sick at my stomach, sore throat (that had been bad since day two), blurry vision etc.
I spent days praying and praying some more. I NEVER want to experience those times again EVER. It was the worst time I have ever experienced, even above my terminal illness I have.
It’s never to late to quit. To anyone reading this thinking I can’t do it, I say yes you can. If It was possible for me then anyone can quit. I tried many times but hardly ever making it past the first two to three days. I now realize my motivation wasn’t right. I HAD TO QUIT FOR ME AND ME ALONE.
Never again with Gods help will I touch the can. I remember the first dip I took. A friend offered a dip to me while we were at work. It made me sick and gave a rush all at once. That day on my first break I went and bought a can. That was my start on the can. Through years of kids and work stress the can was my comfort, crutch.
I regret every dip I have taken now. I feel my eyes have been opened. I am thankful though that I have been able to quit and walk away from that addiction. I am not saying I don’t have craves because I do or that quitting is easy because it isn’t. The craves come and some very very strong but I know it can be beaten and overcome.
I look back at all the trips to the store just to get a can. All the times where the can was more important then family or anything. It was a bad addiction, A binding addiction. April 24 the day before I quit I was listening to a man preaching. He talked about a man that held the can in higher regard then his family and the can kept him from moving deeper in his belief. It was like a lightning bolt hit me, That was me. I was a slave to the can. April 25 was my first can free day. This time it was for me. This time I would be free. With God’s help I would be free. Even if it killed me I would be free. I remember telling myself I had to be free of the can. I had to care for myself enough to do it for me. Brought a new meaning to taking care of myself.
Over the twenty year that amounts to around 5280 cans, around 26.400 dollars. Stunning amount, once I actually did a rough estimate I was shocked.
Since my quit my blood pressure is better. I can breath better with each passing day and I feel better now. My terminal illness now seems more manageable. My body has went through many things for the good since quitting. I don’t miss the pounding heart rates and headaches that the can made me have. Skipping heart beats that I would get, the heartburn isn’t as bad as I use to get. I still get sore throat from time to time but it not anywhere as bad as it was in the early days. Food and drinks now taste better!! I have found my taste buds have changed since my quit. I am happy it’s gone. I know craves will come but as I have read on KTC, we have the tools to manage it. The HOF coin will go with me everywhere. It will help remind me of these 100 days. It’s a token of work, faith and strength it took to break the chains.
I am looking to the future!!! Looking forward to enjoying food, drinks, the sunset and many good times to come with being free. A chance to take a deep breath and enjoy waking in the morning without reaching for a dip!! Look forward to hugging my wife and kids without the smell of dip on my breath.
I am thankful for KTC group. To each one that has commented and wrote a HOF speech. THANK YOU ALL. Everyone story I read during my 100 day struggle was such a help to me!! Helped me to realize my dream of being can free. Each one of you have played a major part in me being can free!!!
As I approached my 100 day, my HOF day I could feel the excitement grow. I feel excited that I have achieved 100!! I am looking forward to each milestone. Thank you to those who have made the milestone merch!! It’s a big deal for us ex addicts to have milestones!! It helps me to Mark the walk that I have now taken. The sky is the limit !!!
Each day of life is precious!! Each minute is precious!! Each second is precious!! To all those who are thinking of quitting, please do so now, you will be glad you did. To those who have quit keep on keeping on !! I am proud to be in the company of quitters !!