Ok, so here's my intro...
I've been a user of chewing tobacco, dip, snuff, chaw, grandpa's candy...whatever you want to call it since I was 10 years old. I started when I was playing baseball and one of the dads always had a fresh pouch of Red Man that we'd take from.
Right after high school I went into the Navy and kept right on chewing. After boot camp I wound up working catapults on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier...just a little stressful. It seemed like every one of the guys I worked with chewed, smoked, or both and I jumped right in. When we'd have to do major maintenance on the catapults, the first thing that we'd do is send someone down to the smoke shop to get a case of chew. We wouldn't work without it.
After the Navy I became a firefighter and paramedic...more stress. 20 plus years in emergency services with the highs and lows of running calls, taking care of people, trying everything within my abilities to thwart natural selection...I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way I became an addict.
Both of my parents were smokers and both died of cancer...my dad dying while I was still in high school. That should have been my clue, but no...I was stupid and thought I could beat it. I kept telling myself that I could quit any time I wanted; I just had to make the decision. I wasn't in a hurry.
I'm now 44, I have a professional career in a healthcare system, my own office in a hospital (with a private bathroom no less), a wife and a bunch of kids, and I'm done. Yesterday morning I decided that I've had enough and tossed the last five cans of Copenhagen into the trash. Today, my head feels like it's about to explode, my mouth is watering, my hands are shaking, and I can't seem to get anything done at work...so I've been reading all the other posts from everyone. Some of the responses are brutal, I can deal with that. I know that this process won't be easy, but judging from what I've read I'm not alone. I have to do this, not only for me, but for my family. I now have two beautiful daughters who I have promised to someday walk down the aisle. I need to be there for that.
Sorry if this is a little long-winded...that's just how I tend to be. I'm glad that the decision has finally been made and with everyone's help, I'll fight through it. Glad to be here.
:wacko:
