bcartervol98 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Today marks one year I have been tobacco smoke free! Now for my story: I am 44 years old and had smoked for over 28 years when I decided to make the switch. Unlike many others I had never tried to quit before, nor had I ever tried an e-cig before. It happened all of a sudden. I went from smoking a pack and a half to 2 packs a day to never picking up another one over one weekend. Everyone that knows me know I am a University of Tennessee alumni and bleed Tennessee Orange. I was very active with the Football team when I was a student there and maintain a very close relationship today. It was Orange and White Game weekend last year and we were making plans for the weekend. We went to a party with several former players, current NFL players, and a few coaches. One of the people in town was Arian Foster, he always stays with us when he comes back in town. From the time he got into town he complained about the smoke smell lol, told my wife she was too beautiful to be killing herself, told us how lucky we were to have such an awesome son and it was a shame we wouldn't get to see him grow up. Then we went to the party and as we smokers do, my wife and I were trying to figure out who the other smokers were so we could not be "the only ones". Not a lot of smokers in a group of former-current athletes but a friend that owns a local sports talk radio station was there and he is (was) a smoker. When we got there, hit up the kegs, and asked him if he wanted to go smoke he replied "I quit, I used the electric to get over my cravings and now I have been without both for almost a month!". WHAT HE QUIT, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES? Well the ribbing continued all weekend, we stood on the field in Neyland Stadium for hours and the last few were spent jonesing for a smoke. I even snuck one in the press bathroom as many before me had based on the butts on the floor. I had an epiphany, why was I doing this to myself? It made no sense. I decided to take the route my friend had and went and bought 4 NJoy Kings and stated as of Monday morning I would never smoke another cigarette. I tool the usual route of a new vaper. My wife and I both started out there but soon realized this was going to get expensive. Next we went to the Cigar Store in the mall and bought two $150 starter kits that were garbage, worse than Blu. What happened next changed my life forever: I found Vapor Talk Forums! Based on advice I got here, I then ordered a EgoT 1000mah starter kid from VapeDudes (The battery in my front pocket right now actually) and it truly changed my life. Since then I have grown my collection. I have one APV, a Vamo V2. I actually prefer the Ego Style VV batteries to the Mods and APVs. My Vamo hardly even gets used. I have about a dozen Spinners in varying MAH ratings, Evod VVs (just came in today on my anniversary :-)), standard Ego style batteries in various styles and have found a liquid I have rarely strayed from in the last 6 months or so, Endless Summer from Fuzion. I go through 125ml of it before I do 15ml of anything else. I know, long post, but I want to finish by saying thanks. Thanks to those that helped. Thanks to those that put up with my incessant questions. Thanks to those that told me when I was doing something wrong or stupid. In closing, thanks for being a driving force in saving my and my wifes life. Without this forum I have no doubt we would still be stopping by the store to spend $50 on a carton about every other day instead of ordering liquid once every 6 weeks or so and replacement coils about once a month. We would still spend more time in the basement bathroom than we do with our son upstairs. We would still stink, our cars would still stink, and I would still be on Blood Pressure meds, Sinus meds, Allergy meds, and Anxiety meds; all of which I have been taken off of since putting down the stinkies. Sure beats the chemo we were headed for! In part, I owe my life to you guys. Thanks for helping a fella no one even knows, but I feel like we are all sort of one big family. I like our family! GO VOLS! Tam, Aquatroy, Mtdobies and 1 other 4
fishguy1123 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Huge congrats bcart!!!! I know you were there for me as I started. Thank you, and enjoy your big day!! Mtdobies 1
Mtdobies Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 What a great story full of inspiration that's wonderful! Congratulations!
Tam Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Has it really been a year already? Congratulations, B! I'm so proud of you hitting such a big milestone and doing so well. May you see many, many more anniversaries like today. Mtdobies 1
Sirius Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Congrats on one year smoke free..7 months for me. Mtdobies 1
bcartervol98 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Posted April 23, 2014 I remember being excited when my "Smoke Free Ticker" on here hit 30 days. Seems like only yesterday. Tam 1
Bushwick Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Congrats B! Glad to hear so many people are hitting the 1 year mark.
Aquatroy Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Congrats B! Glad to hear so many people are hitting the 1 year mark. . I hit one year yesterday, but keeping it quiet... Tam 1
fishguy1123 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Nice work jack ***.... lol How did that work out for ya?
Aquatroy Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 Don't tell anyone...it's my secret..... Crazyavonlady and Mtdobies 2
bcartervol98 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Posted April 23, 2014 Whenever I convert someone, the first thing I tell them is how unbelievably easy the transition is and how much would I prefer vaping to smoking even if they both posed the same health risks (which they obv do not). I have saved enough at this point that my new (used) 34' Sea Ray Sundancer is being paid for with the savings from not smoking. Granted I haven't made it a hobby. I treat it like smoking except not. I never plan to quit, never plan to give up Nic, and I rest assured I am not harming my body anymore than visiting a big city and breathing the air. The amount of money saved and the immediate health improvements have been the highlight of the experience on a personal "me" level.Oh and a belated CONGRATS Troy.
Tam Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 . I hit one year yesterday, but keeping it quiet... CONGRATS, Troy! You shouldn't keep it quiet, it's something to shout from the roof tops and celebrate.
bcartervol98 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Posted April 23, 2014 Screw humble! I humbly killed myself for almost 3 decades. Now its time to brag!!!! Tam and Mtdobies 2
bcartervol98 Posted April 24, 2014 Author Posted April 24, 2014 So far really digging the Evod VV batteries I got today, maybe like them better than my spinners. Love the shape, longer and thinner but lighter as well. Hopefully they hold up as well as all my Spinners have. Mtdobies 1
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