An Introduction

(Just to warn you, I am probably going to use this to vent about not smoking, so there will probably be some harsh language. There will probably also be some sexual content. I won't make that too explicit, and no photos)

My name is Joe Racecar. I've been smoking since I was 12 years old. No kidding. I live in West Hollywood, California, but grew up in Springfield, Ohio, so smoking at 12 was either fine or just made me a little more badass. I would steal cigarettes from the ashtrays my father left around, or just steal them straight out of his packs. Then I realized the Speedway (gas station) up the street would just sell them to me, so I started buying my own. A pack of Newports was $1.75.

I was in love. Smoking was amazing. I looked cool doing it, it made me feel better when I was stressed out, and it annoyed my mother, all at the same time. 

The love affair started to wane eventually. I started smoking as a chore. It became a routine. Wake up, smoke a cigarette. Eat lunch, smoke a cigarette. Smoke another cigarette before you have to go back into work. Sit on the bathroom sink and smoke cigarettes endlessly while cruising Grindr/Scruff/playing solitaire. The worst smoking would come after an all night drinking  (and smoking) binge where I would walk to the bathroom and light up because that's just what I do.

At any rate, I'm 31 now. I've been smoking for more than half of my life. Almost two thirds. It sounds really trashy when I tell people that I started smoking at age 12. If I don't smoke, I don't have to tell people when I started! Also, I have spent a whole lot of money in these 19 years of smoking. That's (completely unscientifically, just a guess of about $5 a pack for 17 years) $31,025. Not to count the year that I was smoking du Mauriers at $9 a pack. 

So here I go. I'm going to keep everyone updated. I have nicotine patches, an Android app called "Cessation Nation" that is tracking everything for me, which is super fun. I put in the time and date which I quit, and it tells me how much money I save ($6.85 a pack, 1 pack a day) from not smoking and it tracks all of the health benefits, too, which I will update on here. 

So...

Your heart rate and blood pressure have dropped: 100%

The CO level in your blood has dropped to normal: 100%

Your sense of taste and smell have improved: 69%

Nicotine has been removed from your body: 46% (this one is confusing because I wore a patch yesterday... just took it off and need to replace it... but I'm kind of interested in seeing what kind of support I get from this app, because the next 2 are REALLY interesting.)

Your dependence on nicotine has been eliminated: 9% (This is one to watch. I kind of want to see where this goes by the end of the day, if I don't break down and put another patch on first)

Withdrawal symptoms have subsided: 4% (Another one to watch because I usually go batshit crazy around day 6, but maybe that's from still having nicotine in my system from the patch, but not actually completing the ritual of lighting up and physically smoking a cigarette?)

Your circulation has substantially improved: 1% (I'm excited for this one... I will go into that later)

Smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue, or shortness of breath have decreased: 0%

Your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke has dropped to less than half that of a smoker: 0%

Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker: 0%

Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half: 0%

Your risk of smoking-induced tooth loss has declined to that of a non-smoker: 0% (This is one that terrifies me, mostly because I have receding gums. From smoking. I have to make an appointment with my dentist to look into oral surgery to save tooth F13. That's the front, right incisor. Mine looks like a fang because my gums have pulled up so much. I need to have skin from the roof of my mouth grafted onto the gums around my front teeth to keep this tooth from falling straight out. No kidding. And my mouth hurts all the time. And it gets worse with smoking. Diet Coke hasn't helped, either, but... this is also day 2 of no Diet Coke.)

Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked: 0%

So there it is. I'm going to try to keep everything simple and be as real as possible. I'm not a professional blogger, so I'm not really sure how this is all supposed to go down on the page, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually. Feel free to leave words of encouragement or tell me to go fuck myself, if you're so inspired. 

-Joe