Sung to the tune of The Bare Naked Ladies - "It's been, one year..."

Today is my one year anniversary of not smoking. I've never been "quit" this long so it's really exciting for me and not so exciting for everyone else I keep telling who'll listen. Excerpt from a previous blog of mine: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I've been trying to quit smoking since I started. On Monday, July 18th, 7:47pm I smoked my last cigarette. I inhaled each puff deeper than the last, hoping to pack a little more of the nicotine deep into my lungs to help me through the next several days...okay, hours. Instead of smoking I ran, I watched tv, I watered plants, I pet the dogs, I ate pistachio nuts, I washed dishes, I sat on my hands, I refolded t-shirts. And it wasn't even 9:30 yet. Yep, this was going to be a bitch. Again.I remember taking Zyban, the new wonder drug for us hapless souls who love themselves a smokey treat. Zyban is an inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. I loved my doctor. "we're going to get you to quit smoking with this new drug Zyban. You get to take these pills & keep smoking." Huh? "After two weeks I want you to quit smoking altogether." I can do that. "I'm going to start you out with one pill a day for the first three days" Fine. "On the fourth day I need you to increase it to twice a day". Done. "But don't forget to keep smoking." This doctor is way cool. I went to Walgreens, dropped off my prescription and headed home, excited by the new pills and what they were going to do for me. I lit up on the way home, still smiling about smoking and quitting being one in the same this time. Easy. I was finally going to kick this habit. On Saturday I went back to Walgreens (smoke in hand) and picked them up. "Have you taken this before? no "Then the pharmacist needs to speak with you " Really, would it have mattered if I said yes? The big man walked over, looked at me bouncing in place, grabbed the bag of pills and began reading the warnings and potential side effects - insomnia, dry mouth, dizziness to name a few. Let me out of here. I've got some cessation to get to! My God. I've never been so sick in my life. I'm still grateful that I decided to start my new therapy on the weekend. I distinctly recall laying on that futon couch, rolled over the side and poised over a bucket. I tried to smoke, I promise I did. I lit up at least 6 or 7. But I couldn't get further than lighting it, taking two or three drags and then watching it burn. My head rolled, my stomach ached, my mouth was dry. Finally a symptom I was told about. And now I realize where the insomnia comes in - from when you are so sick to your stomach you can't sleep. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Funny, now I can't sleep because I have a baby kicking me in the stomach half the night.