atty1chgo
839 posts
Feb 16, 2014
8:14 PM
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Stevelegh
927 posts
Feb 17, 2014
2:31 AM
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No doubt, its an achievement for anyone to quit smoking. Hardest thing I've ever done. I'm 15 months in.
One good thing about being a harp player is that our lungs function better than Joe Average. After a 30 year habit, my lungs were operating at 104% for a man of my age.
That said, the benefits are huge. Not waking up feeling lethargic, breathing better, no chest pains, not coughing up a lung when I wake up, better circulation. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Last Edited by Stevelegh on Feb 17, 2014 2:31 AM
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kudzurunner
4553 posts
Feb 17, 2014
4:18 AM
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Nicotine is very addictive and I found it hard to stop. But once I got back into distance running and began to care about my race times, the manifest insanity of continuing to smoke even a cigarette or two a day became obvious. I smoked my last cigarette in November 2003. I haven't smoked one since then, and, amazingly, I haven't felt tempted. Once I got the hooks out, they stayed out. But it was important to have a countervailing force--in this case, health and fast race times--in my life.
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blueswannabe
408 posts
Feb 17, 2014
4:39 AM
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I like a good cigar but waking up the next day, I notice a difference in my throat and lungs. I have cut back because of harp. It has made me pay attention to breath, throat and lung care.
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Frank
3846 posts
Feb 17, 2014
5:58 AM
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Cigarettes will block all blood flow to your MOJO -
You don't want to be an impotent harp player do you?
Gots to get your priorities straight...
and MOJO comes first :)
Last Edited by Frank on Feb 17, 2014 6:00 AM
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tmf714
2418 posts
Feb 17, 2014
6:35 AM
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I was hanging with Billy shortly after he quit in NYC-he was still having some breathing difficulties.
It was one of the hardest things for me to quit-but then again,I quit weed,drinking and smoking cigs all at the same time.
Like Adam,I started running competitively, and never looked back. That was 25 years ago.
I would have to say its harder now to quit then it was years ago-the cigarette manufacturers are putting chemicals in there to make you want to keep smoking-and other chemicals that will kill you in the long run.
Heres to everyone that has quit smoking-and those that are trying-you CAN do it.
Last Edited by tmf714 on Feb 17, 2014 6:35 AM
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Philosofy
511 posts
Feb 17, 2014
7:05 AM
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I've never smoked, but I work in the chemical industry. When I actually worked in the lab every day, we would get a complete check up once a year, including a complete spirometry panel (lots and LOTS of breathing tests.) One of the tests had you breath in and out of a tube hooked to a machine. You exhaled until the graph hit a certain number, then inhaled until it hit another number. You were supposed to inhale and exhale as fast as possible. A good score was 100%. I got over 500%. They had never seen anything even close to that number. It was all from playing harp.
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Moon Cat
348 posts
Feb 17, 2014
8:12 AM
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smoking is cool kids.
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Frank
3850 posts
Feb 17, 2014
8:33 AM
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The best harp players smoke the most cigarettes - you can be like them too kids, but you gotta smoke though - be groovy, smoke like big boys :)
Last Edited by Frank on Feb 17, 2014 8:34 AM
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Stevelegh
928 posts
Feb 17, 2014
10:17 AM
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One thing people don't realise about COPD is that its not about air going in, its getting air out.
My dad had pretty bad emphysema. His air out vs in was about 5 to 1
Now imagine playing a lick in cross harp for 5 seconds and taking nearly half a minute to lose the air. He used to lead the school harmonica orchestra in Windsor Ontario back in the 1930's. He played a bit up to the late 80's when I started playing, but gave up soon after.
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blueswannabe
410 posts
Feb 17, 2014
10:19 AM
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I work next to an office that employs a lot of young people, fresh out of school and they like to take smoking breaks and socialize. I have noticed recently that many are replacing their malboro's wth electronic cigarettes!! They don't miss out on the social breaks and still look as "cool" as the others. It makes me wonder though, is an electronic smoking break a legit smoking break???? Can't they do that at their desk?
With regards to health benefits of harp
-it's invigorating like taking a jog
-oxegenates the brain for clearer thinking (ah..I think)
-I can take longer dives under water without taking a breath.
Last Edited by blueswannabe on Feb 17, 2014 10:35 AM
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Kingley
3468 posts
Feb 17, 2014
10:34 AM
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"One thing people don't realise about COPD is that its not about air going in, its getting air out."
Stevelegh - Very true indeed. People don't realise that COPD is one of the biggest killers in the world. I seem to remember reading that COPD is the third biggest killer, falling just behind cancer and heart disease. Emphysema in particular, can go unnoticed for decades before diagnosis. Many smokers who have a tiny little cough, that they write off as "just a smokers cough", don't realise that it's actually emphysema. They are killing themselves and that "little cough" is often the first warning sign. It is a truly horrible disease and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. You're basically suffocating to death very slowly and very painfully.
Last Edited by Kingley on Feb 17, 2014 10:35 AM
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CarlA
457 posts
Feb 17, 2014
12:19 PM
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Never understood the logic of smokers. Let's pay half my paycheck a week so I can smell like a monkeys backside and slowly kill myself (and those around) me in the process. Sounds like a splendid idea
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DukeBerryman
155 posts
Feb 17, 2014
12:59 PM
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Billy - inspiring as always. I want to grow old and still play because when it comes to bluesmen, the older the better.
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Stevelegh
929 posts
Feb 17, 2014
1:59 PM
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@CarlA: Thank God you see it for what it is. I pray you never experience nicotine addiction. Its not good.
@Kingley: Two things finished me. #1: Rales. My lungs were collapsing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crackles
#2: I went sailing with some friends. A lifejacket went overboard. I wasn't able to go get it as I knew I'd never get back. A female freind got it.
Last Edited by Stevelegh on Feb 18, 2014 2:40 AM
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Greg Heumann
2609 posts
Feb 18, 2014
12:12 AM
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I wasn't a long term heavy smoker, but I smoked when I was with the band as my band mate smoked. So I said I'd only smoke when I played. But it gradually grew from there and I was smoking in my shop while working. Finally was up to about a pack a day. Got disgusted and learned about e-cigarettes. E-cigs are a great aid to quitting. You still get nicotine if you crave it - but none of the other, more harmful stuff (nicotine is not harmless, but as far as carcinogens go, it is thought to be far less harmful than other components of cigarette smoke such as tar.)
When you light up a cig you feel compelled to finish the whole thing. An e-cig isn't hot. You get a craving, you take a puff - and you can put it right back in your pocket if you wish. You get to have the hand to mouth, gotta do something with your hands, gotta suck on something urges met - but you can smoke less and less - and you can cut the amount of nicotine down gradually. Sure worked for me. Had my last cigarette in May, last e-cig puff in July.
I still get cravings sometimes. But I finally realized that I can't rationalize a single puff (used to be really good at that.) I know now if I have one single puff, I haven't really quit. SO - I haven't had a single puff of anything since then. Pretty happy about that. It is a disgusting habit after all. But I HIGHLY recommend switching to e-digs - even if you don't WANT to quit. They are a much safer alternative, and your breath doesn't stink, and your car doesn't stink, and your clothes don't stink, .....
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Feb 18, 2014 12:15 AM
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barbequebob
2473 posts
Feb 18, 2014
10:43 AM
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It's been some 41 years since my last cigarette and OI know every lame excuse a smoker who's in denial that he/she has an addiction problem with nicotine has because I've said every one of them, including the most common lame excuse of them all, "I can quit anytime I want," I know for a fact you can't because it is both physical as well as mental (especially mental).
It is a long term thing and if you get past the 5th year, you usually got it made, but many who try to quit don't make it past the 5th year.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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KC69
363 posts
Feb 18, 2014
10:49 AM
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Quit Friday April 13th 2007, the same day I picked up a harmonica. I quit cold turkey; wanted to kill somebody for about 3 months. A client told me after that, they had a new prescription medicine that helped; wanted to kill her that day. Now I ride my bicycle across Iowa every summer and try to swim 3 days a week: Also lost about 50 pounds since they made me quit drinking 3 years 8 months and 12 days ago. Well at least many people including my wife "the plaintiff" suggested I quit !!
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
Last Edited by KC69 on Feb 18, 2014 10:50 AM
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mlefree
142 posts
Feb 21, 2014
10:24 AM
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True story:
In 1977 I was up to 2 packs of Marlboro reds a day. Ironically, at the time I was working as a research medical technician with a team of cardiologists and pulmonologists at the VA Hospital in Denver.
I was blithely smoking along until I got scared sh*tless when I was asked to help do some heart studies on the pulmonary ward. I discovered what are known as pulmonary cripples. These were men who were unable to get out of bed because their lung function was so bad. These poor souls were essentially unable to move. Their beds were permanently tilted to 45 degrees because if they laid down flat they would drown in their own mucus. It was bed pans and urinals for life for them even though there was nothing else wrong with them that would keep them bed-bound.
So I asked the pulmonologist I was working with about the relative danger to the lungs from smoking marijuana versus tobacco. His reply: "You could not smoke enough joints in a day to do the kind of damage smoking cigarettes does." So I took this advice to heart.
I took a 2-week vacation and rolled a "Carton" of 200 joints. Every time I felt a craving for a cigarette, I lit up a number. By the end of my vacation I was well over the hump of ridding myself of my addiction to nicotine.
Only problem is, I never ridded myself of the habit of smoking. I still love inhaling smoke. Fortunately, after two busts, smoking pot is now legal in Colorado.
I'm not necessarily advocating my method of quitting smoking. I'm just citing it as an example of what worked for me. Quitting smoking cigarettes is the single best thing I have ever done for myself. I say that anything, yes ANYTHING, is better than continuing to smoke tobacco. Even if you have to break the law to do it.
Worked for me! :^)
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
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Rick Davis
2994 posts
Feb 21, 2014
10:38 AM
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Good for Billy Branch!
My last cigarette was 13 years ago. I'd wake up in the morning and be coughing so hard I'd be down on my hands and knees, red faced and hacking. I had to quit.
Not anymore, baby. The urge to smoke is gone (that took a few years) and my breathing is clear and strong.
I gotta tell ya, I hate cigarettes. Can't stand to be around 'em. I am so glad most states are enlightened enough to ban smoking in clubs. CVS Pharmacies have decided to stop selling tobacco products in their 6000+ stores.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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Frank
3869 posts
Feb 21, 2014
1:58 PM
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I tell the kids who are drinkin, smokin and drugin... to enjoy those things while they are young and dumb - because those pleasures are a young persons sport...My point being, to continue them into Adulthood is a lost cause... a waste of time, money and effort...worst of all - you'll most likely end up with a limp mojo too :)
Last Edited by Frank on Feb 21, 2014 2:07 PM
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blueswannabe
412 posts
Feb 21, 2014
7:41 PM
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I used to take a lot of plane trips overseas as a young man, to a country that was and is a big cigarette consumer. You could ligt up anywhere in the plane. It used to make me sick trapped In a flying tube filled with smoke for 8 hours. You could light up anywhere, offices, courthouses, restaurants. 2nd hand smoke was a fact of life. We have come a long way.
Last Edited by blueswannabe on Feb 21, 2014 8:08 PM
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SteamrollinStan
125 posts
Feb 21, 2014
9:24 PM
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I smoked 3 packets every day since 16 years old, now at 55 Ive lost one of my lungs and cut my smokin in half.
Even if I smoke near me I end up complaining that the barstaff have done nothing to cease my pleasure, legal one day, Illegal the next, Yawn!!!!!!
Last Edited by SteamrollinStan on Feb 21, 2014 9:45 PM
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Goldbrick
306 posts
Feb 21, 2014
9:40 PM
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I have never been a smoker- just seemed like a dumb habit- but I do have to say that if you want to smoke its your own business . Just do it outside, home or wherever you are not subjecting others to your fumes
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Stevelegh
932 posts
Feb 22, 2014
5:42 AM
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@Frank: 'I tell the kids who are drinkin, smokin and drugin... to enjoy those things while they are young and dumb - because those pleasures are a young persons sport.'
Nail - Hit - Head.
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