I began smoking around the age of 14. At first it was just a few here and there, when I could get them. But later in high school and then in college I became a full-fledged, full time smoker. Every time I tried to quit, I failed miserably. After a while I just gave up trying. I was convinced I would never be able to stop, it was just too much a part of my life and I couldn’t imagine living without it. Just the thought of having to quit was enough to bring me to tears. Quitting terrified me, so I stuck my head in the sand about what I was doing to myself. As the years went by, smoking became more and more expensive and it was a burden financially- but I still didn’t think I could ever quit. I tried ordering cigarettes from overseas for while- and then when that was outlawed, I learned how to roll my own. Finally, at the age of 49 I was diagnosed with cancer on my tongue. I never even knew it was possible to get cancer on your tongue. After a successful biopsy surgery, I am now cancer free. I will need to see a doctor for follow-up care for the next five years. Being diagnosed with cancer was the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me. My doctor told me that I could no longer smoke, or even be around second-hand smoke without extreme danger to my health. We discussed ways for me to quit smoking. I told him that neither the gum nor the patch had worked for me previously. He did not recommened Chantix because of the high risk of side effects. He suggested I try an electronic cigarette, and I was hopeful it would work because I knew that the habit of smoking was going to be the hardest thing for me to break. He told me that nicotine, by itself, was no worse for me medically than caffeine- that the danger was the burning tobacco cigarette with all it’s chemicals as the delivery system. I got myself a small starter kit online and tried it. It wasn’t always easy, but it worked. A week after I quit smoking tobacco cigarettes came the big test- my 50th birthday party. I was worried that I would not be able to make it through a party without smoking. I was worried I’d be cranky and miserable. But none of that happened. I vaped as necessary and made it through with flying colors- in fact, I never even wanted a cigarette. That was 3 months ago, and I have not smoked one single cigarette since then. I’ve experimented with different e-juices and different batteries, but I have not smoked. I have had stressful days at work and nice nights on the patio with a glass of wine, but I have not smoked. I have lived 90 days without a cigarette, and that is 90 days more than I ever thought I would be able to make it. Next week I will go back to my doctor for a cancer check-up, and I am so excited to tell him that I have quit smoking. I can proudly tell him that I have not smoked in three months- and that I am now sure that I will never smoke again.