100 Days… SO WHAT!!!

I have been enjoying my wonderful chewing tobacco for the last 28 years. I reached the 100 day mark on March 17, 2012. 100 days dip free and still counting. I have made it the HOF, SO WHAT I SAY, let me brag about 365 Days!! I have chewed for roughly 10,220 days, why would 100 be a big day? Because, every day tobacco free should be a big day. Every day I continue to post roll will be a big deal. Every day I am looking at the green side of the grass is a big deal.

I had tried to quit once before, I was going through chemotherapy. I had been diagnosed with Melanoma. It is the most deadliest skin cancers out there. I was sick all the time and still had to have my tobacco constantly. This short lived quit was for all the wrong reasons and I was not completely convinced I needed to quit. This time it was for me. My decision, my time, my reasons, my life everything.

One day I noticed a spot on my gums, a white in color patch. The official word on that is called Leukoplakia. This is an irritation on the gums caused by holding chewing tobacco in one spot for long periods of time. This is a precursor to cancer. What is a definition of a long time? Let’s just say I worked, slept, ate, drank and well everything with my tobacco in my mouth (don’t tell her). Was this enough to make me quit? NO, I simply just placed it in another location until the spot and the pain disappeared.

This remarkable date could not have been made without a little bit of help. The biggest player in any quit will be the one that holds everything together. The one that puts up with all the BS, the mood swings, the attitude changing and I am sure I have forgotten a few. Julie, thank you for putting up with all the BS I put you through. It’s difficult to give one credit where credit is due, but, without your support I would not be here today. I know I don’t tell you enough that I love you or thank you, but, just know that I do. Sheriff923, thank you for joining the group we all call KILL THE CAN (KTC) for short. Without you finding this site and joining them on face book, I would have never had this information and I really don’t know if I could have made it. Killthecan.org is a game changer in the quitting process. Saraseas, thank you for just being there and keeping me on track with everything. Florida Luke and Steve S for just letting me know that the most important thing about KTC is to post roll call, connect with new friends and leave the BS behind.

I have not cheated once, however, the temptation is there every single day. I will continue to post my commitment every single day to KTC to show that I will make it another day nicotine free. I have not set any records; I am not setting history that will make it into the books, I have simply made the decision not to place the tobacco in my body anymore. It is a rough and tough road to travel and hard to admit to others but I am an addict. Nicotine owned my mind, my body and my habits. Everything I did, nicotine was telling me how I needed to do it. It was never left alone and never without me. I would brush my teeth, put in the first dip of the day then get breakfast. It was the same at night, always needing one last one before bed, if, I even removed it. I have also learned that I am not alone; I have others out there that have made the same decision and understand everything I am going through. They alone know what it’s like to make a midnight run to the store for a can because you ran out. What it’s like to hunt, fish, camp, shop, sleep, eat and everything with tobacco in your lip.

I hit a mark that a lot of quitters don’t make it to and even more will start chewing after they have reached this 100 day milestone. I have no plans or intentions to become a statistic, I have already pledged to my fellow quitters to make it to 200 days and beyond. Stay strong and remember that pain is weakness leaving your body.

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member crucialrnr