Rich,

Good for you. Quitting smoking is the single one thing you can do for your health. It's is also one of the hardest things you will ever do, but it's worth it if you can. It's worth it not only to you, but to everyone who cares about you and loves you. The worst phone calls you will ever have to make is when you have to pick up the phone and call your mother, or your father or your lover, or your child or grandchild and tell them that you've only been given 4 months to live. As devastating as the news would be for you, can you imagine how devastating it will be for those who love you.

Do whatever it takes and whatever works for you. Gum, Chantix, hypnotism, cold turkey. What works for one person won't work for another. So, you have to find out what works for you and then go for it.

Something I didn't know until recently. There are basically two types of lung cancer. Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC - also called small cell carcinoma) and Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). The small cell lung cancer is almost ALWAYS caused by smoking, and is the worst type you can get. It is this type of cancer that most smokers get. It is the most aggressive, and in most cases you don't know you have it until it has already spread to other parts of your body at which time surgery is not an option. It normally doesn't even appear on a chest x-ray until is has already spread to other vital parts. And, it doesn't cause any pain or other symptons until it has gotten to a point where it is inoperable.

The NSCLC can be caused by many things, other than smoking. It is generally less aggressive, and more often treatable by a combination of surgery and/or chemo and radiation.

Good luck and just keep telling yourself you are doing it for everyone who loves you and wants to keep you around.

Bill