Being Quit

[Virginia_RN]

Doing what I do every day, I see that certain causes of death are out of our hands, being hit by a bus, or a train, or being struck my lightening, probably not preventable. Heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and cancer, for the most part are preventable, unless you have a bad gene that predisposes you to one of these conditions. Heart disease for me is a genetic trait, so I take my meds everyday, and try lower my risk of having a heart attack or stroke. I refuse iv contrast, and certain medications that are nephrotoxic, thereby reducing my risk of kidney disease. I quit using all tobacco, and therefore hopefully cut down the risk associated with using that toxic substance. I used for 24 years, longer that some of by quit brothers have been on this earth. I sometimes have a fleeting thought that maybe I may still develop cancer, if I do I will greet it and take it like a man, no chemo, no radiation, no disfiguring surgeries, if the Lord calls me home, then I am ready to go. I have faced death three times so far in my short life, all you can do is stare back at it, and ask if it is my time. In each of those instances it was not my time. I still have work to do on this earth before I get called home. I will remain quit now and even after I get called home. For me using tobacco is not an option, it is no longer part of my daily life or daily routine. I see guys every day at the convenience store that I visit everyday to get my liter of diet dew, buying the shit, some are younger, some are the same age, and some are my grandfathers age if he was still alive. I pity them, but the choice to quit must come from within, I learned in my first marriage that you cannot change someone, if someone is an alcoholic there is nothing you can do to make them not want that drink. All you can do is control your own actions, and support those that have chose the same path as you have. I am here to support each of you in your quit, as you have supported me. We are a brotherhood of quitters, some of us may slip up now and again. But we are still brothers, and we should continue to support one another. Just my thoughts.