imageWelcome Rangi and congratulations on taking back your mind, health and life.  Wow, you've tested those healing lungs out rather quickly, or at least quicker than I did.  It's amazing now nicely all we hadn't yet destroyed cleans up.  There may be times, Rangi where recovery just doesn't seem to be moving quickly enough for the impatient mind our dependency bred.  That's where this journal and "one day at a time" can really help make a difference.  It took years to walk this deeply into dependency's forest.  We must expect that it'll take a bit of time to move beyond the influence of years of old nicotine replenishment memories, memories that belonged to an actively feeding addict.

Truth is, Rangi, on day 22 your brain's acetylcholine receptor sensitivities and numbers have returned to almost that of non-smoker.  There is nothing missing from your brain, no two-hour nicotine half-life, and nothing in need of replenishment.  All you have left to deal with is extinguishment of a few remote, infrequent or seasonal use cues and allowing time for those old replenishment memories where want was satisfied to gradually lose their potency and punch.  Although at times nearly impossible to notice, with each passing day their influence will grow weaker, further apart and the urges shorter in duration. 

Rangi, if you keep taking this temporary journey of readjustment just one day at a time, before you know it that first day will arrive where you go the entire day without once wanting to use.  After the first such day, they'll become more and more common until they become your new sense of normal.  Before you know it, you may even forget all about the early challenges and become like millions of other long-term ex-smokers who boast "quitting was nothing!"

Be proud of how far you've come.  Still just one rule ... none today!

Breathe deep, hug hard, live long,

John (Gold x11)