i just started quitting smoking. Today at 11 noon it was my second 24 hours without a cigarette. I am 39 and have been smoking since i was 13. I didnt smoke a lot as a young teenager but was almost to a pack a day by my early 20's. The last time i went 24 hours or more without a cigarette was when i was in bootcamp when i was 19, otherwise i havent been 24 hours without a cigarette for 20 years. Recently i started having a bunch of health problems after being relatively healthy - i guess it was just luck since i didnt take the best care of myself and on top of that i smoked. what happened is that back in december (it is now march 2004) i got cellulitus on my left leg. Took antibiotics and it healed. A couple of weeks later i got it again on my left buttock and also treated that with antibiotics, before that one was healed another small on started right near that one but i took another course of antibiotics and it never got really bad. A few weeks went by and then i got another on on my right side in that area below the buttocks thats not quite on your hip or thigh. That one was a bad one and i took antibitoics for it. that one had barely healed and two more flared up. one right near the one on my right side and another on my left buttock. these weren't progressing as fast as the worst ones i had and i called my dr and she begged me to not take anymore antibiotics because she said too many can cause some kind of bad thing to happen in your digestive system or your colon or something. anyway these two havent been getting much worst so i havent taken the antibiotics even tho i am scared because cellulitus can get into bone and blood and kill you or so i have heard throughout all this i have also had the flu or flu like symptoms twice when i havent had a flu in over 17 years i had an ear infection and an inflammation of the eye from something hitting it this last time i had the flu i had a fever of 101 for 4 days and right after that the 4th cellulitus started on my right hip i also developed a small cough with hardly anything coming up but lots of wet sounds when i tried to breath deep i also found out recently that my uterus is so full of fibroids that it is the same size it would be if i was 3 months pregnant and have been having a lot of pain with menstruation and mild cramps pretty much constantly i just visited a womens center last week and they want to give me a hysterectomy since i wanted a tubal ligation anyway they told me my cough was probably something called smokers cough and it can become chronic i am scared to death right now because i feel like something is really wrong with me so for many reasons i decided to give up smoking i asked my boyfriend to help me buy the 21 mg patches and slapped one on and now i have been almost 52 hours without a cig an indian healer who is a friend of a friend recommended i start drinking turmeric and applying it to the cellulitus and i went online and read about it and found out it also has awesome antioxidant properties so right now i am going to start drinking a teaspoon of powdered turmeric in a cup of milk twice a day and also have been taking hot sit baths in it i am a recovering alcoholic - 15 years sober as of this month 2004 and i just sat and thought about what i want and what i am doing - my brain says dont quit smoking now there is too much stress but when isnt there stress? yeah the patch is helping - i hardly crave at all but now and then i get hit hard with a craving anyway - well since i am wearing the patch i know its not a real chemical craving it is just my brain and habit yeah a cig would be really comforting for me right now no doubt but will it fix anything? no just like drinking never did so i havent set any goals for myself i dont even care i just want to try to quit smoking one day at a time cuz every day without a cig is a day without a cig but i can say one thing for sure my sense of smell has already improved i use my empty dry cat food bags for trash by my computer and emptied my ashtrays in it and i have sat here with it for 4 years and it never bothered me - today as i was reading these forums i had to take it outside - it smelled so bad my taste buds are already better- everything i am eating tastes richer and fuller - i dont know how to explain it even and even better i tried to take a deep breath earlier today because i still have a little gurgle in my lungs but no coughing and i was expecting a lot more stuff to be coming up then what is so i took a deep breath to try to make myself cough up and as i sucked in it kept going and going - i guess i never realized how shallow i have been breathing all these years i was almost frightened by how deep a breath i sucked in i am hoping and praying that quitting smoking will help my body have a chance to start repairing itself and for my immune system to be able to start fighting back with all these problems i also wanted to quit smoking because if i am going to have surgery to take out my uterus i want my body to be as healthy as it can be one thing i know is that i didnt really want to quit smoking and i dont think i ever would - i kept waiting and waiting and finally with all this happening i just realized that waiting any longer is going to kill me and i dont want to die i just started a new relationship with a guy who is younger then me - even tho i never liked younger men but i am convinced he is my soul mate and i dont want him to have to deal with me and a bunch of health problems or me dying young and i certainly dont want him taking in my second hand smoke then dying from lung cancer anyway pray for me if you believe and if you dont believe pray anyway cuz psychology is finding now that beleif in something greater then yourself is almost critical to emotional health i also threw away all my ashtrays cuz in the past i kept them in case i started again but screw that and i have gotten rid of anything that smells like smoking or tobacco and aired out the house because those are triggers i am also going to avoid ppl who smoke for a while also another thing thats good about the patch is in order for me to have a cig i have to take the patch off and wait a few hours so i dont have a heartattack and right now a cigarette isnt worth suffering in withdrawal for, for 4 to 5 hours so the patch helps slow you down i am planning on doing the entire step down program tho i may try the lowest patches first after the two weeks of these sorry for the long post and if you are trying to quit smoking go read about turmeric - it doesnt taste that bad and i am a real wimp when it comes to bad taste and also i think you can now get it in pill form good luck to all of you trying to quit - just do it - and use anything you need is what i say - i am eating anything i want i rather gain ten pounds then die of lung cancer or emphysema

Leaf spots have several origins: * Brown, reddish-brown or purplish leaf spots that occur on many cultivars, including R. 'Blue Ensign' and R. 'Mrs. G. W. Leak', are physiological and not disease caused. These spots are generally purplish and are inherent in the cultivar. Environmental stress may increase their appearance. They do no harm to the plant. * Some leaf spots are caused by a virus thought to be a potexvirus, the most common ailment being called necrotic ring spot [ http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/disease.cfm?RecordID=1241 ]. The symptoms are reddish-brown rings or spots on the leaves. It generally occurs only on the two year leaves of a few rhododendron cultivars such as R. 'Unique', or on Kalmia latifolia. It also appears on the first year foliage of some R. 'Loderi' clones. Little is known about the disease and a does not seem to spread from one cultivar to another. No control is known or generally necessary. * Leaf spotting can also be caused by chemical injury, such as drift from cleaners, paints, or chemicals used to kill moss on roofs. Sometimes the results of such injury may not show up for weeks or months. * There are a number of leaf spots or burns caused by fungi such as Botryis, Pestalotia, Phyllosticta, Septoria and others. Many are secondary infections happening after mechanical damage or environmental stress, such as sunburn, drought, winter damage or windburn. They generally occur during wet weather and many times are self limiting with drier weather. Good sanitation is helpful, so remove brown and fallen leaves. Also provide good air circulation. Spraying with Benomyl or similar fungicide can be useful, but is frequently not necessary. Phyllosticta is a fungus found on wild as well as cultivated rhododendron. Spots are dark brown, zonate, and frequently cover half the leaf area. The spot's upper surface may feel bumpy due to the fungal fruiting bodies (pycnidia). Control: Kocide DF or the Mancozeb-based products: Fore 80 WP, Pentathlon DF, Protect T/O, Microcop, Spectro 90 WDG (chlorothalonil plus thiophanate methyl) or Zyban WSB (Not to be confused with the smoking cessation drug) Phomopsis rhododendri symptoms vary from leaf spots to chlorosis and then browning of leaves which then wilt. Browning streaks extend down the stem to a wound. Fungicides such as metalaxyl (Subdue) should control an outbreak. Sanitation and applying a fungicide after pruning may provide control. Small bright yellow spots is a symptom of azalea rust, Puccininastrum vaccinii, a fungal disease. Orange-red pustules containing spores form on the lower surface of the leaf. This rust is only sporadically severe and typically infects deciduous azaleas. Control by avoiding those hybrids and species which are very susceptible to rust. Good air circulation is helpful. Triadimefon seems to help, but may not be registered for use on rhododendrons. Light green or yellowish patches on leaves sometimes accompanies by brown spots on the back side of leaves is a sign of rhododendron powdery mildew (Microsphaera azaleae). One of the puzzling aspects of this fungal problem is the fact that two different affected rhododendrons vary in appearance. Rhododendron cultivar 'Unique,' for instance, shows almost no upper leaf changes, other than occasional very faint lighter yellowish areas, while the underside of the leaves will be completely covered in brown spots. A deep green leaf may begin to show lighter green patches, and these areas will gradually become more yellow. Another cultivar, 'Virginia Richards,' gets brownish purple spots on both tops and bottoms of leaves. This common disease is named rhododendron powdery mildew despite how little the symptoms resemble the familiar fungal disease often seen on roses and azaleas. Usually the disease doesn't produce the familiar white powder-like spores, although late in the summer some may become visible. The disease manifests instead as color changes in the leaves, followed by defoliation toward the end of the growing season. Many rhododendrons, if basically healthy, will coexist with the disease and seem to outgrow or at least survive the symptoms. Last year's leaves, once they have been hit by the disease, will always have it, with symptoms persisting from year to year until the leaves drop off. High relative humidity at night and low relative humidity during day with 70-80 F (22-27 C) temperatures is ideal for the disease to flourish. * A number of insects cause leaf spots: Yellow mottling on the upper surface of leaves and black sooty mold and transparent insects on the bottom are symptoms of Azalea whitefly (Pealius spp.) and Rhododendron whitefly (Dialeurodes spp.). They are more prevalent on certain varieties and on plants grown in protected areas. These small white flying insects look like an aphid with wings and suck on the underside of foliage, leaving white spots where it has been. Heavy infestations cause the margins of terminal leaves to cup. These infested leaves will eventually turn yellowish and appear wilted. The lower leaves become covered with honeydew, followed by sooty mold (a black coating). To check for the presence of whiteflies, shake the terminals of white azaleas to flush out adult whiteflies which look like tiny white moths. Examine the lower surfaces of leaves for the presence of nymphs, which are flat, yellowish green, and resemble scale insects. All stages occur on the under sides of leaves. This whitefly is usually limited to varieties of the snow azalea, Rhododendron mucronatum. If the infestation is light, little or no plant symptoms are evident, and if beneficial insects are present, spray the undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap or a horticultural oil at the 2%summer rate. If the infestation is heavy use a registered residual insecticide such as Malathion, Diazinon or Orthene. Whitish specks on the upper surface of leaves and dark spots varnish-like on the bottom are symptoms of rhododendron lace bugs, Stephanitis rhododendri, and azalea lace bugs, Stephanitis pyrioides, small insects with transparent wings on under-surface of leaves.. This insect hatches early in spring as the new foliage begins to mature and its numbers may build to damaging levels with successive generations. Lace bugs reach their peak in late summer and do their worst in sunny, exposed sites. Spiders are important predators of lace bugs and since they shy away from sunny, hot places, plant your azaleas where there is some shade. Insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or a systemic insecticide may spare your azaleas the damage if applied in spring when the first hatchlings are noticed. Care must be taken to spray the lower surfaces of the leaves where the lace bugs live. Moving a plant to an area with more shade may alleviate the problem. Lace bugs are more prevalent on certain varieties. The following azalea cultivars have resistance to azalea lace bug: Dawn, ÂPink Star, ÂEreka, ÂCavalier, ÂPink Fancy, ÂDram, ÂSeigei, ÂMacrantha, ÂSalmon Pink, ÂElsie Lee, ÂRed Wing, Sunglow and ÂMarilee. Small white spots on the underside of leaves and small white flies on under-surface of leaves may indicate in infestation of Azalea whitefly (Pealius spp.) and Rhododendron whitefly (Dialeurodes spp.). They are more prevalent on certain varieties and on plants grown in protected areas. These small white flying insects look like an aphid with wings and suck on the underside of foliage, leaving white spots where it has been. Heavy infestations cause the margins of terminal leaves to cup. These infested leaves will eventually turn yellowish and appear wilted. The lower leaves become covered with honeydew, followed by sooty mold (a black coating). To check for the presence of whiteflies, shake the terminals of white azaleas to flush out adult whiteflies which look like tiny white moths. Examine the lower surfaces of leaves for the presence of nymphs, which are flat, yellowish green, and resemble scale insects. All stages occur on the under sides of leaves. This whitefly is usually limited to varieties of the snow azalea, Rhododendron mucronatum. If the infestation is light, little or no plant symptoms are evident, and if beneficial insects are present, spray the undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap or a horticultural oil at the 2%summer rate. If the infestation is heavy use a registered residual insecticide such as Malathion, Diazinon or Orthene.

LOSING YOUR LIFESTYLE, but GAINING A NEW YOU! All change has some pain if it's going to be successful! You sound like you are on your way! I have learned to eat carrot stick (those small ones) when I want something crunchy instead of chips. Radishes too. Celry too. Celry and peanut butter. After awhile, you don't want the COST (mentally) of chips... I get a huge bag of almonds, lay some out in a brownie pan, freeze the rest, and bake them until done. I have some in a jar at my desk at work RIGHT NOW! No salt, no sugar...plain, baked almonds. I do eat DOVE DARK CHOCOLATE and sometimes I throw in some almonds. DARK Chocolate has good ingredients for you vs. milk chocolate. Sometimes I splurge and make chocolate mousse. It's worth all the sugary candy in the world! It has improved my palate so that I only want the good stuff now. Less costly in the long run, for my budget, and my diet. I EAT VEGGIES with some Velvetta cheese. Yup, I cheat a little, but it get's me eatin' steamed brocolli, caulifower and brussel sprouts. Do you know a handfull of baby carrots will keep angina away!! I eat NO SALT whole tomato's...I eat those first during a meal or have a cup of tomato juice to fill me up a little first. I make raw veggies and blend the Italian season w. olive oil. Somes I add some cooked whole wheat pasta with hot pepper flakes. I eat more apples now. Never liked them, but now I do. They are filling! I still love fudgesicles and try to fine ones with the least sugar. I do have some indulgences. I have to! But I always EAT CERTAIN FOODS FIRST. Before I can have a fudgesickle, I must eat something of protein or some veggie. I love a good hamburger and buy only lean meat. In another email I told you how I eat more fish. For superbowl weekend, I'll probably be watching LIFETIME or something else, but I'll have my good munchies and crunchies. Ooowww, shrimp sounds good! If anything, the next day, you can ask, WHAT DID I DO TO BETTER MY LIFESTYLE OF EATING BETTER...and you feel soooo good! That has kept me going. Knowing that I CAN do this and I can do this with a new attitude about eating. You will be gaining so much! You need to think of all this junk food in they way your heart would look at it.... "potato chips...Oh, MY, all that FAT and empty calories", "Candy bars...gee all that WAX and hydrogenated oils"... "Store bought cookies...sugar, empty calories, and hydrogenated oils".... "Greasy hambuger...oh, please get the LEAN beef next time....you're cloggin' my arteries!" TAKE YOUR HEART WITH YOU IN YOUR HEAD EVERYTIME YOU BUY OR EAT SOMETHING! Ask her, "WHAT do you prefer?" You are on the road to a new and happier life! Good Luck, June Lynn

Hi mellbee, Congratulations on a very wise decision. Having an alternative something, e.g. celery, carrot stick, toothpick, drinking straw or whatever to put into your mouth when craving comes has been helpful for many. Have a good look at your routines, and when you regularly smoked. Change those parts of your routine. Try to find something positive to do that will keep you busy, especially something that you can do in little chunks of time at a time. Teach yourself to walk away from yourself, turn around, and, looking you in the eye, ask some tough questions about what's going on when you have a craving. Many have found a great deal of help while sharing with others on the forums at www.quitnet.org. Quite a few say that they couldn't have quit without the empathy, advice, support and encouragement that they found there at any time of the day or night. I am glad that you have a buddy to carry on the journey along with you. Might be a good idea to look for some others who want to quit, as well, and would join you. It's a help if some of the quitters agree that someone else having a craving can call them at any hour of the day or night - sort of like the A A folks do. Have you ever heard the rather dry-witted comedian of a number of years ago, Bob Newhart, who impersonated the leaders in the head office in London when Walter Raleigh, calling home from the New World, tried to explain how cigarettes would work? And the sceptical laughter that it induced? See whether you can find someone who has it, for it might be helpful. There is no way on earth that I'd want to be a slave to another person. Much less would I want to be a slave to a little white paper tube filled with dead leaves. Come talk here whenever you feel like it - the folks here want you to succeed in this worthwhile (could be life-aving) task. Good wishes as you proceed with your Quit. ole joyful