I had some success with Smoke Away....

[Digit]

A co-worker had told me about it, so I bought some at Target.
I had tried the patch, and I just smoked with it on!

It was great while it lasted. It is some herbal concoction and supposedly cleans the toxins out. I believe they also have a forum on the internet.
Anyway, it is guaranteed to work or money back, so I liked that idea.

Unfortunately, I slipped when I was called and told my father was in intensive care with both of his lungs collapsed. (He was never a smoker...it was just one of those things). I caved in and bought a pack of ciggies.
He was released from the hospital, now is back in the ICU again with pneumonia and not expected to live.
I have some additional stressors in my life at the moment (like being unemployed!), but my father's condition is the one making me a basket case.
I am going to once again attempt to quit smoking as soon as things lighten up.

[ebayfool]

1. Digit, I'm so sorry @ your Dad. When it rains, it pours ... doesn't it?

This does sound like a stressful time, do you have friends &/or family to help you go through it? I hope so - it's tough to handle by yourself.

[Digit]

2. Nope, only my daughter, and I don't want to lean on her.

My fundie brother stopped speaking with me a few years ago.
Actually, it was after I was executrix of our mother's Will. He did not want her Will admitted, and I said it was HER wishes.
Well, once he got his share of the money, he has never spoken with me again.
Then again, he is VERY fundie and preaches to people in restaurants and things like that. I am his heathen sister...heh, heh, heh.

Hey, there are people out there in MUCH worse shape than I am, suffering more than I am.
I just try to hang in there as best I can. I have this wonderful DU community to turn to when I get down, and generally, they have me focus and get through the tough times. I feel this community is helping me to grow as a spiritual being.
When I am centered, I am on here trying to buoy other's up and give a helping hand.
Thank you for caring!

[ebayfool]

3. {{{Digit}}} You don't chose your family, I KNOW that one!

As far as leaning on your daughter, I understand that, too. Just don't try to always buoy everyone else up while neglecting yourself, OK? If you need to vent w/someone who's been there, PM me. Sometimes when you are standing on the bottom of the pool, holding others up (buoy), you forget YOU need to come up for air. I don't want to intrude, just be aware ... the shoulder is there.

[Digit]

4. I am immersing myself in yardwork.

It keeps me from dwelling on the negative, and I can see a positive result of my actions. Things have gotten out of hand in my yard since I became disabled and my neighbors are getting ticked off.
The downside is that I have to take two pain pills in order to do it, and my orthopedic doctors wants to cut them out. (I have severe osteoarthritis of the knee and need a total knee replacement).
Hoping to get the total knee soon so I can resume a somewhat normal life.

[ebayfool]

5. Garden does wonders for me. If I'm too stressed I dig a hole ... it works!

Course then, I'm the one gotta go fill the dang thing back in later! The knees are hard to work around when your doing manual labor like that. I have degenerative disks, but I just pop my butt right down & dig w/a big spoon looking shovel. Makes it easier to change positions (looks mighty funny when you're laying down digging,though!) Think tortoise & hare, it slow but there are NO rocks, roots, weeds anywhere in that yard. Landlord was impressed, he laughed the first few times he saw it ... now he don't! :7 Figure I'll be spending lots of time in the garden this summer trying to keep my hands busy & not putting anything in my mouth. You're right, being able to see positive results makes things seem a bit more under control.