Six days later, when I returned home from the hospital, when even the slightest clearing of my throat felt like my sternum sutures were going to explode, I knew that the usual forceful cough to clear my lungs was not going to be an option.

It's been five months since my quadruple bypass and I can: (a) breath easier, (b) feel healthier, (c) have more energy, (d) have better acuity and short term memory, Nicotine patches, chewing gum, toothpicks did not help me quit.

What has helped me, is coming to grips with the following factoids: (a) bypass grafts are only good for an average of 10 to 15 years, so unless medical marvels are developed within this timeframe, my lifespan is shortened, significantly, (b) the contribution of cigarette smoking to heart disease is as great or greater than the contribution of stress, poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle to heart disease, and most importantly (c) I have told my young daughters that I have quit, and I don't want them to think that their father is a liar or hypocrite.

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