One Employee’s Journey to Stamp Out Smoking

One Friday, after a long day at work at Anne Arundel Medical Center, Christina Delfendahl decided she was done with cigarettes. She was literally tired of smoking after 16 years of the habit. A quick stop after work at the local pharmacy to pick up nicotine patches, and she was on her way to a new beginning.

Christina was certain it would work this time. She tried to quit the year before, first cold turkey, then by using a prescription, then a few months later using specialized gum. She also attended free employee smoking cessation counseling at AAMC. The counseling provided support and resources, and the counselors developed a personal plan to help Christina cope with the ups and downs of quitting. Before she wasn’t quite ready to kick the habit, but now this pack-a-day smoker really wanted to do it.

“I knew it would work this time because I was ready. I really wanted it. I knew it would be a few weeks with the patches and that made it easier to know there was an end not far away. It ended up taking four months with the patches before I was smoke-free,” says Christina.

Christina adds that having a support system made a difference. “My co-workers had been encouraging me to stop smoking for long time and once I decided to do it, they were there to help me stick with it,” she says.

It’s been almost one year since Christina quit and she feels great. Christina is doing CrossFit classes and enjoys having more energy, a better sense of smell and an overall healthy living lifestyle. As an added bonus, Christina set aside the money she would have spent on cigarettes, saving enough to buy a new bedroom set.