“I Did it!” Another success story
Daughter Happier, Healthier Now that Parents Quit Smoking

Abby Kreul, 9, is ecstatic her parents, Jason and Sherry, have quit smoking with the help of UW-CTRI. “It’s better now because I don’t get sick as much,” Abby said.

Sherry and Jason had other motivations to quit, too. Jason’s father, a smoker, died of a heart attack. Jason would wake up coughing at night. “I knew at some point I’d have to quit or die smoking,” Jason said. But the primary reason for quitting was – and remains to be – their three children. In addition to Abby, there’s Sara, 13, and Brad, 17. “They’ve told us how proud they are and how nice it is that we don’t smoke,” Sherry said. “I think quitting sends a very positive message. There were some tough days. "But seeing the difference in us – the smell and our health – I don’t think my children will smoke. If we’re out somewhere and somebody walks by and we smell smoke, they look at me and wrinkle their nose.” A TV Ad Leads to Quitting Jason and Sherry said they were watching TV, probably smoking, when they saw an ad for the Pfizer clinical trial at UW-CTRI that gave participants one of three medications – bupropion, varenicline or placebo – on a randomized basis. “I saw the ad and said, ‘Well, I’ll take a chance,’” Jason said. They worked with UW-CTRI’s Donna Muehlenbruch, RN, to set a quit date and practice quitting. They started their medications the week before their quit date and quit Oct. 11, 2003. They’ve been smoke-free ever since.

Abby, 9, center, is glad her mom and dad, Jason and Sherry, quit smoking.

They had tried nicotine patches and going cold turkey, but couldn’t quit. The Kreuls credit the staff at UW-CTRI for helping them finally kick the addiction. “They’re wonderful,” Sherry said. “They took such good care of us. Very inspirational and encouraging. It’s like having your own cheerleading section that’s actually concerned about your health. When you have friends who smoke, they don’t believe you: ‘Yeah, right, whatever you say.’ So having that vote of confidence, it helps to have UW-CTRI behind you, helping you and watching the changes in your health."

Sherry said she recommends smokers who want to quit seek the help of UW-CTRI or another stop-smoking program in their local area. “If you honestly want to quit, there are people out there to help you,” Sherry said. “You may struggle; you may take three steps forward and one step back. But you didn’t start smoking overnight, either.”

The Kreuls agree the rewards are worth the adversity. “I like feeling and smelling better,” Jason said, “and not being a slave to smoking.”

They took the money they would have spent on cigarettes and bought a pet cockatoo named Smooch. “It’s great,” Sherry said. “Going up and down stairs is a lot easier. Jason and I can walk so much further without getting winded. I love the sense of smell. Until last year, I had no idea fall and spring smelled so wonderful.”

“When you smoke, it becomes who you are,” Jason said. “It’s a relief to beat it.”