Any Smokers out there?

Hi there,
My nerves are getting the best of me the closer my surgery gets. One of my biggest problems is the smoking. I know I should quit, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen anytime soon. I'm really worried about withdrawal in the hospital. I know I'm going to be craving a cigarette. Did any of you sneak out to smoke while you were in the hospital. Or do Dr.'s still write orders that you can go outside to smoke if you ask them? I'm going to be nervous enough staying at the hospital. They take away my cigarettes and I'm going to be a disaster. lol. Thanks! Teresa

Hey bundleofnerves,
I smoke to and while I was in the castle I went out and smoked but we had to watch where we went for the castle had a smoke free zone. We would sit under this tree on a bench and cup it like the wind was blowing or something . The first day of surgery I was out of it so much I did'nt care if I did or not but the next day I was ready. The lady in the room next to me had them put a patch on her cuz she could'nt get up as well as I could. Don't worry you'll be fine and if you have to go out and have one. Good Luck hope this helps Kim

I'm a pack a day smoker and believe it or not, I never even thought of a cigarette until it was time to go home. I was really surprised at this once I thought about it.

I will be going to the same hospital where I had my last child. They have a smoke room but it is clear in the basement. It is difficult to find and quite a walk to get there. I don't know if I will be able to go for any or not this time. Many hosptials in Iowa are going "smoke free campus" now. The hospital I used to go to is now completely smoke free and you have to go across the street to smoke. When I talked to a nurse at pre op, she said my hospital will go to this policy in March 2007.

I had a roomate in the hosptial that came up after her surgery. She was in a lot of pain and wanted a cigarette. They told her no. She fliped out. They went back and forth offering her a patch and so forth. She insisted she wanted to smoke a cigarette. They called her doctor who wasn't on call. The on call doctor said no. It got ugly. I got moved to another room (lets say I was fearing for my safety). This women needed a cigarette anybody could see that. She told me she was sorry for all the yelling and crying and shouting. I told her to do what she needed. I am not a smoker, but yeah, you got to do what you need to do. Anyways they finally made her sign a liablility waiver and got a wheelchair so her husband could take her out for a smoke. I have to say I felt really bad for her. I think based on this you might want to find out IN ADVANCE what you have to do to make sure this doesn't happen to you.