Joslyn Eatmon smoked religiously for 40 years. With the help of Quit With WakeMed, she will have been free of cigarettes for an entire year. Here is her testimony:
Dr. Revella Harmon, Primary Care
“I smoked for 40 years and started as a teenager by sneaking my parents’ cigarettes. I was hooked by the time I was 19. Once employed, it provided me a way to keep up the habit. I never really thought it was bad. I just saw it as doing what I wanted to do. When I visited my WakeMed primary care physician, Revella Harmon, MD, she told me that she was referring me to the smoking cessation team. I honestly didn’t want to stop.
“I realized, however, that if I said no to smoking cessation, it might impact my health insurance, so I moved forward with it. To get out of it, I decided that when they called me, I’d be so ugly that they’d not want to call me again. Fortunately, the person who called was Stacy Thiedeman, PA-C. I was cold toward her, but it didn’t stop her. She called me again. During the second session, she asked me why I smoked. I told her I smoked because it was what I wanted to do. ‘I’m grown. I pay my own bills. What’s wrong with it?’
“She repeated the question more slowly.
“At that point, I thought about a time I’d asked my grandsons why they were doing something, and they said they didn’t know. I told them, ‘If you don’t know why you’re doing something, you need to stop right now.’ I was tortured by the hypocrisy of demanding that my grandsons stop a behavior when I, too, was doing something just to do it.
“Because being a grandmother is a role I take seriously, I decided on June 27, 2022 to quit immediately.
“Now that I’ve stopped smoking, I’ve found positive ways to keep my hands busy. I didn’t realize that my leisure time was spent sitting around smoking. Since I quit, I now spend more time doing laundry, cleaning my house and making epoxy crafts. I’m much more productive in every area of my life and take pride in being the example I want to be.
“As far as my health, I take in better breaths of air. I have more energy. I don’t cough a lot like I used to. I also don’t have to make sure I’m brushing my teeth all the time. I no longer put up with stuff just to keep smoking.
“I still keep in touch with Stacy. We text each other and video chat. She has been very supportive, and I appreciate that.
“I am now telling my friends to quit smoking. I know if I can do it, they can do it!”
About Quit With WakeMed – Tobacco Cessation Program
Quit With WakeMed is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary program designed to help you quit tobacco for good. Our team will provide you with the tools, therapies and support you need to be successful. Our approach has been proven to be approximately 10 times more effective than quitting on your own.
Our Services:
Virtual appointments for your convenience
Thorough assessment and discussion of goals
Personalized treatment plans
Prescription medications (as needed)
Individual or group behavioral therapies
Ongoing follow-up
About WakeMed Primary Care
WakeMed Physician Practices features board-certified primary care, internal medicine and family medicine physicians conveniently located throughout the Triangle.
Our exceptional, compassionate providers and care teams pride themselves on developing long-term relationships with our patients and families.
We look forward to caring for you and your family and to being your family’s medical home. Call or schedule online for an in-person or virtual visit with one of our primary care providers.
