Dustin and Doug: Winding Down

SVHC: The title of this blog may be a little misleading.  Dustin is continuing to live a life without cigarettes.  He participates in our challenges and, we are happy to report, Dustin was randomly selected as our grand prize winner for the Summer Challenge. This is in addition to his daily workouts, his career, and trying new things such as his recent helicopter ride.

Doug continues to ride his bike, pick up garbage along the way, and talk to people about his tongue! He also won his primary and will be sworn in as a Cortland County Legislator in January, as he has no major political party opposition on the November ballot.

So we can't really say that Dustin and Doug are winding down in their daily lives!

Doug still takes the time to write stories about the interesting people he meets.  Listed following are a couple of blogs that he recently sent us.

We talked to both men recently and decided that after this blog post, we would catch up with them in December, which would be Dustin's 6-month anniversary of no smoking, and then again in June on his one-year anniversary.

On a personal note, we're lucky to know these two individuals who were willing to stick their necks, and tongue, out to make our world a better place.  How serendipitous they met in the first place.  So does the path choose you, or do you choose the path?  

DOUG: Hi Dustin: One year ago on September 7, my surgical team carefully carved out the right half of my tongue and replaced it with a chunk of my right wrist. I now cancer-free and in perfect health. Each morning as I walk my pup Rosie, I am on the lookout for smokers who need to hear my story. Today as I came up Homer Avenue, I looked across the street and saw a woman eyeing me as I picked up a few cigarette butts and discarded lottery tickets. She was actually focused on Rosie. I picked up the pup and crossed the street. As I told Hilda my story she gave me a sideways glance and said, "I hope you're not going to tell me that this was because of smoking!"

Hilda has a few health issues - all of which are aggravated by her cigarette habit.  Her short-sighted defense is that no one is going to tell her what to do.  That's unfortunate.  All we want in the end is for people to be healthier and happier.  You won't get there sitting still.  You have to join the movement.

Kind regards,  Doug

DOUG AND CARL (Sept. 7): The blog has been very important in encouraging me to continue meeting new smokers. If we think no one is paying attention, we may lose our resolve or our momentum. Thank you for the encouragement. Biking home through the Courthouse Park yesterday, I came across a guy sitting on a bench. He looked lonely.This is Carl. He was recently in a car accident, so for now he is on a bike. He tells me he bought it in a garage sale for $5. What an incredible bargain!