My journey started in 2013 when I, like so many others, bought a Mistic menthol kit at Walmart. I purchased one for my Stepdot who was getting ready for a long plane trip and was in a panic about not smoking, and figured "why not?" And got another for myself.
It didn't help at all. Not for her, as vaping was banned in planes and airports already. And, for me, it was just too much hassle to swap batteries every hour, praying that the other was charged or that my cartridge wasn't dried up. We gave up...
In September of 2014, I got the call from my Mother that my Father was in bad shape. I went there - back to Colorado - as fast as I could. I was devastated to see my Father hooked up to oxygen, a shriveled wreck of a man that I always remembered as a strong, infallible towering giant. He was diagnosed with COPD and small cell lung cancer. One of his final requests was that I stop smoking and I promised that I would. He passed on October 27, 2014.
Upon returning home, I set out to make good on my promise. I had tried the patch and gums with no success in the past, but I thought maybe my doctor might have some better advice. He prescribed Welbutrin, an antidepressant that's supposed to make stopping smoking easier. I filled the scrip, but never took any as I was already on Amytriptiline - another antidepressant taken to control my migraines. My neurologist agreed with that decision and prescribed Chantrix.
That afternoon - November 24, 2014 at 5:37 pm - I was in Walmart getting that scrip filled when I saw the Haus by Mistic on the wall. I bought that along with my scrip and started vaping with it. It was an 650 mAh eGo type battery with a 2 ml clearomizer. I got menthol and coffee e-liquids.
Haus e-liquids are 100% pg and 24 nic. I almost poisoned myself vaping on that non-stop for a week or so before discovering other e-liquids at lower strengths in a small vape shop in Little Rock, Arkansas. I dropped from 24 to 12.
But the Haus systems single 650 battery never lasted long enough... I hept buying more eGo kits from every convenience store in town. Fortunately, there are only 3 convenience stores in my little town.
I eventually turned to the Internet and picked up an iStick 20, a Kamry K1000 e-pipe, and two Anyvape Davide BDC clearos.
I thought I was done. I was perfectly happy using these two devices backed up by all the old eGos I had acquired. I felt no need to build or chase clouds.
It was then that I discovered the ECF. I entered a couple contests and managed to win some decent e-liquid, a Kanger Subtank Mini, and a complete vape kit including a mech, batteries, charger, rda, and more e-liquid.
That Kanger Subtank Mini changed EVERYTHING. I had to build to use it or face a lifetime of buying coils at $3 each.
I learned to build from YouTube and at a little brick and mortar in Batesville, Arkansas.
I never looked back... instead, I became an evangelist and helped my Stepdot quit smoking. Then my Stepson. My son has quit with vaping as has my sister. Now, I'm working on my mother and daughter.
Today, I am a smokefree collector with 32 mods, a dozen RDAs, 32 RTAs, and I still have the original Haus that helped me quit.
