I, too, had my last smoke just before the stroke that put me in the hospital for 3 weeks. I wore the patch through the 3 hospital weeks and for about 2 more weeks after going home. Then started forgetting to change it until I just left it off.
Surprisingly, the neurologist said smoking was #3 on my risk-list, behind HRT and sleep apnea.
I still dream about smoking occasionally, but never want one.
I still reach for my shirt pocket sometimes under stress.
I had a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other, and have none of either one since.