Smoking is bad....UPDATE

[Queen of Poop]

My mom's sister (my aunt) has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Both my mom and her sister are heavy smokers. The sister quit the nasty habit 2 years ago though. My mom says the cancer isn't due to smoking, but rather that my aunt took birth control and prozac in her life. Mom needs to get her head out of the sand and realize her cough is from smoking and Auntie's cancer is from smoking!!

I am a non-smoker, never did it, never will.

[blue]

My aunt on my moms side has about a month left from all her years of smoking, cancer. My uncle was fighting a collapsed lung, a complication from when he was a smoker, not sure if cancer is involved.

My dads brother is fighting what is allmost cancer from smoking, not sure on the specifics.

That said Im gonna be a complete and total moron and have another ciggarette.

[Freedom]

I've never smoked, can't stand the smell of it.

We also have several family members dealing with cancer from chain smoking. It is tough to cope with, seeing what happens to them.

[Karen]

Please, blue, quit smoking now. I have seen too many people die untimely and painful deaths from a result of smoking.

And if my Dad can quit, anyone can. He did several years ago, and has felt better ever since.

Queen of Poop, I bet your mom knows deep inside that her cough is from her smoking, just cannot admit it to anyone else.

When my friend's grandmother was in the hospital, dying a painful death from lung cancer, my friend, her mother and sister all visited together. It was a rough time. When they were leaving, her mom turned to her sister and said "I need a cigarette, how about you?" My friend stopped them in their tracks and yelled at them, and said "Don't you see? Do YOU want to end your life like that?" They were stunned, and put off having a cigarette - at least until she left. Sigh.

[Pam]

I am so sorry. I lost an uncle to lung cancer. He had one of his lungs removed but didn't live much longer after that and it was pitiful to watch him trying to get air. My neighbor actually quit smoking and developed emphysema five years after quitting. Apparently the damage was already done. :( My hubby has been smoking for decades. It is a worry that I live with every day. At this point he has no plans to stop. Your post scares me because I feel that he will wind up like your aunt. I hope your mom will learn from this before it is too late. (((hugs)))

[blue]

Grandma on my moms side died from complications due to smoking for most her life. None of the nurses at the hospital during her last days couldnt or wouldnt say who was giving her ciggs but she would stick her head out of the window for a smoke until she couldnt get out of bed on her own anymore.

Yeah Im dumb.

[jennielynn1970]

Please, blue, quit smoking now. I have seen too many people die untimely and painful deaths from a result of smoking.



Do you really think it sounds like he cares to stop smoking?

[jennielynn1970]

My mom's sister (my aunt) has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Both my mom and her sister are heavy smokers. The sister quit the nasty habit 2 years ago though. My mom says the cancer isn't due to smoking, but rather that my aunt took birth control and prozac in her life. Mom needs to get her head out of the sand and realize her cough is from smoking and Auntie's cancer is from smoking!!

I am a non-smoker, never did it, never will.

I hope there will be something that doctors can do for your aunt. And that she will stop smoking. Hope your mom will stop as well.

Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.

[blue]

Do you really think it sounds like he cares to stop smoking?

I do care, I understand firsthand how addictive it is. Any other comments?

[DJFyrewolf36]

Smoking has a death grip on some people. I've seen first hand how hard quitting can be. :(

[Grace]

I do care, I understand firsthand how addictive it is. Any other comments?

I smoked for more years than I care to remember.

Then 10 years ago I got pneumonia. That was the best day of my life. I quit smoking, cold turkey. I was so sick I didn't even miss the cigs for about 5 days. By then I was past the worst of the cravings.

For the next year I thought about them a lot - but never gave in. Nowadays I truly don't even think about having one. I now know how I smelled when smoking - my clothes, the house, yuck.

My only advice - if you have a friend with pneumonia spend lots of time with him/her. Try to get really sick - that ought to help.

[blue]

Smoking has a death grip on some people. I've seen first hand how hard quitting can be. :(

I worked with a guy who quit not only smoking but mainlining heroin, he said heroin was easier to kick


I smoked for more years than I care to remember.

Then 10 years ago I got pneumonia. That was the best day of my life. I quit smoking, cold turkey. I was so sick I didn't even miss the cigs for about 5 days. By then I was past the worst of the cravings.

For the next year I thought about them a lot - but never gave in. Nowadays I truly don't even think about having one. I now know how I smelled when smoking - my clothes, the house, yuck.

My only advice - if you have a friend with pneumonia spend lots of time with him/her. Try to get really sick - that ought to help.

Before I started smoking I had bronchitus (sp) a number of years in a row and pneumonia once. Im not going to credit smoking for not having a reoccurence of either.

[Catty1]

I posted this link to a story on Paul Newman in General, but just the link. Some PTrs hoped he had a peaceful passing. I had a friend die of lung cancer...trouble is, it doesn't stay just in your lungs.

The priest at the church I go to talked about a course he went to years ago, where everyone there (all clergy) aimed to become totally willing to do anything that God wanted. Greg [our priest] was ready to be a missionary in Antartica, anything hard and drudging like that. But he kept getting the thought "I should stop smoking."

He REFUSED, telling God that. He had a family, and also a family history of male heart and other conditions. He lost a brother who was 52 years of age. He had every reason to quit.

His advice now to people who don't want to quit is to pray for the willingness.

Pray for the willingness.

One day, he was driving somewhere, opened the car window and threw his cigarettes out. That was it. The willingness and readiness arrived.

So pray for it please, friends.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,429177,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/images/424107/5_62_newman_wheelchair.jpg


It’s been reported that he [Newman] quit smoking some 30 years ago.

But although stopping does help curb damage to your lungs as the years pass, the chance of getting lung cancer is never completely gone.

“The risk continues for at least 10 more years even after you’ve quit,” Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told FOXNews.com.

“Once lungs are damaged they don’t grow back,” he said. “It’s like brain tissue — once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”

“It’s a horrible way to go,” said Dr. Evan Sorett, a pulmonologist and director of critical care at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. “People have to be put on morphine, they are gasping to breathe. It’s a terrible death.”

[blue]

The day I go back to Church will likely be the day I quit.

[Catty1]

The day I go back to Church will likely be the day I quit.

Now THERE'S a plan. ;)

You can always church shop and see where you are comfy.

I used a spiritual recovery program for alcohol and junk food...the idea being the booze and junk were my gods already, and really mean ones who had the ultimate control. Had to seriously trade them in on a Higher Power that wouldn't do the same damage.

{{{hugs}}}

[blue]

Now THERE'S a plan. ;)

You can always church shop and see where you are comfy.

I used a spiritual recovery program for alcohol and junk food...the idea being the booze and junk were my gods already, and really mean ones who had the ultimate control. Had to seriously trade them in on a Higher Power that wouldn't do the same damage.

{{{hugs}}}

Meh...

Im Catholic, the day I decide to quit smoking and drinking Ill go to Church.

[Karen]

Meh...

Im Catholic, the day I decide to quit smoking and drinking Ill go to Church.

I'd say you can come to my church, we'd welcome you, but it's just about as far away as one can get, and it's not Catholic. That doesn't matter to us, we have many former Catholics here ... and we also have NA, AA, OA, and other self-help groups that meet here every day of the week.

Blue, my Dad is an asthmatic, and has been since childhood. He didn't start smoking until he joined the Army at 17, and everyone was given cigarettes on a regular basis. He smoked all through my growing up years, but we were not supposed to know he did. He never ever smoked in the house, and never smoked where we could see him. Like me, he is allergic to cigarette smoke, and apparently they have done studies showing that if you are allergic to something but get addicted to it, it is exponentially harder to quit for physiological reasons.

One day, probably 20 years ago, his doctor discovered a lump on his neck. It turned out to be benign, but he knew that when he was in the hospital for the surgery to remove and biopsy it, he would not be able to smoke. So he quit, cold turkey. This was in the days before all the patches and gums existed ...

And it worked. As he said "I would not have wanted to live with me - or been anywhere near me - for those two weeks, but after the first two weeks, I was over the worst of it."

Thankfully, only my mother was living in the house with him at the time, we were all grown and on our own - or in the military in one case - and my mother was the most optimistic, cheerful and hopeful person you could ever hope to meet, so they made it through those two weeks with killing each other.

He later watched my mother's best friend die from lung cancer and her husband, who was Dad's good friend, die from heart disease, both completely smoking-related. Dad is still in good health, for which we are grateful.

Quit now, okay?

[Medusa]

I no longer preach the "stop smoking gospel". My sister-in-law repeatedly said "When the dr. tells me I have cancer, then I'll stop smoking". He did and she kept her word because she was dead 3 weeks later. It isn't the smoker that I'm concerned about any more; it's the people left behind, going on w/out their loved one because of the smoker's nonchalant attitude toward life, which can be taken from us in an instant like their beloved puff of smoke.

[Edwina's Secretary]

The day I go back to Church will likely be the day I quit.

Oh, I think you should continue to smoke. It is your God given constitutional right to do so!

[blue]

Oh, I think you should continue to smoke. It is your God given constitutional right to do so!

My right to smoke is niether god given nor is it in the Constitution.

[jennielynn1970]

My right to smoke is niether god given nor is it in the Constitution.

True.

It just something done by stubborn, head strong people who think they look cool doing it (along with shooting big guns).

Besides, who wants to date smelly people who have icky yellow teeth, and all of it by choice?? You can't even be next to them without coming home smelling just as foul. And don't even start on the kissing part. GROSS. I don't know what's worse, kissing a guy who smokes, or kissing a guy who chews tobacco.

Makes me want to vomit just thinking back on it. BLECH.


So many reasons to NOT smoke that aren't even health related...

[Karen]

True.

It just something done by stubborn, head strong people who think they look cool doing it (along with shooting big guns).

Now, now, no relying on stereotypes. I know smokers who are neither strong nor stubborn, nor do they think they look cool. An addiction is an addiction. I know perfectly good, intelligent, kind, gentle people who smoke who would never, ever fire a gun, and those who would. I know people who are none of those things, but who smoke. I know smokers who regret smoking, and those who don't regret it. It cuts across a whole spectrum of society.

[Queen of Poop]

What is really sad is that both my parents smoke. So much so that walking in their door leads one to be hit by the wall of smoke. I can't visit them for more than a couple of hours before I start coughing, get all stuffed up and feel generally like I'm suffocating. Which is why I don't visit them very often and they don't visit me because I won't let them smoke in my house.

[Bonny]

Both of my folks smoked all their shortened lifes. I was told by my mother if I ever tried smoking she would pull every bit of hair out of my head. I took the threat literally. I was around 2nd hand smoke for a good 20 years. I noticed in sports at school I had shortness of breath. Go figure!?! I hate cigarette smoke to this day. It is a bad habit to ever start & my folks would still be here if they hadn't smoked. Cigarettes suck !!! :(

[blue]

True.

It just something done by stubborn, head strong people who think they look cool doing it (along with shooting big guns).

I can be stuborn and head strong, but I do not think it looks cool. I might have thought so as a teen but now I know better. None of my firearms are classified as large. There are also people who just enjoy going to the gun range and relaxing.


Besides, who wants to date smelly people who have icky yellow teeth, and all of it by choice?? You can't even be next to them without coming home smelling just as foul. And don't even start on the kissing part. GROSS. I don't know what's worse, kissing a guy who smokes, or kissing a guy who chews tobacco.

Makes me want to vomit just thinking back on it. BLECH.


So many reasons to NOT smoke that aren't even health related...

So many reasons indeed.

[Queen of Poop]

So the news is that my aunt has 3-6 WEEKS to live if she does nothing. She MIGHT have a YEAR if she does chemo, radiation AND some new experimental drug.

My mom talked to her directly after she was given this prognosis. She has not yet decided what course of action, if any, she will take.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Now, now, no relying on stereotypes. I know smokers who are neither strong nor stubborn, nor do they think they look cool. An addiction is an addiction. I know perfectly good, intelligent, kind, gentle people who smoke who would never, ever fire a gun, and those who would. I know people who are none of those things, but who smoke. I know smokers who regret smoking, and those who don't regret it. It cuts across a whole spectrum of society.

Agreed. Thank you Karen.

Prayers for your Aunt and your entire family Gayle. :(

[finn's mom]

My dad just recently quit smoking after 53 years of lighting up. He's been smoking since he was about 13. He's been smoke free now for nearly three months. I have never been prouder of a human being in my life. I'm also extremely proud of my brother, who's a cancer survivor. He started smoking in his early twenties (he had leukemia when he was five years old and was sick for five years) and quit smoking about two years ago. :) I hope people read this and maybe get some inspiration if they're thinking it can't be done.

[Medusa]

I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt, Gayle. She's got a tough road ahead of her now. All you can do is be there for her and we'll be here for you.

[catland]

Queen, I'm very sorry for the pain you are going through with your family and this terrible illness (which was probably caused by the smokes)


Blue - Another way to look at it.

Take one pac of cigs at $4.00/pack. If you smoke one pack a day, that's $1460.00 in a year.

In ten years, with a compound interest rate of 5%, that's almost $20,000.00 spent just on cigarettes.

I'd rather have a new car. :rolleyes:

[sasvermont]

It wasn't pretty, for sure. He smoked for 20 years and quit 20 years ago. The fact that he had quit some years ago didn't really help him out much. He died within one month of his diagnosis. It was the saddest day of my life. He was only 60.

So, for all those folks who continue to smoke, you can pretty much count on having an early departure from this world. If that is what you want, then have at it. My dear brother thought he was in the clear, since he had stopped over 20 years ago. Nope.

One must consider all the risks we take, health wise, whether it be being over weight or smoke or have out of control diabetes or high blood pressure. It is often a choice in life style. It would be nice if we were all perfect, but we are not.

Smoking is a death sentence. I suspect your family will miss you. Just don't smoke around the people you love and don't want to have the same predictable ending as you will have.

Some people manage to survive the smoking experience. Most do not. Just that plain and simple. You want to die, keep smoking. It is your choice.

:eek:

[Catty1]

It is my belief - as I continue to recover from addiction, a lifelong process - that smokers/compulsive overeaters/alcoholics/etc KNOW there is something wrong, they KNOW it is not good. Their drug of choice has become a god that won't let go.

"It is the pain of living that creates a hunger for healing that only God can satisfy." - J. Keith Miller

At this point in my life, it is my understanding that in order to begin to recover from any of these, God (whatever or whoever you conceive God to be) must become the centre of your life - not you. It's hard to surrender everything we do and are to a Higher Power, no matter how friendly, but it is the way to freedom. Freedom from the 'controlling god' that has your life right now. Death doesn't have to be physical, I know that much.

This does take work - which is what the 12 Steps are for.

My only suggestion is that those who smoke, are hooked, and know they are - check out some kind of treatment program or other some such. It's okay to hate it...just expose yourself to a different way of thinking and feeling. Go to open 12 Step meetings. See what else is in your community.

You alone can do it - but you don't have to do it alone.

Gayle, my prayers for your aunt.