If you smoke... please, please, PLEASE stop!

carolpetunia

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
9,669
Purraise
17
Location
Plano, Texas
My Aunt Peggy, my father's littlest sister, finally quit smoking on September 1. On September 17, she found out she has lung cancer.

We don't yet know anything about what stage it's in, but we do know there's also a "mass" on an adrenal gland, which suggests that it has already metastasized.

Of course, we are thinking positively and we're going to do everything we can to help Aunt Peggy fight this -- but statistically, her chances are very, very slim. And death from lung cancer is a hard, hard way to go.

So I want to share what my friend Rush, who is a cancer information supervisor with the American Cancer Society, said when I called him tonight:

"In case anybody wants to debate what caused this, there is no debate. With other kinds of cancers, we talk about risk factors, but with lung cancer, we talk about cause. Smoking causes it. Second-hand smoke causes it. After that, there's asbestos, there's radon exposure, but lung cancer is always environmental. And if some smoker drags out the old line, 'Well, everybody's gotta die of something,' ask him if he's ever watched a lung cancer patient go down."

Please don't smoke, and don't let anyone you care about smoke. And if you can send up a good thought for my Aunt Peggy, it would mean the world to us.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
Sorry to hear about your aunt. My DH lost his brother from a massive heart attack at age 43 - and he was a smoker. Only a few in his family don't smoke and they all know what happened to Milton cause of smoking - but still continue to do it.

I know its an addiction, but you can quit if you really try. Thank God that DH and I don't smoke. I never have and DH quit a long time ago and has no desire to do it again.

A niece of my dad's was in a house fire. The cause was smoking - her 3 children were playing with a lighter in the house (niece was a smoker) and burned the house down. The kids all died, the house was destroyed and the niece was very seriously burned over most of her body. Know what? She lay in the hospital and begged my dad to find her some cigerettes! I could not believe that you just killed your 3 kids and you want to light up! Made me SOOOO angry.
 

crazyforinfo

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
6,773
Purraise
4
Location
Philly
Sorry for your Aunt.
Stories like this scare me from quitting. I know too many people that developed cancer shortly after quitting. My Nana smoked until she was 80. One year later she developed tumors in her kidney and bladder.
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
My best friend's mother is dying a slow, horrible death thanks to this cancer as well. And yes, she used to be a smoker. It's common sense- smoking kills. With all of the new technology/new ways to quit/ support groups/etc that are available now days- there is no excuse for anyone to keep lighting up- especially when they're hurting themselves and their second hand smoke is hurting those around them. I encourge anyone who is having a hard time quitting to visit some lung cancer /emphysema (sp?) patients at the hosptial who are dying as a direct result of smoking- it is soo sad.
 

white cat lover

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Messages
22,206
Purraise
35
I've never started to smoke, nor will I. I won't even date a smoker, it's disgusting.

I'm sorry your Aunt is going through this, but she is lucky to have such a supportive family!
 

rapunzel47

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2003
Messages
30,725
Purraise
8
Location
Lotus Land
I'm so sorry to hear this. Sending lots of and prayers, that the cancer is in early stages and treatable. Many
for you and your family as you support your Aunt in this difficult time.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

carolpetunia

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
9,669
Purraise
17
Location
Plano, Texas
Originally Posted by Crazyforinfo

Sorry for your Aunt.
Stories like this scare me from quitting. I know too many people that developed cancer shortly after quitting. My Nana smoked until she was 80. One year later she developed tumors in her kidney and bladder.
Do I understand you right -- you think if you quit, you'll get cancer?

Please, I beg you, ask your doctor. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 

katiemae1277

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 28, 2005
Messages
20,445
Purraise
17
Location
NE OH
even though my health was not the reason I quit smoking, it is one of the things that will greatly benefit from me quitting
both my parents are over 50 and have been smoking for 40 years at least...they say they're going to quit soon, but I'll believe it when I see it! to all folks who are still young, I agree, Carol, quit NOW not later.

lots of vibes for your Aunt Peggy as well
 

chelle

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 21, 2003
Messages
4,110
Purraise
1
Location
Brainerd Mn
I'm so sorry to hear that
My mother in law has COPD and
weighs 70 lbs and the Doctors don't give her much more time
to live and she smoked for over 40 years.
I am a smoker and i am trying to quit.
 

cheylink

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
8,259
Purraise
102
Location
queens, new york
I don't know how to express my sympathy toward such a horrible diagnosis, especially after one has come to terms with a debilitating addiction that causes it. My grandmother died of lung cancer, please do not share with your aunt but it was an extremely painful, brutal prolonged death that could have been avoided by not smoking. When she grew up smoking was classy, fashionable, and even supposedly healthy.......................she died smoking, refused to quit.
 

jean-ji

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2005
Messages
1,040
Purraise
35
Location
Hudson Valley and SW Florida
Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Do I understand you right -- you think if you quit, you'll get cancer?
Please, I beg you, ask your doctor. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I do CT/MR scans and I see patients who are scared to death that something is wrong and have quit smoking a short time before they have a scan done. It seems like they know, unconsciously, that there is a problem, which is why they have seen a doctor and are now having a scan. Maybe they've noticed a problem, but can't admit to themselves or anyone else, it's too scary for people to admit they might have something wrong with them.
People quit smoking because they want to feel better and get healthier, which is always a good move or quit because they know there is already a problem, breathing difficulties or they "don't feel" right.

Regardless, I wish a good outcome for your Aunt Peggy. My dad had small cell lung cancer, work related, and he survived, it's been ten years now. Think positively and hope for the best.
 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
I quit 4 years ago, as of just last month, and the fear of lung cancer is definitely there.

It isn't why I quit - you can get lung cancer by NOT smoking, and of those that I've run across in my life, in fact, most were nonsmokers, the others were former smokers who had quit half their lives ago.

So it wasn't motivation for me to quit, but yeah, it scares me NOW.

I've always had this thought in the back of my head, that: if I ever get diagnosed with cancer, I may as well go out smoking - what the heck. It's been a grand run so far. I may as well enjoy it.

But then I think about cigarettes, and I get grossed out. So I guess that probably wouldn't happen.

I wish your Aunt Peggy the very best - I have a coworker that was diagnosed close to three years ago, and while is he close to his end now, he got two more years than most do.

We are all terminal. From the moment we are born. We don't like to think about the end. But peaceful and pleasant with no pain is what I wish for.

Some vibes for Aunt Peggy (I had an Auntie Peg...) I hope she can stay well as long as possible.
 

oscarsmommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
2,803
Purraise
8
Location
O-H-I-O!
I haven't smoked nor will I ever start. i haven't even TRIED. I watched both of mygranfathers pass with lung cancer, kidney failure, emphysema, heart failure because of smoking and NOT quitting. My mom's dad didn't even quit until is was so bad he went into the hospital and that was because he had no other choice.For those of you who are scared to QUIT, please do it NOW. I know many stories that go both ways. I spplaud those of you who did quit before it was too late as well. I know this is hard to go through. My prayers are with your Aunt Peg.
 

capt_jordi

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
2,777
Purraise
13
Location
Knoxville, TN
Sending many vibes to your Aunt Peggy!

My dad was diagnosed with cancer of the mouth in 2005 from chewing skoal for most of his life. My dad is only in his mid 40's... and while he did quit and he did have a scare a few weeks ago with the cancer maybe coming back, but I havent heard back from him yet. Actually I wouldnt have known that it might be back if I hadnt went to my grandmothers last week...
 

sarahp

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
15,841
Purraise
28
Location
Australia
Good luck to your Aunt Peggy, sounds as though it's going to be a long road.


My grandad was a smoker all his life until he went to hospital and the guy in the bed next to him had just lost his leg to cancer which they said was caused my smoking, and my grandpa watched this guy suffer while they shared a ward. He never picked up a cigarette ever again.

Edit: I was just thinking... I don't know anyone who smokes. I don't know if people are finally wising up, or the people I choose to be friends are too sensible and healthy to smoke, but I do not have one friend who's a smoker.
 

sadieandziggy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
1,364
Purraise
1
Location
Exeter, South West, UK
Firstly, I'm sorry for the pain you aunt is feeling right now, and of course your family

I am a smoker....

I am not ready to quit. Some of you may know some of the issues with SO at the moment...Life is too stressful and I couldn't deal with my moods as well as with life.

I have to admit that the things that have happened in my family make me dubious about Smoking CAUSING illness. My nan was feeling ill around 5years ago and was very weak. The doctors diagnosed an illness which is mainly caused by smoking. -They came to this because she was a 40 a day smoker. When treatment didn't seem to work, she was sent to a specialist hospital. She was then diagnosed with Amaloidosis, a rare form of Leukemia that was totally not smoking related.

My Grandad died 6years ago. He smoked a pipe. Doctors thought he had lung cancer. They were wrong. He had stomache cancer. His tumour was so bug and had spread so much that it have crushed his lungs.

My dad gave up smoking after a heart attack in February this year. Heart Attacks are not Caused by smoking!!

I will quit. I will not smoke forever, but I can't make myself right now.
 

trouts mom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Messages
23,949
Purraise
16
Location
Snowy Santa Land
Sending many prayers and vibes for your aunt

My mother and father both chain smoke
Have tried unsuccessfully to quit...I think they have given up and think its too late.
 
Top