July 15, 2011

Smoking from the heart

I wanted to touch on a subject that is close to me. That is the smoking habit and how it can hurt a family. This is close to my heart because this habit stole my mother from me some 30 years ago. I was only 19 when she passed and I had 4 younger siblings. As I recall it took her getting a tracheotomy to quit the habit. I am amazed at how many people still smoke. I am even more impressed with those that have quit. Some have used Electronic Cigarettes others have used the patch while still others have quit cold turkey. Those who have quit cold turkey I am so impressed with you. Between the patch and the Electronic Cigarettes it seems to me the Electronic cigarette would be the most successful. Part of the smoking habit is just that the habit of having something in your hand and lighting up. My guess is that with this method the habit is addressed.

I watched mother’s life go by from the age of 13 when she told me she would never get any better. It was tough as a thirteen year old boy to watch his mother sob over a poor life choice. I do not begrudge anyone their right to smoke and I also will not hold it against them. I still have friends and family members who smoke. I do encourage them to quit. Besides the health implications there is the cost. For people to spend this kind of money on something they know is harming them does baffle me.

My step mom has emphysema and I do encourage her to quit and I think I am going to suggest Electronic Cigarettes. Maybe just maybe she will quit.

2 comments:

  1. You can also suggest the drug Chantix. I smoked for 19 years, my husband for over 25 and we quit using this when we thought my husband had cancer. Thankfully he did not! We have been smoke free for 4 years now. Best of luck to anyone trying to quit, it is not easy!

    Christine

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  2. I read Allen Carr's book "The easy way to stop smoking". I quit cold turkey. Basically it's based on the mind-set of celebrating being a non-smoker and gaining so much, instead of treating it as some kind of loss. It works. I have not had a cigarette in almost a month. I know I will never smoke again! About 10 years ago, I ended up in hospital with an allergic reaction to Chantix/Welbutrin. So that was not an option for me...and in fact put me off any kind of aid to quit smoking.

    Annemarie

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