On New Years Eve my mom was unable to breath and nearly died. She was rushed to the emergency room by ambulance and they stabilized her. After 40 years of a nearly 2-pack a day habit and avoiding doctors like the plague, she finally had to learn that she had COPD, or a disease of the lungs which causes shortness of breath due to lung tissue damage. Apparently your lungs just turn rock hard and become mostly useless. She also had pneumonia. Probably from smoking outside (my grandparents forbid smoking in their house and she is living with them). They also determined she was severely diabetic and immediately had to be started on an insulin program.
About 10 days later she was released from the hospital with insulin, needles and a home oxygen kit with several tanks. She was told she needed to watch her sugar, be on a strict healthy diet and cease smoking. She had gone without smoking for 10 days and she told me she had no desire to smoke. I talked to my nephew shortly after she got home and he informed me she was eating cookies and really hadn't changed her diet. At least she wasn't smoking though.
Until I found out she was. I called home last week and spoke to her and surprisingly, without me even asking, she admitted she was smoking again. She told me she was only smoking about 4 cigarettes a day though. I asked her if she was taking her oxygen off when she did and she said "of course". Well last night I talk to my nephew and he says Grandma Judi smokes like she used to. I said, well she doesn't use the oxygen when she's smoking does she? And he says "Yeah and her oxygen tubes that go into her nose are all brown". I was shocked! Not only that she would be so stupid but that she would smoke around my 11 year old nephew and endanger him.
Honestly I can't fathom this behavior. Is smoking and eating poorly really that addictive? I love my beer but if I was told I would die due to liver failure if I drank much more I'd quit in a second. Is this suicidal behavior? My grandmother said a while back my mom is suffering from depression. I have asked her to get prescriptions for anti-smoking help and she says she's applied and is waiting. But from what I understand if you go 10 days without smoking you're physically off nicotine, it's just a psychological addiction at that point.
I'm going to visit her tomorrow and I'm a little afraid to stay there now to be honest. I'm worried that she will try to sneak a cigarette in while i'm asleep and I could get blown up or whatever.
I'd like to hear from smokers, former and current, as to their thoughts on this issue. I'm just stunned about all of these latest developments. How could it have come to this??
About 10 days later she was released from the hospital with insulin, needles and a home oxygen kit with several tanks. She was told she needed to watch her sugar, be on a strict healthy diet and cease smoking. She had gone without smoking for 10 days and she told me she had no desire to smoke. I talked to my nephew shortly after she got home and he informed me she was eating cookies and really hadn't changed her diet. At least she wasn't smoking though.
Until I found out she was. I called home last week and spoke to her and surprisingly, without me even asking, she admitted she was smoking again. She told me she was only smoking about 4 cigarettes a day though. I asked her if she was taking her oxygen off when she did and she said "of course". Well last night I talk to my nephew and he says Grandma Judi smokes like she used to. I said, well she doesn't use the oxygen when she's smoking does she? And he says "Yeah and her oxygen tubes that go into her nose are all brown". I was shocked! Not only that she would be so stupid but that she would smoke around my 11 year old nephew and endanger him.
Honestly I can't fathom this behavior. Is smoking and eating poorly really that addictive? I love my beer but if I was told I would die due to liver failure if I drank much more I'd quit in a second. Is this suicidal behavior? My grandmother said a while back my mom is suffering from depression. I have asked her to get prescriptions for anti-smoking help and she says she's applied and is waiting. But from what I understand if you go 10 days without smoking you're physically off nicotine, it's just a psychological addiction at that point.
I'm going to visit her tomorrow and I'm a little afraid to stay there now to be honest. I'm worried that she will try to sneak a cigarette in while i'm asleep and I could get blown up or whatever.
I'd like to hear from smokers, former and current, as to their thoughts on this issue. I'm just stunned about all of these latest developments. How could it have come to this??
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