I have lung cancer mastesized to the ribs and only months to live.

[SillyLoocie]

Congratulations to any one of you who has managed to quit smoking. It is by far one of the most difficult things a person can do. My husband still smokes even though he has seen me struggle with cancer.
I do not smoke & my cancer issues are not related to that, but I sure can relate to the ton of bricks that Eric must have felt hit by. I agree that it took a great deal of courage & compassion to write what he did. Reaching out to others was a very caring thing to do.

xx

[SnowFlakey]

Quite a few years ago, hubby was having stomach problems. He went to the Gastrointorologist (spelling ?) who asked hubby ifhe smoked. Of course was the answer. The Doctor got out some pictures of a 30 year old woman who had lung cancer and showed the pics to hubby. When hubby left the doc`s office, he threw away his pack of smokes and his lighter and said he would never smoke again and he hasnt. Quit cold turkey. After hubby was smoke free for one year, i sent the doctor a Thank You note. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to have that AHA! moment.

[snuffaluffagus]

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to have that AHA! moment.

This statement can't be closer to the truth.

My BIL was diagnosed with lung cancer late last year due to smoking. He quit the day he was diagnosed even though his cancer is terminal. I don't know where he found, and continues to find the strength but, he's my hero.

It sickens me that that wasn't enough to make my husband and myself quit smoking.

Only a short while later, nearly 5 months ago, DH had a sudden cardiac arrest as a result of heavy smoking and an unhealthy lifestyle. He made a conscious decision to quit the day after he woke from a coma but not before the loss of 1/3 of his heart muscle as a result.

I made the decision to finally quit but not before I saw the equipment keeping him alive, not before I saw him choking on his sputum and having to have it suctioned through the respirator tubing. Not before the cardiologists told us he had a 1 in 10 chance of surviving. How f*ck*ng crazy is that?? That a stick of rolled up poison had that much control over my life, my will?

I think the only thing more painful than quitting is being told that you're going to die because of it. And for that, my heart breaks for Eric, his family, and anyone else experiencing such tragedy.

Wishing anyone trying to stop smoking all the strength and success in the world.

[oscarandme]

Oh Eric I am truly sorry you have to go through this and as Patty mentioned I hope your pain is managed and that you get the best possible care. My mother and father were smokers and at times I remember them saying that was all they had (imagine 2 little french people saying this). This was several years ago and nobody really knew then. Looking back it was true, they worked hard and it was some kind of a release. We know better now and I am certain your story will touch many people and will indeed make a difference. My thoughts are with you and your family and I did not get a chance to know you but I know I will never forget you. Thinking of you.

[Silk]

I only discovered this thread today and just want to add that to the other voices what a selfless thing it was for Eric to take some of his precious time to post his message.

Silk

[Insane]

Gosh, I remember Eric being around. I didn't realize he was dieing and obviously has now died. Many SCers have left us over the years, and each one is missed in their own way. So happy to see that Eric's story changed at least one life.

[Candini]

Gosh, I remember Eric being around. I didn't realize he was dieing and obviously has now died. Many SCers have left us over the years, and each one is missed in their own way. So happy to see that Eric's story changed at least one life.

Was just going to ask if OP maybe had a chance

[ticul]

Thank you for the one that got this post out again for us to read. I can't tell you how many times I have quit and smoke again. I am discuted with the cigarette and it still control my life.

I read this post 2 days ago and with sadness and I can't not stop thinking about it. I told this story to my DH (he as quit years ago) and I told him " I know I have talk about it many times but, I think and because of this sad story I will quit again.

It is not quiting smoking that is hard because I can quit 5 time in a day.It is to stay quit and that is hard.

I know this story is so, so sad but, in a sick way it is so good for us smoker's to see and face reality. I can lie to myself all I want but, at the end I am just hurting myself. Cigarette do kill people and god know's how many times I have quit.

I sure hope that this post is with us for a long time because it does help people. That is what Eric wanted to do is help someone else. I know you not here with us Eric and thank you very much for writting your story.

[SillyLoocie]

Many things in life are hard - I can tell you living with cancer is also hard...

Please keep trying to quit smoking. Devise a plan and if it doesn't work the first time, keep at it untl you are successful. We humans are creatures of habit and sometimes we need to change the way we do things. It is also easier to succeed if you have a plan in place & even a buddy system.

I once did a cost projection for a neighbour who was trying to quit smoking. She smoked about a pack a day...

Cost:

1 x $8.00 (cost of a pack then) x 7 days in one week = $56.00
$56.00 x 52 (weeks in one year) = $2912.00 per year.

If she continued to smoke for 25 years then the cost would be:

$2912.00 x 25 = $72,800.00

A rather frightening sum considering that inflation is not factored in.

It takes a lot of courage for someone like Ticul to make such an honest post like the one above.

Best of luck to everyone....

[Lynn49]

Loocie, I quit when I was 21 because we wanted to start a family. I stayed that way until our DD was 17 and she and I both had bumper-thumpers with our new car IN the same month! I started smoking again. I quit again within a few months, and yes, it's hard. Hardest darn thing I've ever had to do. I kept one cigarette in a package in the fridge. If I ever REALLY needed one, it was there. I'd walk to the fridge, find the little sucker and look at it and think, "I'm bigger than you, stronger and a heck of a lot better looking and we're keeping it that way!" haha! It worked twice, cold turkey.
Our DD quit about a year ago, using that...ugh. I forget the name...where you can still smoke for a week, then it tapers off...Anyway, worked like a charm and she never thought she could do it. But she's also a strong woman, and she's still smoke-free, bless her heart!

Ticul...I wish you the best, with whatever method you choose to use. You know...I vividly recall one day, sitting in a nice restaurant, watching two old gals, nicely dressed, sucking on cigarettes (this at a time when smoking was allowed in restaurants, movie theatres, etc). I saw a woman who would have been so beautiful, even at her age, but omg, the lines around her mouth from smoking, her darkened fingers made her look like some old dame who had a hard life. But in reality, she wasn't that at all! I didn't want to look like her when I got old. There is an up-side to vanity! hahaha!

Loocie...I also remember calculating what my hubby and I spent in a year, smoking, and when we were married, it was, iirc, about $300 a year! Now, when a starting teacher's salary was $7200/year, that was a heck of a lot of money just going up in smoke! Another reality check for us...

[SharonMe]

Thank you Eric for pushing past the pain and sharing your powerful message with us.
I don't smoke but I appreciate you taking the time to share your story to save some of us who it's not too late for. Thank you.