2nd Hand Smoke is real

[dllfo]

I have heard people exclaim that the ads about second hand smoke are exaggerated. I can't speak to that, but my parents were heavy smokers. My mom smoked all the time she was pregnant with me.

I was born in 1945 with bronchitis. My mom told me many times that she had me sleep on her stomach the first year and a half because I would stop breathing. She even laid me down so that my head was always on its side. To this day my head is long and narrow.

At age 59 my lung problems got severe. I now have severe asthma, Vocal Cord Dysfunction and "smoker's lungs" which expel sputum 24/7. I sleep with a Respironics Auto Bipap machine because I have started it again. I quit breathing. I sleep with an E bottle of Oxygen and an E bottle of Heliox.

Growing up we watched tv in a 12x24 room and I have seen so much smoke, it is like fog banks in that room, many, many nights. I breathed it in during the 50s and early 60s. We didn't know any better.

It is somewhat of a guess, but from what they know now, I got a pretty bad start in life where my lungs are concerned.

Please, please don't smoke if you are pregnant. Don't smoke around pregnant women and don't smoke with kids in your car. I am 61 and getting worse.
I do not have cancer, but the pulmonary doctor says I have "Smoker's Lungs".

I never smoked a day in my life. I would not even date a girl that smoked. So when you hear about second hand smoke being serious, please take it seriously. My parents did not know what they were doing to me. I am glad they are not here to see what is happening. I love them very much and don't want them to suffer. One in our family is enough.

[Pamster]

Thank you for posting this, I quit smoking when I found out I was pregant and went back to it after my son was like two and I had to stop nursing him due to an infection where I needed antiboitics. We're lucky he never developed asthma, but he did have several bouts with bronchitis which might have been because of my smoking in the house.

I am a non-smoker again and hope to never start up the terrible habit again. My mother has empesema and COPD and she is still smoking, it breaks my heart to see her smoking but I can't do anything for her, she's got to find it within herself to quit again.

It's hard yes, but it's not nearly as hard as living with cancer or other lung ailments. I am glad you posted your story dllfo, welcome to Brain Talk. :)

[dllfo]

Pamster,
You are welcome. If more people could read these stories, they might understand how they can hurt their children.

Funny thing is, my mom smoked for over fifty years with no apparent side effects. She was 88 when she left us.

Another odd thing, she told me not to smoke. I didn't.... after I was born.

[Pamster]

I really appreciate you sharing your story with us dllfo, I hope things get better for you. :)

[joy]

thanks dllfo for posting. i have stayed away from this forum for a long time. my daddy died at age 55 because of lung cancer. i think i will never quite forgive my husband for not helping me discourage our children from taking up smoking and yes, drinking . they are adoptred and we don't know what they had addictions too. of course they are grown now. but the horrible part is i have grandchildren. and one has to not only put up with regular smoke but weed smoke! yep, i'd like to take a baseball bat and bash in heads. but no help from other grandpartents, they have the habit too! my grandaughter has to be on two medications for allergies. she is so restless at nighjt and kicks constantly. is tired and whiney all day. she would love a kitten. but guess what daddy says? he's allergic to cats. makes his eyes itch. but he has a boxer that has dander and he has taught it to kill cats.

sorry my vent now over for another long stretch hopefully. back to the supportive people who might say just the right thing to get someone to stop the smokiong. inside the old green chevorlet truck, yep, asthma now and never smoked myself. sinus and allergies the whole caboodle. i get lung spasms just smelling smoke on people's clothes. so it not just i hate the smell, believe me. it is i hate that awful feeling in my chest. and children are helpless!

[Braindrain]

I'm 40 years old and I've had asthma since '92. My mother has smoked
all her life and she not only refuses to quit, she resents anyone who tries
to tell her to do so. This is the same woman who claims she's "taking care
of me" because I "can't take care of myself.":mad:

So, I have asthma inhalers and my own home nebulizer machine. And, I
just spent a week in the hospital because I wasn't getting any oxygen.

Yeah, she's really "taking care of me", huh?:rolleyes: :mad:

When are smokers going to realize that smoking doesn't just affect them?:(