Went to the Doc. today... :\

[Girls can too]

Hey girl, I really hope that you get to feeling better - and soon. Good luck with finding the brace...I'm ganna search online for you too.

As for smoking, well bet you didn't know this but I quit. Yup. Cold turkey. I have never been so happy or so proud of myself. I have zero desire to smoke and it really wasn't too hard. I've been off for months now and will never pick it back up. That would be insane. I can now smell smoke on me from being in a bar for just 30 mins or so. ugh. I grew up in a family FULL of smokers...I never - EVER - smelled smoke on someone...especially myself. It was awful the first time I did. Makes me never want to do it again!

You know I've smoked since I was 18 and it was a full blown habit...not social. I'm a better person for sticking to it....I'm getting over streph right now too. When I got the exact same cold last year it took me weeks to recover...Only a few days this time. I'm psyched! Good luck to you and if you need any moral support you know I'm here!!

[PKRWUD]

I'm not about to tell you what to do, dear. You should do what YOU want to do, and whatever that is, I'll support that decision.

I'm 36, and I smoked my first cigarette when I was 7. By the time I was 11, I was a pack a day smoker. I never once had any desire to quit, but out here, it's becoming more and more inconvenient to be a smoker, so a couple years ago, when my best friend became a dad and decided he had to quit, I decided to give it a try. I used the patch, and had absolutely no desire at all for a cigarette. It couldn't have been easier. I agree that it was amazing to discover just how stinky that habit was.

Fast forward 6 months.

I gained 40+ pounds, and always felt like something was missing, almost like an empty spot inside of me. I didn't feel one bit "better" or healthier, and actually missed having it as an excuse to step outside and leave a boring or annoying conversation or situation. My sense of smell really intensified, which was both good and bad. I was now hungry more often because I could smell food cooking EVERYWHERE! I also noticed that it wasn't just the attractive smells that had been dulled. There's a lot more in this world that stinks then I was aware of.

Anyway, after I think about 8 months, I started smoking again, and I feel 100% better. I've just come to accept the fact that I am a smoker, and I'll die a smoker. I'm okay with that, but that's just me.

You need to decide for yourself what it is that you want, and then go after it, and we both know you are quite good at that.



Good luck kiddo.

Take care,
~Chris

[Topless In Texas]

OVER THE LAST 2 HOURS...IVE LOST 2 FRIGIN' POSTS....
I wanted to update stuff, but its 2 damn late now. I'll do it tomorrow, when I get home earlier than i did 2nite!
BUT..I want to thank all of ya'll for your encouragement , and the links and advice. I'll check them out this weekend when I have more time.
I called the Doc. today, to clarify a few things...of corse I didnt hear back from him! grrrrr....
I'm usually swamped on Tuesdays...but today was unusaually slow....up to now, i've only had about 12 cigarettes today!
I'll fill ya'll in with more details later when I post about stuff. But, I dont feel like doing it now.

I guess this will be inevitable...I"'m not one that deals well with Change....and quitting smoking is NOT something that has EVEN crossed my mind! But, if I do it, I'm gonna need all the help I can get....Ive had this aggravating annoying cough for about a week or so, I just attribute it to my allergies/asthma....
I'll never forget when I started smoking...I was 17 and on my way to Austin to take my State Board exam for my hair license..also the first time I had a Valium! LOL! Damn, time flies!
Amazing how 20 years seems like yesterday!!!! God, I feel old!
Thanks again everyone for your support and encouragement... This is just WAY too wierd for me!
I'll post more on this tomorrow night....
TNT Tempormental In Texas

[Topless In Texas]

I intended on being in bed 2 hours ago...i got to looking on the internet on Emphysema..or how ever the hell you spell it...came across something I thought was interesting..and here is why..


Who Gets Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease?

Risk Factors for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

An estimated 14 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD). Over 80% of those who die from COLD are smokers.

****** People exposed for a long time to toxic fumes, industrial smoke, dusts from mines, and other air pollutants are also at increased risk for COLD.****** IMPORTANT

About two million people have emphysema. Of those who have this condition, 55% are men and 45% are women, although the prevalence in women increased by 24% between 1982 and 1993. Caucasians are more susceptible to emphysema than African Americans. Thinness is associated with emphysema;

~~~This was interesting to me cause after now being in the 'hair' field for 19 years..after about 11 years I had to quit doing haircolor. I would do as many as 2-5 colors/highlights a day. I started reacting slowly to it, and when I finally came to the end of my rope: being thrown into an allergic asthma attack IMMEDIATELY after doing the process( and my inhalers finally quit working) I realized that I could not do this anymore. In the end when I quit doing color, I was taking 10 hits off my Ventolin w/in an hour. It wouldn't open my airways, but I'd have the shakes like you would not believe...and i'd have to hook up to a 'breathing machine' when I got home EVERY frigin' night(praying I'd make it home!)
Ended up w/ Pluricy (sp?) twice (inflamation of the lining of the lungs) and in the hospital once. Even now, when (very rarely) I actually get to touch up my own highlights, I have to take antihistimines cuz I'm so violently allergic to the chemicals...If I breathe them, it throws me into an asthma attack....I would think that this is definetely a contributing factor...I cant TOTALLY blame it on the smokes...Its a combination over the years of all of it. And I truly believe that my exposure to the chemicals that I'm so deathly allergic to could have contributed to this as well....~~~~~
So, all you Medically knowledgeable Stangers out there....do ya'll think that this has something to do w/ it considering my age? I know I'm old...but geez.....I think this shits starting to sink in...and I'm too ******* young to be this screwed up. TNT

[Godslayer]

TNT: I don't understand your question... But if you are asking if you'll get Emphysema from the hair chemicals, I'd say that is highly unlikely. When they say it takes years to develop a problem from being in a dirty environment, they are not kidding. It's amazing how resiliant the human body is. If you do get Emphysema, there is a about a 90% chance it will be from smoking. I'd say 9.5 out of 10 people I see have emphysema and other COPD from smoking. The fact that you have asthma doesn't help much either.

Just for thought:

I see all kinds of people and there is an amazing difference between a smoker at 65 and a non-smoker.

Bob

[Nightingale]

Yes, any chemical from any source with long term exposure can and will contribute to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Coal miners have black lung disease, farmers who work with pesticides also have damage. If you have had asthma since childhood that also put you at greater risk. If you developed asthma during adulthood it could be reactive airway due to allergy. Did they do the testing for lung function (blow into this tube til you pass out) or x-rays or just listen to your lungs? I'm trying to decide if you had the ness. stuff done to say you have "Emphysema". As a nurse I'm bound by law to encourage you to stop smoking. It does kill thousands of people. On the other hand yes I smoke and know I need to stop just truly don't want to. So until you make up your mind that this is what YOU WANNA do you probably won't be successful. Until you can make that decision, slow down - make a plan 1 on the way to work, one mid morning, 2 a lunch, one mid afternoon, one on the way home, one after supper, one before bed. Then keep you hands busy, and some hard candy close. I have managed to get down to this without going psycho or gaining weight.

Get health insurance before the put this diagnosis on your medical records, they with put riders on and then will not pay for anything related to that diagnosis.

[crewzin]

Christine I hate to hear about your problem. But be glad that your getting educated now. I worked in respiratory therapy for a while and the two leading groups of people that I saw was retired refinery workers(men primarily) and women ages 35 to 55. Most were smokers and all of them regretted it in the end right before their deaths. I got to where I hated my job because of the good friendships I made with them and then out of nowhere we got the call that they had died. The one thing that always suprised me was they kept hope alive that they would get better so they could enjoy life. They would say that when they smoked never in a million years would they think that it would hurt so many people; grandchildren, friends and their own children. So when you smoke your not just hurting yourself, people that you may not even know yet will be feeling a loss. So its not just YOU! I know, ive been there. And let me tell you, dying slowly because you cant breath is the hardest thing to bear, for you and your family.
On a personal note. I lost a very special person who was close to my family due to the chemicals envolved with hair and nails. She was only 40. Never smoked but the chemicals had irritated her lungs and then she caught neumonia and died in six weeks. We were devistated. The doctors said this is common in that field of work. When the body is exposed to some chemicals it forms a sensitivity to it. Meaning the next time exposed to it in even trace amounts your body will react violently to it. Sometimes shock or organ failure. The body just freaks out.

Yes the body is very resilient and some people can smoke for 60yrs and die of natural causes. Most smokers like to use that example. But they dont ever check to see how many didnt. Try 80% plus of smokers do die of cancer, many forms. But hey you might get lucky and be in that 20%. I like my odds while being a non smoker. Sure Ill die someday but I bet my quality of life (fitness & health) will allow me to live to THE FULLEST better then someone who smokes. I do live for everyday and I look forward to the future and what things I will get to see and do. I cant even imagine not getting to do them because of one simple decision of to smoke or not. There is no debate. I want to live.

Sorry but I had to voice out on this, I love Topless to death and would hate to see her go because of this. Some people feel differently but I get attached to people and enjoy them being around me and Christine is one of them. SHES CAR PEOPLE!
With love, Later.....

[Mr 5 0]

Godslayer, Nightingale, crewzin:

I realize that your posts were intended for Christine (Topless in Texas) but I wanted to let you all know that I thought they were excellent; filled with factual information as well as sincere concern for a fellow Mustanger that no one wants to see endanger her health unnecessarily. I'm sure some of us of learned something about COPD, smoking and working with toxic substances.

Quitting smoking is a personal choice of course and I know from experience that a person can quit only if they truly want to quit. No amount of medical scares, pleading relatives or messages on a Mustang messageboard will change Christine's attitude about smoking until she decides that she doesn't want to smoke any more. She may never make that decision but it's her choice.

If Christine does decide to quit she'll be making one of the best decisions of her life and doing the responsible thing for her daughter and herself, but it will have to be her choice and hers alone. Your factual information may help her here and I know it's appreciated.

Thanks.

[Topless In Texas]

You guys are great!! Thanks so much for all the information...The more I read, the more it helps. I had about 12 today i think. not too bad. But, its funny cuz im just not enjoying them as much anymore. Im not even really inhaling. I just like the way they taste. (menthol ) But I dont feel good doing it.
I'm about to crash. Im exausted. I was up pretty much all night last night and I have a 12 hour day tomorrow....
I really, really appreciate all ya'lls kind words...thanks Jim for your support too. I know you can relate. As a lot of them can. Its just one more thing in life to deal with.
Jayson....Im really sorry to hear about your friend..I can TOTALLY RELATE TO THAT! I believe that can happen...just sorry it had to happen to ya'll...
You and Heather are really, really special to me! Im just sorry we cant get together more often! Think about when ya'll are ready to come down for the weekend. If your not doing anything next weekend, labor day weekend, come down for our Fall Show and stay here! We'd love to have ya. We were just talking about that the other night..getting ya'll to come down here!
Reading your post made me wanna cry! Your ARE a sweetheart! I love you guys....tell 347 hi and talk about if ya'll can come down next weekend or not...okay?
Still have not talked to the Doc. Gonna try to call again tomorrow.
I'm gonna hit the sack now. Thanks everyone for your support and info...and all the links...Ya'll are all great, and I'm really glad to be part of this board w/ such great people! NITE! TNT