The rest of the smoking story

Well, I seem to have forgotten a few major points in my rant last night, so today I'll slow down and calm down a bit and try to add in some more information.

First, I didn't quit standing in a blizzard, I quit about a week later coughing my lungs out because of YET ANOTHER case of bronchitis. I had either bronchitis or sinus problems almost all the time because of the smoking. I decided that since I couldn't smoke till I was better, I'd just quit-- period, and I did. But I must have quit 500 times before I could really quit for good. An addict isn't usually able to just put something down and stop it cold turkey period. I wasn't, and most of the smokers in my family haven't either. My Aunt, Uncle, Cousin (and his wife), my late parents, late brother, late aunt, me, my daughter and her useless man, and some day my beautiful and intelligent granddaughter too - are (current or former) smokers.
I smoked while pregnant, so did my mother, so did Amanda, so did mom's mother, so we were all born smokers - born addicted. Fay went through withdrawals while Amanda was breast feeding her, and Amanda couldn't understand why, she got mad at me when I told her the truth.

My uncle is practically an invalid, he sits almost all the time in the kitchen chair, smoking. After mom was diagnosed with emphyzema, she was on oxygen 24 hours a day, and would take the hose out of her nose so she could smoke (always that fun added risk of explosion). They left Reno in 1989 to move to lower altitude to try to help her breath better. My mom's sister died from lung related problems. My great uncle died from strokes, but he smoked since he was a teenager. Everyone in my family that smoked is either gone or going because of their addiction. My cousin tells me the damage is already done, so why bother to quit... good question!!

How about because he has 4 grandchildren now? How about so he can see them graduate from high school, possibly college. Maybe see his great-grandchildren grow to adulthood? How about not supporting BIG TOBACCO? How about smelling clean air, being able to taste your food? How about NOT having red-faced, out-of-breath coughing attacks in the middle of the night? How about not having to take the elevator because you can't take the stairs anymore? Blame it on your age, weight, genetics... BS, it's those freaking cigs, hon. I love my cousin so much, we are closer in age than any of the rest of us, and we chat regularly, always have to discuss his smoking habit. He reminds me I was a smoker, and I tell him, yes, I was a smoker, and will probably die young because of it, no lack of future health problems just because I quit early.

THE REASON to quit is so that you can live better for at least a little while, not to mention the $5 a pack you won't be spending. Do the math= $5X2 (usually 2 a day) = 10X30 (days in a month) = $300 (minimum) X12 = $3,600 a year. Wow. Now add in all the medication, oxygen, doctor visits, hospital visits, insurance deductables, gas to the pharmacy, hospital, doctor office, co-pays for oxygen tanks, how about those mobility experts that want the taxpayers to pay for your runabout battery operated wheel chair? THANKS!! I appreciate it.

Ok, now I'm finished on this -- at least till someone's freaking smoke blows in through MY car window on the highway, or worse I have to walk through someone's smoke to get into a business. GRRRRRRRRR says Mrs. Angry... I agree babe.