I wish I could make a difference in soneone's life

United States
August 20, 2012 10:47am CST
I was saved for some reason when I had surgery. I went into respiratory failure and they couldn't wake me up. As everyone knows when I did wake up I woke up on the external respirator called a bipap machine. All that aside I feel I've been given a second chance. I feel there is a calling on my life. If I could change the course of one person's life through my own experience I think my being given a second chance would be justified. As many of you know I smoked happily for 34 years. I have been very sick from time to time, and nearly died once back in the 90s. I've been quit since 2001 yet the damage has been done. I have scarring in my lungs which gives me much less surface area in my lungs for gas exchange. I'll be dependent on oxygen for the rest of my life. I can no longer do the simple things I took for granted. I can't shop for my own food. I can't walk around the block. There is so much I can't do anymore. If I could convince one person to lay down their cigarettes and never pick them up again, I feel that I will have fulfilled part of my destiny. Smoker's disease is so slow and insidious that you don't know it's happening. I'm fortunate. I survived. My good friend, J, didn't. She died at 51 years old. She got cancer-no not lung cancer-but stomach and esophagus cancer. She was diagnosed a few days before Christmas and died just last week. She has her stomach and most of her esophagus removed. She had to be tube fed into her small intestine. The doc made a pouch there and it broke. From then on she couldn't eat. If she had quit smoking years ago she might still be alive now. The thing is that everyone is in denial. They never believe anything bad will happen to them. Maybe nothing bad will happen, but are you willing to play Russian Roulette with your life? It's too late for me to turn my health around. I can hope that I will be better than I am now, but with the scarring in my lungs I will never have normal gas exchange in my lungs. I love everyone. I'm crying my eyes out now just trying to find the right words to love just one person onto setting theit cigarettes down for good. This is not to be judgmental. It is to love you enough to share my experience and maybe make a difference in soneone's life. It is also to love you enough to share my friend's life and death with you. Her doc told her this was caused by smoking. Before she died she wished she could have a second chance but she wasnt given one. I feel I was given a second chance and maybe I can make a difference. Even one person stopping can change their life later on. Your thoughts?
6 people like this
3 responses
@deazil (4723)
• United States
20 Aug 12
That's a wonderful desire to have, PQ. As I was reading your post I could actually feel the emotion. I hope you find that someone to convince to quit. You've chosen a hard, though well worth it challenge for yourself. Maybe there's a different reason for you to have been given a second chance. But I don't know your life or the people that revolve around you or anything about your life situation (other than your illness) so I couldn't venture to say what that different reason might be. How will you go about your quest? Are you spreading the word through mylot? That's a good beginning. I hope if someone were to quit smoking, wholly or in part, because of you that they would let you know. It seems that it would mean so much to you. I hope that you do find someone whose life you can make a difference in. It seems as if that has become very important to you. It's a noble cause and I wish you luck.
• United States
20 Aug 12
I hope I can make a difference somehow. I'm starting at mylot, bit I'm also a freelance writer. When I get enough strength I want to write it up and publish it on Yahoo Voices. I have big readership there.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
20 Aug 12
It is unfortunate that this gives you another area of expertise to write about, but I tell people often that I get a huge amount of contact from my online sites, and you know you do too. MyLot even republishes some of our material on other websites that they own. You will be heard, and I hope you will be believed.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Aug 12
Thanks Gerty. I may try to get some thoughts together tonight for Yahoo Voices. I feel my voice needs to be heard.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
20 Aug 12
hi PointlessQuestions I admire you and I feel much the same wa y. whenI first came here I wrote a long discussion on smoking being bad for your health. I got responses so insulting to me that they made me cry.My reason for expounding on smoking causing heart disease was to explain I had to watch my dear hubby die slowly' while he smoked three packs a day. heart attack after heart attack til the last one left him with only 2 0percent of his heart left that actually worked., i felt making this discussion if it just made one person stop his or her smoking and save his or her life. but instead I got up the next morning and saw I had not a blue star 100 rep but a green fifty. two men had stayed up all night to minus every thing I had ever written. I got back up to a red star as m ylot admins caught the two men and banned them from mylot.I still always maintain one should not smoke and should care for ones own health.
2 people like this
@deazil (4723)
• United States
20 Aug 12
Hatley, ma'am. That is horrible. How dare they? You are a wonderful person (I've been reading your posts) and I can't believe that voicing your opinion would cause a couple of morons to do something like that. We all believe in something, some of us more strongly than others. And we all have the right to voice those opinions. I'm glad they got banned and I'm sorry that happened to you.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98830)
• India
20 Aug 12
So touching .. Did you go to the doctor and get that perspiration problem checked? As to me quitting smoking, we dont smoke, and are nowhere near smokers. So I guess, I dont face that risk for now. :) But yes, had I smoked, I would definitely feel inclined to give up with your appeal and concern.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98830)
• India
21 Aug 12
I am sorry to hear that..perhaps you could use a tray with some water and cologne, and dip a napkin and wipe away the sweat..while it may not be very effective in reducing your perspiration, it will certainly make you feel relieved and fresh for a while..
• United States
20 Aug 12
I o to the surgeon tomorrow but he may not do anything since I have respiratory problems. I sweat so bad last night my pillows were soaked through.