Today is the Great American Smokeout! This is the day that smokers are encouraged to quit smoking just for one day. I could be the start of a new life for you.
I come from a house of smokers. My mom, dad, sister and two brothers all smoked from the time they were teens. And except for one brother, they all quit, some more permanently than others, nevertheless they were able to stop smoking at least for a period of time.
I have to say I am very proud of the victories my family has had over cigarettes. They all quit cold-turkey, mostly because there were not as many aids or support systems in place when they quit as there are today.
After Dad died, we found a small black notebook in he used as a day-planner. In it we noticed a number printed in red at the top of each page. We could not figure out what it was until finally we came across a page that mentioned a number that corresponded with the number in red. It was the number of days he’d been without a cigarette. He never told anyone, just went about the business of quitting.
Dad made this decision after he’d recovered from having a mass removed from his throat. The doctor had been sure it was cancer, but it turned out to be benign. We were all so relieved. Dad had said before the surgery “If it’s cancer, I’m not gonna keep on smoking because it won't matter anyway. If it’s not cancer, than I’m gonna quit”. So, without making any big deal about it, Dad kept the promise he’d made to himself and quit smoking.
I wish I could end this story more cheerfully. Dad did enjoy many more smoke-free years, at least 20. But in 2003 another mass was found in his esophagus. This cancer was much larger and found much later. It was so large anything Dad ate had to fit through the size of a small soda straw, mostly soups and other liquids. It was painful and frustrating. No one would choose to die this way. Did it begin years ago when Dad was still smoking? We'll never know for sure. But I am sure that quitting gave him many years of easier breathing and better health than he would've had if he'd kept smoking. And it gave us many more years to enjoy him, too.
So if you are a smoker, how about giving it a try? You know, just take the day off from smoking. It’ll be a gift to those who love you, but most of all, it will be your gift to yourself.
If you’re not a smoker, why not pledge to help someone quit? It’s a long, hard road and your support could be the thing that gives someone the courage to go one more day with out that smoke.
For more information and help about quitting, visit http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/GreatAmericanSmokeout/index
Hope you give quitting a try today. Praying you make it last forever.
Dad made this decision after he’d recovered from having a mass removed from his throat. The doctor had been sure it was cancer, but it turned out to be benign. We were all so relieved. Dad had said before the surgery “If it’s cancer, I’m not gonna keep on smoking because it won't matter anyway. If it’s not cancer, than I’m gonna quit”. So, without making any big deal about it, Dad kept the promise he’d made to himself and quit smoking.
I wish I could end this story more cheerfully. Dad did enjoy many more smoke-free years, at least 20. But in 2003 another mass was found in his esophagus. This cancer was much larger and found much later. It was so large anything Dad ate had to fit through the size of a small soda straw, mostly soups and other liquids. It was painful and frustrating. No one would choose to die this way. Did it begin years ago when Dad was still smoking? We'll never know for sure. But I am sure that quitting gave him many years of easier breathing and better health than he would've had if he'd kept smoking. And it gave us many more years to enjoy him, too.
So if you are a smoker, how about giving it a try? You know, just take the day off from smoking. It’ll be a gift to those who love you, but most of all, it will be your gift to yourself.
If you’re not a smoker, why not pledge to help someone quit? It’s a long, hard road and your support could be the thing that gives someone the courage to go one more day with out that smoke.
For more information and help about quitting, visit http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/GreatAmericanSmokeout/index
Hope you give quitting a try today. Praying you make it last forever.
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