Long-term smoker

By larrytl

1 min read

Started smoking at the age of 11, stealing a few at a time from my mothers cigarettes, by the time I was 14 I was smoking a pack a day of non-filtered camels, by the time I was 25 it was 2 packs a day of Filtered Raleighs, continued until 2002. Slowed down cause I was diagnosed with emphysema, did not quit until 2008. Now I use 3-4 inhalers - part of my story is also that I spent 35 years logging crawling through brush, in and out of steep canyons - loved the hard work.
NOW I run out of air and have to take breaks going to our mail box at the beginning of our driveway, retired now have a hard time keeping up with our 14 grand-kids!!
ALL because I wanted to be cool - and HEY I could quit any time... ya I sure did... when it was too late.

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Christina Mattoni-Brashear Moderator
Hello larryTL, Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your story with us, and for being a part of our community. We're glad you found us. Everyone's story is different, and each person diagnosed with COPD has a different experience. Be proud of the fact that you DID quit smoking after so many years - that's a huge accomplishment that not everyone is able to achieve. It's also a wonderful example to set for your grandchildren. It can be difficult to have to slow down, especially after so many years of hard, active, outdoor work. But, you're not alone here. This is a wonderful place to come for support, to share experiences, ask questions and sometimes, just to vent. I thought you might relate to these articles and find them helpful: <a href='https://copd.net/living/previous-life-part-1' target='_blank'>https://copd.net/living/previous-life-part-1</a> Please stop by and let us know how you're doing, or to reach out with any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you. Take care, and breathe easy. -Christina (COPD.net Team)
John Bottrell, RRT Moderator & Contributor
I always tell my patients to not be too hard on themselves that they started smoking. The knowledge that we have today simply wasn't available back then. Or even if some of it was available, the word was slow getting out, for whatever reason. So it was cool once. Thankfully, due to people like you willing to share their stories,kids no longer see it that way.
John Bottrell, RRT Moderator & Contributor
I always tell my patients to not be too hard on themselves that they started smoking. The knowledge that we have today simply wasn't available back then. Or even if some of it was available, the word was slow getting out, for whatever reason. So it was cool once. Thankfully, due to people like you willing to share their stories,kids no longer see it that way. John. Site Moderator.