Diagnosed and Happy(!)
I'm 64, started smoking at 6.....so am l surprised or dismayed at the news? Obviously not.
It's not Cancer......it's not Dementia either and those are the scary ones for me....body or mind doing stuff beyond my control. And that's the thing, l know that I've done this to myself largely but with urban living itself being labeled recently as equal to 20 cigs a day, I'm not beating myself up. I'll adjust, I'll cope as best l can....that's life.
Hi SteveBray, and thanks for your post and sharing your viewpoint on smoking and COPD. You're certainly in the right place and we're glad to have you in this community online. If there is anything we can do to help you to adjust, just let me or any other moderator/team member know. Warm regards, Leon (site moderator)
Thanks Leon,
Early days yet, doctors not finished with tests, don't know what 'level' the COPD is at....don't know anything about the levels either!
One thing though, my experience as a Care Worker tells me that people with serious medical conditions deteriorate more rapidly if they're under heavy stress....giving up smoking is sever stress ( l have given up before when l became a parent.....it was awful!). I'm trying minimalism....cutting down ...and down....and down. No stress because the decision to smoke is now 100% conscious and even if I'm not smoking, l could.
Does this make sense to you?
Thanks again,
Steve.
Hi again, Steve, and thanks for your response and explanation. This is something you have to decide for yourself. It sounds like the stress of you trying to quit smoking outweighs your concerns about the progression of the disease itself.
Is that what you're saying, Steve?
Or did I misunderstand and it's really not an issue for you to stop smoking?
LeonAh now...the crux of the matter! Quantity vs Quality......Self Identity also.
No definitive answers yet.....that's one reason I joined, to see and learn from others mistakes and successes. I have given up before but only at high cost to myself and my relationships. The stress and the changes are far scarier than the disease at present for me.
Regards,
Steve.
Hi Steve - You seem to be a very self-aware person and honest about how this effects you. Only you can weight the cost of quitting or not. But, I'm sure you will find help or at least ideas to ponder from others that have been through it. If you look through the site a little, you'll find some interesting stories of what others have gone through and how they've coped.
Please let us know if we can help support you in any way.
Regards, Lyn (site moderator)
