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| Smoker's stories and comments | ||
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Lynne Preece
I am a 46 yr old mother of three teenagers, been
smoking since I was approx 14 yrs old, was told I had asthma 20 odd yrs
ago, still kept smoking, found it hard to breathe for many many yrs,
couldn't keep up with the kids etc, but still kept on puffing... was
told I had Emphseyma Xmas 2001, still kept smoking although tried to
quit or cut down. But as usual kept smoking thinking NOTHING will happen
to me, not ME. Then in Xmas 2003 living in a small caravan with my 14 yr
old daughter I had pains in my right shoulder and pain in my ribs under
my right arm. Thinking nothing about it I rubbed Deep Heat, still the
pain got worse, then I had horrible pains in my chest, pains like bad
heartburn... trying quickies etc I became a little worried and my
daughter kept wanting to call the ambulance but I said it was OK, it was
only heartburn and as I had been helping someone move house the day
before I thought the pains in my shoulder was from lifting or cleaning
etc. But these pains got worse! and the chest was
burning... then all of a sudden I was gasping for breath like a goldfish
out of water. Daughter called the ambos, as we had no phone she had to
go to the office phone, I was thinking the whole time she was gone that
this was IT, I was dead for sure, I couldn't breathe, I was gasping for
every breath, my daughter came back and screamed when she saw me and
someone else came in, she was on the phone to the ambos, she just took
one look and ran outside. I thought I must look a mess, I looked down at
my hands and they were deathly white, then I remembered I thought I
needed the toilet and with that thought I knew I was in BIG trouble. The
ambos came and later at the hospital they had to put a tube in. I was
told I was very lucky, if it hadn't been for my daughter I would not be
here today, she saved my life and saw things no child should see, she
saw her mother near to death, she was a frightened girl for a long time
and still is, she is terrified it might happen again and so am I! The Doctors told me I had " Phneumothorax",
my lung had collapsed as I only have 50% in one lung and 30% in the
other, the lung that collapsed was the one with the 50% so all I had
left was the 30% lung that wasn't doing much at all... needless to say I
HAVE NOT and NEVER will touch another smoke in all my life, no way no
how... I do not want to put my child through that again, nor do I want
to ever go through that again either. But there is a chance that it will
happen again and maybe many times, I don't know and nor do the
doctors... it is on my mind daily and scares me. So anyone out there
PLEASE don't do it, don't SMOKE ........... Back to Smokers'
stories index |
Page last updated on 27/7/04 |
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