Since I have been reading here, I am so surprised

[Linus]

at how young of an age lung cancer can strike. I am shocked at the ages of lung cancer patients. I am 35 and I smoked since I was 16 or so. I quit a couple of months ago when my mother was DX with lung cancer (stage 4).

I always thought I was too young for that disease. I figured that it does not strike untill one is older. How wrong I was! I am thanking God that I already chose to quit. I just wish I would have done it years ago. The funny thing is that it isn't as hard as I thought it would be. I just hope that I have not chosen to quit too late.

Sheesh, sorry for such a gloomy post. I am sitting here contemplating what the median age is for lung cancer so I can preach to my smoking friends and husband!

May good health find all of you,

Linus

[Wendy]

Linus

I too was very surprised that it can strike someone so young. I was even more surprised how it can strike someone that hasn't smoked ever in their life. Glad to hear you quit smoking now - every day DOES count!

Wendy

[kimmek]

I would give just about anything not to be a smoker. I have smoked since 12, both my parents did. Dad quit about 5 yrs ago and mom I guess 4 or 5yrs ago. Both for heart problems and COPD. I saw my mom try for the last 10 yrs to quit, never lasting more than a few weeks, before she was sneaking them again, always ashamed of herself. Finally she did it, but she could not breath, walk or anything.

I have been with her every day, every step of this cancer. I have smoked every one of those days. Not in her house, but on her porch where she could see me, not in her car with her in it, but outside the door before getting in. Sitting with her thru chemo treatments, Er visits, hospital stays you name it..only to get up every 30 minutes to go smoke.

I cannot imagine how this makes my mom feel, knowing how much she loves me. But I cannot quit. I have never tried because I know I will fail, I seem to be pretty good at that. Although I have passed with flying colors caring for my Mom. I dont know what to so, I cant seem to just throw them out,quit buying them, buying the patch, any number of differnet ways to try i cant do it. What does it take??? Just to try??

I think that wether I quit smoking or not, its already been determined wether I am going to be one of those who get lung cancer, to me its something in your genes or something. I dont think it matters at this point, now yes I think it would be better in things like copd to quit now, but im not sure about cancer of it really matters. I mean look at all those who quit yrs and yrs ago. So maybe getting cancer doesnt scare me into quitting, but what will???? Mom being diognosed with Osteporous made me start taking a supplement everyday, and a multi vitimin. and smoking is a known risk factor in osteoporous too. My youngest daughter begs me to quit, my 2 oldest kids 21 and 22 are smokers. I do not want Lindsey to grow up and smoke, but yet I cant quit. What is wrong with me?? Where do I find the courage to just try and quit??? i always say when moms better and the stress in my life eases up ill quit, but my life has been stressful for 20 yrs,mom getting cancer was just another life altering event for me to deal with, its always been something.

Man I dont even remeber what got me started on this soapbox, but it was about smoking. This post really really hit me hard and close to home.

Please put me in your prayers that i find whatever it is i need to be able to have the willpower to just try and quit, give me whatever everyone who has quit has had in there minds that made them finally do it.

Thanks

KIm

[BeckyCW]

Linus, I'm so glad you were able to quit and that you've done so! You're right -- There's no certain age at which you have to "start" worrying. My brother was diagnosed at 38. He's 40 -- and no, he doesn't smoke now! Not since he was diagnosed, and I'm sure it's been hard.

Kim, I will pray for you about this, too. From what I understand, some people find it much easier to quit than others... You won't know which camp you're in until you try! I believe like Wendy said, every day does count, and I hope you can give it a try. Maybe you're a perfectionist (like me) and find it hard to try things if you're afraid you'll fail, especially in front of others? But in this case, what've you got to lose? Maybe try to cut down first, without telling anyone else? I don't know -- Maybe other people who've "been there" will have ideas for you. My addiction is chocolate, which is bad enough... I can't even imagine the challenge you've got -- but I hope you'll succeed, for your own self as well as your daughters. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers!

BeckyCW

[GayleMarie]

I know what you mean. I quit in 93 after 10 years of smoking. My mom was diagnosed in Oct. of 03 and passed away in July of this year. It makes you think doesnt it. Who is susceptible? My dad smoked as long as my mom which was about 35 years. He is 80 and in pretty fine shape. They both quit when they were about 55. Mom got the bad cancer genes I guess? Do I get them now or my Dad's. Time will tell.... Never thought my mom would die in just 9 months I miss her so.

Gayle

[Connie B]

Dear Linus,

Welcome to the Place no one wishes to be. Congrats on the fact that you quit smoking. PAT ON THE BACK! BUT, YES, BUT Please don't get to cocky or comfy with the fact that you quit and your out of the woods, because that is totally WRONG!!! 95% of my Lung Cancer Support Group members are EX-smokers. Most of them quit anywhere from 10 to 25 years before they were dx.d. And most of our group members are 60 and under. We have had them as young as 26, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38 need I say more? Most of these members were ex-smokers or never smoked. The reason I say this is to some scare the daylights out of you, only because you should be checked now and then, (once a year) (in my opinion) maybe with a chest X-ray??? My Primary checked me yearly because of my family backgroud with lung cancer and the fact that I smoked.

Good luck and stay with us. Your not alone on this journey.

[Linus]

Connie, yes, you are so correct that I must not get cocky about not smoking. That was kind of what made me post that. I was pondering "what if it is already too late?" I wish to god that I would have done it sooner rather than later.

Kim,

You will be in my prayers each and every day. I will be praying that you can, indeed, quit.

I really hope not to offend you Kim, but I need to respond to a few of your comments.

First, I noticed that you stated that you CAN'T quit. You need to start off by saying you CAN quit. Don't let that be a self-fullfilling prophecy. Second, I too, said oh I will try when I am less stressed out. Well, I soon came to realize that is an excuse to not start quitting. Why? Because if I end up with lung cancer or one of the other illnesses that smoking can cause, I will surely be more stressed out then!

Kim, I am using the Nicotrol inhalers and the nicotine gum to quit. I use the gum when a strong urge hits as I have found that it works in a stronger way than the inhalers.

I am the caregiver to my mother also right now. Boy oh boy is it hard. I know you know what I mean. The thing that hit me about quitting smoking was I looked at my son and I thought "I never want him to go through this with me". I think of him when I do want to smoke. I also keep telling myself that I am so much better and stronger than that cigarette. Because I am stronger and better than cigarettes. So are you, Kim.

Maybe you could start off by trying some of the nicotine replacement products. I would also try to break a few of the smoking related habits that you have. For example, I liked to smoke best when I was driving, talking on the phone or when I was on the computer. I started off by not smoking when on the computer then I stopped while driving, Etc.

Kim, I hope I have not offended you at all here. I hope maybe that this post is helpful to you.

Best of luck,

Linus

[shineladysue]

To anyone that is considering quitting smoking.. This site is second to none http://www.whyquit.com/ I am a member of the support group there and I quit smoking after 38 years. It can be done.

God Bless

sue

[Snowflake]

Linus and Kim,

Just a gentle nudge that smokers don't corner the market on lung cancer and by not smoking you are NOT 100% guaranteed to not be fighting this monster on your own some day.

Yes, Kim, you should quit, and Linus has some good advice there, beginning with "I CAN quit"... If you REALLY want to quit and work on it, you will quit.

Welcome, Linus, to the family. I am sorry you have to be here, but glad we are here to help.

Take care,

Becky

[Laura Ann]

Hi Kim,

Just some words of encouragement. My mother quit smoking after a thirty five year pack a day habit and my mother-in-law quit a FIFTY YEAR pack a day habit. Mom quit because of her first bout with lung cancer in 1992 and my mother-in-law found out that her Macular Degeneration(sp?) was likely due to her smoking habit. Anyone can quit, you just have to believe and will yourself to do it.

I forgot to mention, I too am a former smoker.

Laura

[kimmek]

Thanks everyone for all your kind words, and caring, that means so much to me.

Linus: No offence taken, actually never even crossed my mind, sounds so easy.just quit but finding the right moment in time to just "do it" seems to evade me.

The car too is where i smoke alot, and the computer, i let more than half burn away here at the desk.

Thanks again and will let ya know if i give this a shot.

Kim

[SJAS]

When I was at the UCSF Thoracic Oncology Conference on Saturday, one doctor told me he treated an 18-year-old lung cancer patient! There's soooo much we still don't know about lung cancer.