One of my coworkers lost her battle with cancer late yesterday afternoon. Gloria had successfully fought breast cancer several years ago. In March 2008, the cancer returned, this time in her chest, near her lungs. It wasn't lung cancer - although she was a chronic smoker - but it began affecting her breathing. It started as a barely noticeable wheeze. By November, she couldn't breathe without a tracheotomy and a ventilator.
She's not suffering any more.
Her family is. I feel so bad for her family. They had to watch their mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, and sister slowly suffocate to death, wasting away to skin and bones. Now, they get to bury her. She was only in her 50s.
I tell you, smoking is not worth it. Not worth it. Yes, the smoker suffers a great deal, but the family suffers so much more. While the smoker's suffering ends with death, the family's continues long after. It's not fair and it's not right. They shouldn't have to go through that. No one should have to watch a loved one slowly commit suicide. How powerless must they have felt? To know that she was continuing to smoke after the first bout with cancer, to know what it would probably lead to, but not being able to get her to stop. It's terrible.
If I'm ever lucky enough to have a child, that child will learn beyond any doubt that tobacco products are horrible things that lead to nothing but suffering and misery for all involved, directly and indirectly. Unfortunately, I have more than enough examples I can use to show how bad they are: Gloria's is only the latest.
I'm sorry for ranting. This isn't the time for it. I know Gloria never wanted to die: she had too much to live for. She's left the world too soon.
Good bye, Gloria.
4 comments:
My friend's older brother just passed away from brain cancer. Cancer is so horrible. Ugh! Yes, smoking is bad and I quit almost ten years ago. I smoked socially in my teens and it wasn't until I was in college that it became an everyday habit. I think God gave me strength when I finally quit because I was able to do it cold turkey and it wasn't that bad after the first couple of weeks. Now the dr wants me give up coffee....hmmmm...not to easy because I really do love my "cup of jo". Oh well...I know if I have a baby growing in me and the dr's said I had give it up...I would, hands down. I will pray for Gloria's soul (yes, she's no longer suffering) and her family. Please keep my friend's brother and family in your prayers too. That family is really, really sad. I believe his two boys were young teens. His death happened rather quickly...he got sick last fall...cancer in remission by Christmas...cancer came back in May...he passed by the end of May. It's surreal. No one was prepared for the cancer to be so aggressive. I praise God everyday for my health. God Bless.
I'll keep you friend and his family in my prayers. That's a terrible story. To happen so quickly. I don't know what's worse: for it to happen that quickly or for it to drag out. Both are hard, that I know.
You're so right about the smoking. I have been watching my husband destroy his health this way since I have known him and it kills me. You can tell that even now it is affecting his cardiovascular endurance. But, recently he has been trying to quit! He's cut back a lot, started exercising more. I think he means it, although he's pretty strongly addicted and has tried several times to quit unsuccessfully. God willing he stops.
I have imagined - but I guess can't imagine - how hard it will be to lose him to lung cancer, knowing that it's HIS FAULT and he chose to continue for so long even though he knew it would take him away from me. I just don't know how you deal with that.
I don't think you know until you get to that point. I know I worry about my DH: he doesn't use sun screen, floss or brush as often as he should, exercise (until recently); he stresses over everything, big and small; he views life with a pessimistic attitude, he's half convinced he's going to die before he hits 70 . . . It's eating away at him. I've thought before that if he dies from something he could have easily prevented, I will be furious with him all the while I'm missing him terribly. It truly isn't fair to the ones left behind.
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