Not Quitting

July 25, 1984, at 9 AM, I smoked my last cigarette. It was one of the most difficult things I'd ever done. And that's why it's so easy for me to remember the time and the date. But it was also the best thing I ever did for my health.

At the same time, I quit I gently suggested to someone that I was very close to that she should also quit. But her answer was no. She said she had given up alcohol and every other vice in her life and that she certainly wasn't going to give up smoking.

When I pointed out to her that the habit would probably kill her, she said something to the effect that at least she would "die with some flavor on her lips." And I have to give her credit. She stuck to her guns and has never made any moves to quit smoking. At least as far as I know. And she's still alive.

She's breathing and functioning in spite of having had multiple heart attacks, heart operations, pacemakers and, and other procedures on her heart. And the last I heard, she's still smoking around four packs of roll your owns a day. But the reason this comes up for me now is that she recently had what one of her family describes as a "mini-stroke."

And while it's obvious this person has no concern for her health problems they do cause a great deal of anxiety in her family.

And that's the sad part of this whole scenario. Even though it's none of my business because people have a right to destroy themselves however they choose I think that they sometimes forget that loved ones and family members live with a lot of pain when they witness the suffering of a close family member going through medical issues.

I think the addicts among us have all inflicted pain upon others at one time or another, simply because we were using some kind of drug that would eventually kill us. While it's sometimes a sacrifice to give up our drug of choice, it's one of the greatest gifts we can give to those who love us.

Click here to email John