Thanks for starting a thread to alert smokers to the danger they are posing if they smoke near their pets. I am ashamed to say as a smoker early in life, I smoked with my kids in the car. For some reason, I had banished smoking in the house but not the car -- the car where they are cooped up with a small amount of air circulating and all that smoke trapped for them to inhale! I finally quit smoking and don't contribute to any second hand smoke damage now. But I do feel guilty when I think about the time I did! Thankfully my sons don't show any signs of damage! Quitting was one of the most difficult things I ever did in my life! I do not judge others who are at different points in their life, but I pray they all find the courage and perseverance to quit eventually and before it is too late for their own lungs or those of others who are forced to passively smoke.
My dear sweet husband lost his life to lung cancer. It is a horrible way to die. It robs a person of any joy and dignity they have near the end. He smoked from a very early age, he was sprayed down with Agent Orange on several occasions in country/Viet Nam, he was exposed to asbestos dangers on ships and older government buildings, and we had an accidental release at a local Chemical company. When we started adding up exposures, we figured my poor husband really did not stand a chance. He was robbed of many years he should have been able to enjoy life. We were all robbed of years of enjoying HIM!
If you smoke, keep trying to quit. It took me many tries! I am not sure I ever would have quit for myself. But my youngest son was persistent in wanting us to quit. My oldest son started to smoke and my middle son was experimenting with dip! I had to set a better example! We are all tobacco-free now, (over 11 years for me!), and I am so very grateful for that! Thank you Lord -- because I called on Him so many times and He got me through it! |