Mom was taken to the hospital, by my daughter last night, I guess she had just finished eating a tart, and started coughing and could not breath because her throat started to close. My daughter lives in my parents cabin, and my dad came running over to her cabin freaking out that mom could not breath, and needed her to take them to the hospital, dad can not see that great at night anymore, and he was in no state to drive. I told them if it ever happens again call 911, they have this theory that they can get to the hospital faster in the car, as they are 20 min out of town, and another 10 to the hospital. So thier they go with mom barley breathing taking her to the hospital, I got the call at 11 last night,I went to the hospital and they have her hooked up to this ventalin machine so she is breathing in this steam with medicine in it to open her air way, oh my god she looked terrible, they monitered her heart and found an odd rythem,(sp). The one thing that gets me so mad is that she is a smoker, and 72 days ago I quit smoking, and she quit four days after me, but she recently started slipping and having just one, and then just one more, I have been their done that so many times, but this time I refused to give in to the voice that says one will not hurt, because I know it will. four days after I quit, mom quit because she was told she has moderate to severe emphazmia. When we were in the emergency room she said she never wanted to see another cig again,she spent the night last night in emergency and dad picked her up today, my dh and I went and got a puffer and other med's for her got to the house and you would not believe what we see, mom is sitting at the table with a smoke, and dad is hiding his under the table!
I quit because I was on the same emphazma path, and I knew that I was going to be the one in the hospital hardly breathing, and now it is happening to my mom. I talked to dad last night and he said he was going to go outside and smoke, but I guess from all the stress that is the first thing she wanted when she got home. Before this all happened dad said that he was going to quit smoking for a new years resolution, and I hope he does because I think that is the only chance that mom has if she has dad's support.

By Tink on Thursday, December 22, 2005 - 02:34 am:

I'm so sorry to hear this. It must be so scary and frustrating for you to see your parents smoking after all of this. High 5 to you for 72 days without smoking. You've gotten through the toughest part now!

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, December 22, 2005 - 07:51 am:

Kudos to you for quitting smoking. Nicotine addiction is a STRONG addiction. Unfortunately, in your parents' case, they are not going to quit until/unless they make up THEIR minds to quit. The fact that they continue to smoke with emphysema proves that.

It's hard to watch that happening to your parent(s) - I have BTDT too. I know how much worry this will cause you.

{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}

By Shann on Thursday, December 22, 2005 - 10:27 am:

Mrse My sister brother and I are going through the same thing. My Mom has moderate to severe empahzima and As well as my Dad he is not quite as bad as mom but the fact is they both have it and will not quit smoking. My Mom gives us the same ole same ole excuse to much going on and its not a good time. well she has been saying it for months. I under stand that its adictive but when you are dying from it. I just don't understand. I am so thankful that non of us kids ever started.

By Mrse on Thursday, December 22, 2005 - 01:36 pm:

Hi I could kick myself for starting, the only reason I started was I would go with my bestfriend at lunch hour when we were in school and sit off school grounds so she could have a smoke,and at the time I thought gee if I am going to sit out her all the time I might as well smoke. How stupid.
I do know that it would only take one smoke for me to start up again, and I fight that reality every day. I am an all or nothing person . Thanks for the hug, I needed that

By Emily7 on Thursday, December 22, 2005 - 02:09 pm:

It is hard to quit & can ONLY be done if the person is ready. I did, my dh is doing it (again) now, his parents refuse to.
I hope your parents are able to quit. I will keep them in my prayers that they find the inner strength.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, December 22, 2005 - 10:40 pm:

Wow, how scary, MrsE. DH's dad smoked a pipe most of his life, but when my kids were little, he quit. He still had a horrible cough, anyway and still developed bladder cancer and died a year later.

I'm glad I never started, because quitting is so hard.

I hope your mom can quit and stay that way, in the upcoming year.