I assumed all smokers knew that. Surely there are none of us left still in denial ...
Check this conversation I had yesterday while huddled in the cold with a fellow addict.
Her: I've got a hole in my lung. Me: Oh dear. Shouldn't imagine smoking is a good idea ...
Her: Aha! That's where you're wrong. my doctor told me on no account should I give up smoking.
Me: Really?
Her: Yep. Apparently, the tar is blocking up the hole. If I stop, the tar would go and the hole would open up and get bigger.
Me: And the doctor told you this?
Her: (rolling another fag) Yep. I've got asthma too. I've only got about 60% lung function. D'you know what the doctor told me to do if I have an asthma attack?
Me: Let me guess. He told you to smoke a fag.
Her: Yep. He said that way I'm concentrating on taking deep breaths in.
Me: Was this by any chance the same doctor who told you about the tar ...?
Now, like I said, I'm not in denial about the health-giving properties of tobacco, but any activity that has the upside of giving you insights like the above conversation has to have something going for it ...
Hmmm... just hmmm.
ReplyDeleteI knew about the lungs, but I didn't realise giving up smoking could make a difference to your hearing. I guess that provides a bit of motivation - but maybe not enough? As someone who found it very hard to give up after smoking not a great deal for less than a decade, I can imagine how difficult it must be.
ReplyDeleteCrikes. It's a whole other world, the smokers' version. Glad I never acquired that vice. Now chocolate is another matter altogether.
ReplyDeleteSOunds as if that 'doctor' should have a nicotine patch clamped firmly over his mouth?!
ReplyDeleteNicky - yeah, I know ...
ReplyDeleteQueenie - it might not make a difference to my hearing but I know it can't help.
Liane - welcome to my world.
Spiral - ha!!!