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Menno D Don't Smoke Smoking Kills 2017 or 2018
Menno D Don't Smoke Smoking Kills 2017
Picture this 65 year old guy. Entering the small apartment where he lives I hear him cough with every breath he takes. The sharp stench of the filter tips he last smoked lingers because his regular smokes ran out long ago. I have to help him get up. It takes quite a while for him to catch his rasping breath as he struggles out of bed.
Actually it would be best for him to give him his first cigarette of his daily ration now, because then he will have his junkie’s fix. And the added bronchodilators in the tobacco will give him some more air for a moment. Burt that would mean I’d have to work in his fresh second hand smoke and I won’t do that. So I give him a puff of his inhaler first, with next to no noticeable effect. It is terrible to hear him fight for breath as I help him wash and cloth. When it’s done I hand him his cigarette and I leave. As I close the door behind me I hear his deep rumbling gurgling coughs as he inhales deeply.
This is often the first thing I do when I work first shift. When I do second I end like this the other way around. I work in an assisted living facility for older people with longstanding psychiatric illnesses. As they get older physical ailments get into play. All smoking residents in the place I work have some form of COPD. But he’s the worst.
About a month ago I was convinced he had a CVA, showing all signs. Ambulance came and took him to hospital where he was diagnosed with an exuberation of his COPD leading to acute oxygen deprivation. He made it through and with oxygen and a large dose of prednisone he recovered more or less. Not sure if there is any permanent damage yet.
Back in his own home he’s not getting oxygen. The risk that he will blow us all up is too big. He says he loves smoking and it’s the only joy that he’s got left in his life. He is totally addicted. The only joy he finds in lighting up is the he will not be in withdrawal for about half an hour. He smokes less than half of what he wants to because his scarce funds only allow for about 15 smokes a day.
I feel so sorry for him. He will never stop and he will die (from) smoking I am sure. I try to talk to him but he will have none of it.
BTW, I got the only kind of job in this country where I have to work in places where people just have smoked. Officially it is their own private apartment and they are allowed to smoke in there. I hate it more each day TBH. It might be a reason to change jobs.
Don’t smoke. Smoking Kills. NOPE is the only way. Hugs from Amsterdam.
