Posted on 04/06/2017 9:04:34 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax
I started smoking in 1971; bought 3 packs of Camels one day (unfiltered) for a total of 99 cents plus tax.
But now, 46 years later, I no longer use tobacco. You see, seven years ago I switched to Electronic Cigarettes. Just pour in a little nicotine liquid mixed with vegetable oil—your choice of potency—and you’re all set to “vape” away. No lung-threatening, tarry chemicals. No smelly, annoying smoke to attract nasty looks. In fact, the “discharge” from these pricey little, battery-driven machines can be blown around your doctor’s consulting room and neither he nor his staff will be any the wiser.
It was the best of all possible worlds. I could continue to infuse myself at will with my favorite drug and risk no ill effects.
And did I take careless advantage of my discovery? I did not! In fact, to be extra cautious, I stopped inhaling the vapor altogether. Instead, I began drawing in the nicotine-laced smoke, rolling it around in my mouth and spitting it right back out with my next little bit of air. I had invented a thoroughly safe method of smoking—that is, of enjoying nicotine. Damn, I was clever!
Then suddenly, a few weeks ago, I couldn’t breathe. It was very late on a Sunday night and as I walked from my bathroom into my bedroom, I found I couldn’t get any air. Collapsing in a chair I began panting, gasping, sitting doubled over. I remembered a small, Albuterol inhaler I hadn’t used in quite some time, still laying on my night stand. I grabbed it and took 2 or 3 puffs. In a short time I began collecting a bit of oxygen; enough, at least, to be rid of some of the panic which had overtaken me. I’m not too proud to admit that I was scared as Hell.
I spent the rest of the night staring straight ahead, afraid to move lest that awful, complete loss of air should overtake me again. I scheduled an appointment with my doctor of 25 years and underwent a series of chest X-Rays. Getting to my car, walking into Eric’s office and later through the hospital; each was a more difficult and physically demanding task than anything I could remember taking on in decades. Of course, I finally had to ask that I be taken by wheelchair through the endless hospital corridors to X-Ray. I couldn’t walk the distance. I remember the X-Ray tech told me to take a deep breath and hold it as she pressed the button. Christ, if I’d been able to take a deep breath, I wouldn’t have been there. Standing quite still against the X-Ray backdrop, supported by nothing but my legs…and she wanted me to breathe too?
A “large pneumothorax” or collapsed lung. That was the diagnosis. And strangely enough, it was damned good news. For I hadn’t been home 30 minutes from X-Ray when the telephone rang and I read Eric’s name on the receiver. In 25 years he had never called me at home. Not once. I expected him to say, “Sorry Doug, but you have stage 4, lung cancer. With aggressive treatment, you could live a year, maybe more.” Talk about blood running cold. Seeing that name on my phone was the definition.
But my collapsed lung was very treatable. And that's why Eric had called--to recommend, strongly recommend as my friend and doctor that I head to the emergency room right away. A chest tube inserted to help the lung re-inflate, 2 ½ days in the hospital; a follow up visit with the surgeon and I’m still breathing just fine; or at least as well as I have for the past several years. And it all came with a free lesson in medicine and humility. For nicotine is the real culprit in cigarette tobacco, not tar or those other evil chemicals smokers have heard about for years on end. It’s nicotine that’s the real killer. As for my clever decision to switch to Electronic Cigarettes and avoid inhaling—I was kidding myself. I didn’t know. It seemed a damned good idea at the time. But not after talking with half a dozen doctors, each telling me just how dumb I was (in a very pleasant way, of course.)
The lesson is a simple one.
Anyone who smokes is a moron. I’ve seen the pictures of my lungs. So take my word for it. And there is NO way to game the system. There are no safe cigarettes—electronic or otherwise. And there is no safe method of infusing nicotine. Of course, nicotine-free liquid is available for those who wish (for whatever reason) to appear that they are smoking. But I’ll still guarantee that even that won’t be good for you.
So no preaching. Just quit and live longer or continue the intake of nicotine and die sooner. Enjoy.
Hmmm. Not sure if I’ll succeed but I had the last one in a pack on Tuesday around noon and, being that it was Mrs. rktman’s birthday, I told her I would finally quit with the cigs. She quit a year and a half ago. Have done some things that would normally spur me to fire up but hangin’ in so far. Do I want one? Hell yeah. But, I ain’t buying or bummin’ so far. As far as succeeding, I can do this. Not too cranky so far from nic wifdrawls.
There are horror stories as well of people going onto the Nicorette gum, and either taking too much or smoking on top of it. Death by nicotine overdose. Any nicotine at all is also bad if you have high cholesterol. It basically magnifies the effect.
All true - but vaping is still far better than unfiltered camels.
I’ve seen vaping help many people I know gradually reduce cigarette smoking, people who never were able to quit “cold turkey.”
Funny the author knocks it, because it also clearly helped him reduce a very dangerous habit of unfiltered camels, down to something much less.
I don’t smoke, but I am curious.
The story doesn’t say why or how the collapsed lung is related to his oral swirling of the nicotine vapor. Or was it that vaporized vegetable oil gave him a chemical injury to the lung?
Good luck! How sweet of you to quit for Mrs. rktman’s birthday.
Maybe the guy who wrote this story could produce some articles published in medical journals to back up his assertions. If not, I'd bet that his half dozen doctors only exist in his imagination.
Thank you very much. I read the article and was not able to make the connection from vaping to collapsed lung. Unless he REALLY exhales the vapor.
[people who never were able to quit “cold turkey]
Thread a horse hair through your cigarette and inhale. You’ll never smoke again.
To truly quit all forms of tobacco takes a real triumph of the will.
I did it in 1971.
P4L
Smoked unfiltered Camels for 39 years, but it’s the 7 years of vaping that’s the culprit?
Not sure about the “oral swirling”, but you can absorb nicotine through your sinuses without it ever touching your lungs. Too much and there’s organ failure, maybe a collapsed lung. My main fear was lung cancer which drove me to quit. But there are all kinds of other things nicotine can do to you. Heart failure in particular. In this case, lung failure.
Smoked unfiltered Camels for 39 years, but it’s the 7 years of vaping that’s the culprit?
That’s a good point. The vaping didn’t cause the cancer. Vaping gives one a nicotine “hit”, not the chemicals in tobacco smoke.
A couple of years ago he had a chest xray, the dr said, “you use to be a smoker, right?” For about 3 years, 60 years ago, and even though it was minor, the dr could see the damage.
Did you read the article?
Thanks for sharing your story. I hope you have fully recovered & are free of nicotine addiction.
I quit smoking cold turkey in 1998 or so. I was up to 2 & 1/2 packs a day. I quit primarily because of the expense. Professionally it was a great choice because I gained a full octave in my vocal range. Economically it was a great choice because we suddenly had an extra $100.00 a month (at that time) or more to spend on other things.
Smoking cigarettes is unwise on every level. Putting a known poison into our bodies is an act of stupidity, IMO.
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