For some of us, Carson's death a grim awakening

Chicago Tribune ^ | Jan. 26, 2004 | John Kass

[Rennes Templar]

There are two kinds of conversations about Johnny Carson. One kind is the one most of you are having. It is light and interesting, about showbiz, TV, popular culture. Then there is the other conversation many of us have been avoiding.

-snip-

A part of it (the conversation)landed on my desk with a little thump. It was a package, about the size of your palm, with a brown camel on it, two pyramids and three palm trees.

"You can have them," said a friend who tossed them, casual in voice, though there was no missing the symbolism of it, his casting away of the Camels.

"I'm done with them," he said. "I quit."

-snip-

Carson's death could have been due to pneumonia, to infection, or it could have been respiratory failure. Either way it was private, and ugly.

I thought of him suffering amidst tubes.

"You can quit," Dr. Gross said. "You can have a life. You can quit."

I've failed before. And I'm afraid of failing. But Johnny Carson convinced me.

If you're interested in doing the same, you can call the American Lung Association at 312-243-2000.

jskass@tribune.com

[Freedom Dignity n Honor]

No safe dose of nicotene??

And here all these years we've been told it's the tar and chemicals that gunks up our lungs.

[RightField]

I was fortunate (?) enough to develop a serious bacterial lung infection 15 years ago that nearly killed me. As I was recovering, I realized I had been without a cigarette for 8 days, and figured I had been too sick to even notice the withdrawal. Although I wanted to start smoking again so badly, I didn't. I still wanted to smoke badly for the next 2 years. My habit was 2 to 3 packs a day for 20 years.

Almost immediately after covering from the infection, I realized how much more energy I had. I could walk up stairs without huffing and puffing. Heck .. I could just WALK without getting out of breath. I then realized how much my life had been structured around smoking. My clothes always had to have pockets so I could carry the cigs & lighter with me. Sometimes I would even wake up during the night and need to smoke. It was ghastly.

Now, I truly think of myself as a tobacco-holic. Part of me would still would love to smoke, and I don't dare take even a small drag on one. I am like the alcoholic who would fall off the wagon with one beer.

[Rennes Templar]

They're not high up on the bell curve.
Elk Grove IL?

[Nuzcruizer]

OK Jim. I quit as of now. Lets see how long I can make it this tme.

[L,TOWM]

I got in a lifetimes quota worth of drinking in about 8 years. Was'nt really my choice to quit drinking -- one of those things that kinda got forced on me (THANK GOD!).

[An American In Dairyland]

Pfft! You're the one blowing smoke now. You can't even stick to the topic.

[WildTurkey]

Pfft! You're the one blowing smoke now. You can't even stick to the topic.

I can tell when the facts hit a nerve with a smoker. They start with the personal attacks.

[olde north church]

Hmm, I always thought city kids had more asthma too, especially those in the inner city. It's so odd when medical science runs opposite common sense...
Anyhoo, control nazis are control nazis.
I felt the need to quit after waking up one morning with the sensation of two midgets being inside my lungs and twisting them in opposite directions. I figured I had three packs left in the fridge, I would quit when those three packs were finished.
I was wrong, I quit after 2 packs and 19 cigarettes. I still have the last one I never smoked, in the pack with the lighter. That was almost 2 years ago (March 8, 2002).
I disagree with tell somebody or pick a date. Telling somebody just guarantees someone is going to climb up your a$$ if you fail. Then again, I guess what works is what works. It's not going to work though unless you're ready to quit.
I do know someone who died because he continued to smoke while on the patch. That only took him 3 days.

[TalBlack]

Interesting that you posit a hypothesis 180 out from that of the medical and epidemiological experts."

Not in my newspaper reading experience it isn't. I don't know how many time, in the last ten years, I have read of a study that pointed to exposure early and often to irritants seeming to result in lower asthma rates. In fact I have heard of asthma referred to as a disease of cleanliness.

Hell, check with the NYPost that's the only hard copy I read.

[albee]

"...My advice.....if you want to quit, do not set a date. Do it spontaneously.

I quit after 30 years and a 2 pack a day habit. When friends asked "How did you do it?", I thought about it for a few minutes and then realized that you really gotta wanna!

That is the advice I give them. (BTW Next month wil be the start of my 6th smokeless year!)

[fr_freak]

Wasn't Johnny 79? I honestly don't expect to live that long, and I'm a non-smoker (always have been). Quite frankly, if you make it to 79, you've got no business complaining about what it was that finally killed you. If it wasn't that, it would have been somehing else.

[ElkGroveDan]

http://www.elkgrovecity.org/

[USAFJeeper]

I quit smoking in July of 1999 after over 21 years smoking. I still drink :)

I initially started a program of patches and zyban but had a mild reaction to the patch so went cold turkey. I tried a cigarette New Years Eve 1999, I thought I was gonna die it tasted so horrible. But, I still feel the yearning to this day. Bless second hand smoke!

I quit cause I wanted to see my kids grow up and get married and race my future grandkids to the ice cream truck. The USAF helped make my decision as well by banning smoking pretty much everywhere on base. I am not a militant ex-smoker though and I will defend everyones right to a cigarette, even in a restaurant I am eating in if it is allowed there. I may ask to move to a new table but hey thats my right :)

It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done but it can be done. Oh, and food taste better as a bonus!

[Nuzcruizer]

I once heard from a scientist that there is so much pesticide/insecticide residue in tobacco that when it burns in cigarettes it actually creates radioactive substances that are inhaled.

That's scientifically impossible. I have grown tobacco, and have never had to use any insecticides on it. I'm sure commercial farmers do, but it isn't any worse than what you would find on that apple, lettuce, cabbage etc. So, what's the diff. if you eat it or smoke it? HINT: Herbicides and pesticides have a short life. They degrade and become ineffective within 24-48 hrs. Of course we have the malation freaks out there that insist it's a deadly poison, but in reality there is no proof of that. After 100 years of use you'd think we would see an example of it's toxic effect, say a smart democrat?

[WildTurkey]

Hmm, I always thought city kids had more asthma too, especially those in the inner city. It's so odd when medical science runs opposite common sense...

He state that as a fact. That is true. His hypothesis was that it was because the city was "sterile" and city kids didn't develop immunities. FALSE.

[SeaBiscuit]

Thanks for the ping Rob, this is definitly a problem for me.


"True, but there is a family history of longevity in Carson's family, so he potentially could have lived another 20 years. On the other hand, George Burns puffed on cigars and lasted until 100, so you never know. But maybe George was like Clinton and didn't inhale."

Kirkwood, I agree, Carson's family history shows longevity, I do think he cut his own life short from smoking. Burns never inhaled.

[F16Fighter]

"It would be interesting to poll FReepers on their smoking. I say about 75% smoke, but I have nothing but instinct to back that up......."

I don't think most Freepers are that dumb (shields up, phasers on "stun")

[silent_jonny]

Carson was almost 80! Even if he was healthy as a horse, it's doubtful that he would've lived another ten years.

[USAFJeeper]

"I quit after 30 years and a 2 pack a day habit. When friends asked "How did you do it?", I thought about it for a few minutes and then realized that you really gotta wanna!"

AMEN to that! I didnt successfully quit until I wanted to. That is the key to beating any addiction I think. You have to want to.

[WildTurkey]

Hell, check with the NYPost that's the only hard copy I read.

No, I would rather check with the respective authoritative organizations.