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For some of us, Carson's death a grim awakening
Chicago Tribune ^ | Jan. 26, 2004 | John Kass

Posted on 01/26/2005 3:06:33 PM PST by 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

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: everyonediessomeday; healthpolice; johnnycarson; pufflist; tobacco
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To: Rennes Templar
Same same my story. Mom and aunt a year apart. Aunt smoked like a chimney, died of emphysema at 67 (ugly passing) and my mom doesn't smoke and is 85. 'Erm ... doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist, does it?
201 posted on 01/26/2005 6:15:52 PM PST by 68 grunt (3/1 India, 3rd, 68-69, 0311)
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To: johnfkerrysucks

According to Johnny's brother, Richard Carson,
(People magazine will publish on Friday
the following quote submitted by his brother)
as being the words Carson uttered over and
over again during his final days "those damn cigarettes."


202 posted on 01/26/2005 6:24:08 PM PST by onyx ("First you look to God, then to Fox News" -- Denny Crane, Republican...lol.)
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To: WildTurkey
I've never met a smoker, however, who wanted their child or grandchild to take up the habit.

> Hang around on the smoking threads and you will hear everything.

Indeed. Along with the strange comments that they willingly and deliberately put the child's health at risk by smoking while pregnant. How weird is that?

203 posted on 01/26/2005 6:24:34 PM PST by Drango (To Serve Man.....IT'S A COOKBOOK!)
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To: freedumb2003
I quit after smoking for nearly 30 years. That was 3 years ago and it is the best thing I ever did.

Good job. I also smoked for 30 years and quit when I was 45. That was 5 years ago and yes, it's definitely one of the best things I ever did for myself.

204 posted on 01/26/2005 6:29:12 PM PST by Jorge
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To: Jim Noble

Hey, leave fast women out of this. I am married, but I at least want to THINK about fast women. As for smoking, I never have, just can't see the attraction of it. Then again, I watched my mother die at 43 from it. It WAS ugly. It is weird to now be 47, having outlived my mother.... Do what you want, of course, but what is the joy of smoking, if anyone can tell me.


205 posted on 01/26/2005 6:32:31 PM PST by NCLaw441
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To: My2Cents
... clothes reeking of cigarette smoke. But the smoke never bothered me. Today, however, I can't even be in a room with a smoker. It severely irritates my throat, and obviously my lungs as I go into coughing fits ...

I hear you! Of course, I smoked back then, myself. I think our noses were just burned out so we couldn't notice.

206 posted on 01/26/2005 6:38:59 PM PST by 68 grunt (3/1 India, 3rd, 68-69, 0311)
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To: onyx

"According to Johnny's brother, Richard Carson,
(People magazine will publish on Friday
the following quote submitted by his brother)
as being the words Carson uttered over and
over again during his final days "those damn cigarettes." "

Johnny lived a long and full life. Divorced 3 times, married 4.... Although he smoked a lot, Johnny was also a very heavy drinker for a while. I am not denying cigarettes had a part in his death.....but everyone has to die sometime. At 79, it could have been any number of illnesses or old age that took him. He got old and sick and died. BTW, I am not a smoker and don't advocate anyone smoking, but people make their own choices. Unless Johnny Carson put it in his will that he wanted his illness & death to be a part of some anti smoking campaign, it's unfair to use him as some sort of posterboy for emphysema.


207 posted on 01/26/2005 6:40:00 PM PST by PilloryHillary
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To: Rennes Templar

My grandpa died of emphysema at 64. He smoked for 40 years.
It's a terrible way to die...you slowly suffocate. I remember as a child watching him struggle for every breathe.

There's a new drug called Zyban that makes you puke everytime you have a cig. My cousin tried to quit numerous times and this worked for her. Now she can't stand the smell of 'em.


208 posted on 01/26/2005 6:45:20 PM PST by sonserae
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To: johnfkerrysucks


According to his brother, Johnny is blaming
the cigarettes, NOT me, not some anti-smoking campaign,
but Johnny himself.

I have previously posted much the same commentary as you
have posted to me. Frankly, I don't give a damn who
smokes and who doesn't, but the fact is Johnny himself
blamed the cigarettes he enjoyed smoking for so many years.



209 posted on 01/26/2005 6:50:31 PM PST by onyx ("First you look to God, then to Fox News" -- Denny Crane, Republican...lol.)
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To: Nuzcruizer
Plus Wild turkey, radioactive phosphate fertilizer? LMAO maybe terrorists might be interested in it to make a 'dirty bomb" LMAO

I don't really hold out for an apology, but an acknowledgement that you were wrong would be nice, particularly since you have taken to make them an insult on my integrity. LMAO.

210 posted on 01/26/2005 7:16:28 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: johnfkerrysucks
am not denying cigarettes had a part in his death.....but everyone has to die sometime. At 79, it could have been any number of illnesses or old age that took him.

Uh, it was emphysema. Smoking destroyed his lungs leaving him unable to even breathe properly.

211 posted on 01/26/2005 7:18:18 PM PST by WildTurkey (When will CBS Retract and Apologize?)
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To: jacquej

Let me ask you something, does the shunt help? They say that water on the brain is misdiagnosed as Alzheimers. They wanted to perform this on my Mother, but I said no because of her age. Have you seen a big difference in your mother?


212 posted on 01/26/2005 7:20:53 PM PST by Hildy ( To work is to dance, to live is to worship, to breathe is to love.)
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To: Hildy

Hildy, it seemed to help a lot for a little while, but that was because the water on her brain was really "adding on" to her Alzheimer's. She improved after the shunt to be able to move a bit more, and sometimes babble a bit, instead of being rigid and asleep all the time.

A shunt is risky. There can be problems. It is a hard call.


213 posted on 01/26/2005 7:26:18 PM PST by jacquej
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To: Rennes Templar
If you have ever seen someone dying of emphysema, you will never forget it. Slowly drowning in their own phlegm is not an easy way to go. Good night Johnny.
214 posted on 01/26/2005 7:31:51 PM PST by Ditter
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To: Rennes Templar

Smoking is learned behavior. We are not born with the desire to smoke. The society has to change and smoking will go the way of the spittoon. I cringe when I see teenagers smoking. It used to be an inexpensive habit, but it is a budget-killer today. I just don't understand how people can afford it.

My mother smokes....is 81 and has terrible emphysema. She will die within a few years from this. She is otherwise healthy and had the potential to live to be 100. We are surprised she is still alive, but it is no life. She hacks all day, and bends over from the force of the coughing. She leans into the sink to breathe in the oxygen from the running water in the faucet. She can't leave the house much and lives with inhalers. Yes, 80 is a long life, but this is not a quality life. But, she is content to live this way, as the addiction to the smoking overpowers everything.

I am not a smoker...never had the desire perhaps from the years of watching how cigarettes govern all else. My mother was a clean-freak. She would not open windows for fear that dirt would blow in through the windows. But, she smoked constantly and the smoke wafted through our house. Her second-hand smoke had to cause harm to all of us. Also, when the budget was tight, we all did without, but there was always money for cigarettes. This is the same story in thousands of homes.

Needless to say, I detest cigarettes. If you are a smoker, please stop now. Do it for your family. Do it for your life.


215 posted on 01/26/2005 7:51:11 PM PST by Swede Girl
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To: Ditter

My mom died at 56, lung cancer,smoker.
My dad died at 72, smoker, emphysema.
My grandmother died at 80 something from Alzheimers.
My grandad died at 92, from old age, used to smoke pipe and cigars, moderately when young.
A business partner fell over dead from a sudden heart attack at 56, no prior health problems,.non-smoker.
My father-in-law suffered with Alzhimers for 8-10 years.
Had a good college buddy die from malignant melenoma(skin cancer), after a long fight.

By gosh just give me a cool Guinness Stout and a heart attack, any day................


216 posted on 01/26/2005 7:55:36 PM PST by SEVENCROSS (All gave some ,,,,, some gave all....)
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To: Nuzcruizer

People have allergies because they have inherited allergy genes, not because they live in the city or the country. No allergy genes no allergies or asthma. If you have inherited the genes you will become allergic to things you have been exposed to, don't ask me why one thing and not another, I don't know.


217 posted on 01/26/2005 7:58:42 PM PST by Ditter
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To: Sen Jack S. Fogbound
My I ask a question?

Honorable Senator
Jack S. Phogbound

The Right Honorable Senator Jack S. Phogbound
Click the Pic J

Are you related? I notice you spell the name differently.
(Senator Jack S. is one of my favorite people. I keep his picture on my wall)

218 posted on 01/26/2005 8:07:20 PM PST by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: Rennes Templar

My grandfather and grandmother both died in their mid-60's because of smoking. My grandfather had emphysema and my grandmother had three heart attacks. The last one killed her. Yet I keep smoking. I've quit so many times and for some reason I keep going back to it.


219 posted on 01/26/2005 8:36:58 PM PST by SilentServiceCPOWife (Romeo&Juliet, Troilus&Crisedye, Bogey&Bacall, Gable&Lombard, Brigitte&Flav)
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To: Nuzcruizer; Rennes Templar
"and have never had to use any insecticides on it. I'm sure commercial farmers do"Nicotine is a commercial pesticide. That's the plant's natural defense.

" when it burns in cigarettes it actually creates radioactive substances "

No way!

220 posted on 01/26/2005 8:51:38 PM PST by spunkets
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