I searched for a smoking thread and found this one. I thought I would bump it up for one reason.

My mother-in-law has smoked for 60 years. On December 17th, she had to have triple bypass surgery. Two of the arteries were 100% occluded and one was 90%. 5 days after the surgery, she was moved to a rehab for physical therapy. A few days later, she was rushed back to the hospital in respiratory distress. She cannot fully inflate her lungs, and they continually fill up with fluids. Today she had her third procedure to drain the fluid. Tomorrow she will have a fourth. The doctors have tried medication to relieve it, but so far nothing works.

Since she smoked for so many years, she has advanced COPD. She has no other health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, she's not obese, although she does have high cholesterol. Whatever health issues she has are all smoking related.

If any of our friends here are looking to quit smoking, I am telling you this in hopes that it will be a motivation. After numerous attempts to quit, it has now been two and a half years since I've had a cigarette. I am so grateful that I was able to do it this time around.

Please, please, please, I see the pain this has caused my mother-in-law and I see how my husband is consumed with fear and worry. I hope and pray that she is able to rebound, and we'll know more in three or four days, but QUIT. It's an expensive and dirty habit, and you will feel better without it.

Although there is more of me to love since I quit (30 lbs.!), I know that my husband will live with it, rather than see me sick like his mother.

And, in the meantime, please send any good thoughts you can her way. She's going to need them.