I fear my destiny is sealed. I picked up my first cigarette at 9 yrs old. I’m 47 today and, though I’ve tried many many times, I still smoke today. My wife of 27 years does too.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve developed a persistent cough. I’ve had a few severe cases of bronchitis over the years with some agonizing coughs, but this is different. Sharp projecting coughs combined with deep wheezing coughs. I know... sounds pretty bad. Still, we smoke.
There’s always a Halls in my mouth. I couldn’t function otherwise. The tickle gets too strong to resist unless I deaden it with a cough drop. Ironically, a cigarette will do the same thing. So, I still smoke.
When we get our will up, our go-to cessation device is the 21mg nicotine patch. Though we’ve quit for months at a time, some stressor eventually leads us back to smoke. Today, we strive to wake up and put the patch on, everyday. Stop smoking first. Then, we’ll worry about the nicotine addiction that has hold of us.
The good news is I’ve taken great care of my body (other than the toxins I pump into it). I workout. I eat appropriately. And I can still keep up with young mean at my weekly indoor soccer game. Though my joints are feeling it, my current cardio, heart, and lungs seem to be in top form (the persistent goes away when working out — clearing the system, I call it).
Still, I fear my future following so many years of damage to my lungs. Is it too late to recover and avoid copd? When were you diagnosed? How many years did you smoke? How long before diagnosis did you have smoker’s cough?
Thank you for being here and listening! :)
Mik