SURGERY CANCELLED

Well I geuss I'll start with yesterday. My mom called Dr Coster and told him I had not completely quit smokin yet. Nurse called me at work and said surgery may be cancelled if Carbon Monoxide level was too high. Well went for my appt today and yes it was too high(thanks mom). So needless to say my surgery was cancelled. At one time he did tell me he would do it if I could be smoke free for one month. I was too angry to call and talk to him today. I know I have no one to blame but myself however it does not help with the feeling of being so close then the door slammed in my face. I was only smoking 2-3 cigarettes a day and I still registered as a heavy smoker on the test thingy. I cried all the way home! I don't think this is ever going to happen for me. Damn cigarettes. Why are they so addictive? I think I know what an alcaholic or drug addict feels like. I do ok with the patches but they are very expensive. Does anyone know of any way to get them free? Public Health or anything like that. Better end my book now. I'm sure everyone thinks she did this to herself then comes here to whine about it(thats what I'm thinking anyway). Thanks for your support anyway!!!

(((Kim)), sorry to hear of your surgery put on hold. I use to smoke almost 3 pks. a day and know how hard it is to quit. I also used the patches and yes they are expensive but just think what you will save by not buying cigs. They are very addictive and I couldn't do it on my own. Don't worry about getting flamed. We are all human and I have never met anyone who was perfect. We all have problems. Do what you have to do and then there will be no stopping you. One day at a time Kim.~Cindy~

You should know how a drug addict feels - nicotine IS a drug and you are addicted. I also smoked for many, many years and the truth is, there's never a better or easier time to quit. It's always a hard thing to do. I wish I had better news for ya. I ended up going cold turkey, but I'd see if your Dr has any recommendations also. I say whatever it takes, do it. Have you tried to quit in the past? Several studies have shown that the majority of people who quit aren't successful until the third attempt. Personally, I had "quit" probably 10 times. When I got pregnant, that's what did it. Even though I was positive that I wasn't going to smoke anymore, it didn't mean that the cravings went away though - so I definitely understand. Good luck! Amy

Kim Kim Kim, I am so sorry it didn't all work out for you. I will not you for not being able to quit smoking, you are angry enough for all of us. And it is you it effects the most. I used to smoke as you already know and it IS hard to quit. That was one of the most difficult times we had, was when Dale and I both quit smoking at the same time. Yet we are so lucky because it became a challenge.(and I am very stubborn) I wouldn't smoke one until he did and to this day 16 yrs later neither of us have had a cig. Now I won't say I don't want one occasionaly but Dale doesn't. You too can do this. I drank a bunch of water to help flush all the nicotine and crap out. That helped me alot. I mean a BUNCH of water!!!!!!! Can you get one of the dr. there to help you someway? Can they get the patches for you from a drug rep or something? You would think they would want to help you some way. Have you tried the nicorete gum or welbutrin. I know they get free samples of that. You already know why they didn't go on with your surgery, it would have been dangerous for you and healing would be very slow. They are trying to be thourough. You know you can call me or email me anytime, I will help. I will talk you through this. Cheer up. This is a hurdle you will jump. Maybe this was meant to be this way and now it is time to get us to help you. I hope you have better luck this time. You know I am always praying for you. Good luck, your freind Cindy G.

Kim, I'm so sorry & I promise not to flame you. I never smoked but many of my family members did & some still so. I know if I had started I probably wouldn't have been able to quit. Please don't be angry with your mother. She really did you a favor, if you want to honest about it. It is a difficult surgery & you need to be in the best possible condition and that especially includes your lungs. Still, not flaming you, ok? When I went to my surgeon's seminar he asked if anyone smoked. Of course many responded that they did. He then told them if they wanted him to do their surgery that they better quit that night. He felt that if you didn't care enough about your body & health enough to quit smoking, then you didn't care enough about your body to have the surgery & he personally wasn't going to waste his time with those people. He also said that he wasn't going to do the surgery to help save their lives if they were only going to continue to kill themselves by smoking. Now, I'm pretty sure he never smoked & had no idea how difficult it is to stop but he was serious & there were some really long faces when they left the seminar. I do know that some of his patients have gone back to smoking after they had their surgery, and that was stupid of them but it is an addiction. I don't have any idea how or where you can get help with getting something to help you stop. Check with Dr Coster's office. They may know of a source. Good luck. Keep trying. You'll get there. Dixie

Oh Kim, I'm so sorry to hear your news. I too know how hard it is to quit smoking, I quit 8 years ago this month (12th) and I was a 3-4 pack a day smoker for 20+ years. When I quit smoking I heard someone make the comment that quiting smoking was like loosing your best friend. And that's how they were to me. To this day I still would love one, but you have to decide at some point that your health is important too. For some people (like me) the decision to quit has to be made by yourself, for yourself. Having other people tell you to quit dosen't work. When I quit I used the gum, and it is expensive, but so are cigarettes. This time of year they might be running specials on the patches (buy one get one 1/2 price etc) When I quit I found deals like that for the gum. If you find deals like that, stock up!!! The deals/specials, only lasted for a month or so, then I was having to pay full price for the gum. Good Luck to you. Things always look bad before they get better. And they will get better. You just work on getting healthy, after all isn't that part of the reason you want the surgery? Terry

Hello....and sorry for the major letdown I would too be so mad at my mom But you have to know she had nothing but your best interests and health at heart Still tho, it would be pissed! Maybe ask your PCP for wellbutrin.....I heard it helps when your trying to quit....maybe that could help....and it isn't that expensive, heck they might even have samples....wouldn't hurt to ask? I used to smoke...haven't for 8 years or so.....I had to do it cold turkey....my mom bought me the patches but they made me so sick (I went tanning once with one on, and thought I was gonna die ) Recovery from surgery is not easy.....but if your a smoker it can make it all the more harder.....It hurts so bad to cough afterwards....can you imagine the coughing you'd be doing the first couple days out? Also the risks of pnuemonia like triple at least if you still smoke up until surgery....and that is NOT good. Plus being a smoker your circulation and oxygen in the blood flow is diminshed and makes for comprimised healing....OH MY THE pics I have seen That's the last thing you wanna do after surgery is pack open wounds for months on end......I would try your darndest right now.....Call, reschedule, pray whatever helps.....Wishing you the best......Take Care jesi

Dear Kim, Sorry to read about your problem and I won't say any thing to you but I do know a guy about 50 something and he smoked up to the day he had surgery and he lied to his Dr. and said that he had quit ...... long story short he is still having problems today and he is over a year out , Initially he almost died , was in intensive care for 4 YES FOUR(4) MONTHS. Had to relearn almost everything that you could think of and the expence was over 500,000 dollars. The only thing that shows from that is he has to wear leg braces probably for the rest of his life but he was VERY,VERY, LUCKY. Could of ended up on dialisius (misspelled) for the rest of his life etc.etc. He is still having to have a hole in his stomach packed every other day and is on really strong antibiotics and it just don't want to heal and I could go on and on . He has lost 188 lbs.down to right at 200 lbs. from almost 400 . So that is a plus .... but it almost cost him his life. He is my best friends hubby and we spent meny hours in prayer and personially I think that is the only thing besides the great drs. that saved him. I know it is hard to quit; I quit 28and1/2 years ago cold turkey. hope you can get the help u need . My sis used wellbutrin. I would suggest that . Try not to be mad at u mom she just wants u to live . HUGGS PURPLEANGEL