Reports have been surfacing that despite a recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Patrick Swayze is still smoking his usual two packs of cigarettes a day. What would drive an otherwise intelligent person to do such a thing to his body?
Swayze has been known to be a heavy smoker for many...
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sue
Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 03:27 PMre: Untitled Comment
Jane M. Martin
Wednesday, April 02, 2008 at 03:31 PMThank you for speaking to the Patrick Swayze situation with such compassion and empathy. Too many people are quick to judge smokers who struggle with heavy addiction, saying that if they really wanted to quit, they would. It is just not that simple.
I once attended a seminar on smoking cessation in which the speaker was a staff member of a program at the Mayo Clinic, a program especially designed to help people with severe nicotine addiction. That person said something I'll never forget, and that was, "Nobody gets out of a warm, cozy bed, drives to the convenience store in the rain, and stands in line wearing slippers at 3:00am to buy a pack of cigarettes because they love to smoke."
Jane M. Martin, CRT
Stop Smoking / COPD
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Thanks for posting Anne. Hope all is well.
This really is a tough story. To still be smoking even when one has cancer - imagine how awful Patrick Swayze must feel, my heart goes out to him and his wife. You have to wonder if we ever get the whole story. And truthfully why should we - this is one of those things you want stars to be able to have privacy on if they choose. Of course he was on the cover of People magazine recently so, who knows.
Anyone out there who might be fighting to quit while facing a cancer-related disease, please share your story with us. If more people talk about the addiction of smoking, then maybe more people can figure out the best way for them to live free of it.
All the best, sue (moderator)
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