Monday 20 February 2012

Quit Smoking

In the morning when my mom came inside my room, she told me that an acquaintance has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Since she has seen her father suffer, she was visibly shaken and was recalling how terrible it is for the patient as well as the family when a person suffers from cancer.

Whenever I hear cancer, I picture in my maternal grandfather, my Daddyji, he suffered with lung cancer, fought like a soldier but succumbed to death. He had quit smoking long ago, but his lungs were damage with the tobacco tart that he had smoked before quitting... He had respiratory problems and every now and then he had to be rushed to ICU. With a survival rate of zero percent, Lung cancer or small cell carcinoma grows to third or fourth stage within 15 days.  By the time it is diagnosed, a patient is already in critical stage.

I recall how I wished that the doctors tell us that they diagnosed it wrong, and tried to convey to everyone that a medical professional can go wrong. Till the end, I did not feel that he will ever leave us, even when he was on ventilator. Even when we had to rush as the doctors said that he is left with 30 min of life. I am proud that he fought... Smiled through the oxygen mask whenever I met him in the ICU, he blinked whenever I spoke to him, holding his hand and telling him to get well soon.

I would confess that I was also about to give into the temptation of smoking, but I did not. And I thank god for that... I reiterate this today, I reiterate this as you read it, and I reiterate it every time someone Quits to smoke. Cancer knows no love, no boundary, no colour, no caste, no creed... Lets fight it, lets start with boycotting things that lead the cancer to grow.

Author's Note: Quit Smoking, nothing is worthy to take away a part of your life.. And its not cool, its doesn't make one a better artist, it cannot bring out the creativity in you, it doesn't take away your stress, and the list goes on....... whatever reason you have, it doesn't help at all..


PS: Daddyji, I love you...   I am glad I was always able to make up to convey this to you!
You are (I still believe that you are around us) the best, And I miss you..
Wherever you are, I wish lots of happiness, health and smiles for you... 

4 comments:

  1. Thought provoking post!
    May your grandpa's soul rest in peace. People were not so aware about tobacco and smoking before. Even my nana ji and one of my mama ji used to smoke and nana ji had cancer.
    But today we see so many advertisments, banners, discussions about harmful effects of Tobacco and smoking consumption! Still many of us end up playing with our lives!

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  2. Thought provoking post!
    May your grandpa's soul rest in peace. People were not so aware about tobacco and smoking before. Even my nana ji and one of my mama ji used to smoke and nana ji had cancer.
    But today we see so many advertisments, banners, discussions about harmful effects of Tobacco and smoking consumption! Still many of us end up playing with our lives!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have to say that cancer is a deadly curse but there are people who are working night and day to get rid of it. I wish both your Grandpa's soul rest in peace.

    In reply to Shesha's comment I have to say, if many still end up paying with their lives, that only means that we are just not doing enough to stop it.

    Again, it is not just the active smokers who suffer, but also those who are forced to inhale the carcinogens. I personally, whenever I sit in the company of any smoker, get so severe headaches.

    If you still are in interested in knowing about cancer in detail, you should definitely read a book by Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Emperor of All Maladies. It is a very good and thought provoking read.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I believe the never leave us, they just leave for a better world or life. I hate cigarettes. My father too was a chain smoker. And those cigarettes took him away from us. I agree with you when you say that it doesn't make us a creative, or crap like that but I really wish people addicted to it realise it much sooner.

    ReplyDelete

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