((((((Barbara)))))),

It wasn't my Dad, it was my EX-husband (my son's Father). His wife was having a real hard time and then there were my step-kids and my own son. So I hung around in the hospice for the last week or so.

Interestingly, my EX quit smoking about year before he was diagnosed with cancer. His wife was on a health kick. She got him to lose weight and quit smoking and start exercising.

He started getting horrendous headaches. They couldn't find a cause, so they decided to do the biopsy. That's when they found the cancer.

He had the radiation and the chemo and they said he was cured. He wasn't He started getting the headaches again so he went to one of the top teaching hospitals here. That's when they discovered that there never was a 'cure', the cancer had kept on growing. It was too late.

He suffered unbelievably. Even though he was a total SHI* to me, he didn't deserve that.

Yeah, the damn cigarettes. We had my husband's uncle with us when he was dying from emphysema. Because both my husband and I smoked, he was always tempted to smoke even though he couldn't breathe.

Cigarettes are horribly addictive. It took me about 6 tries and a divorce to be able to quit. I just couldn't quit while my husband was still smoking.

He smoked Lucky Strikes. Those things were unfiltered and they were like smoking old overshoes. I'm surprised they didn't get him earlier. He was only 59 when he died. My son was so mad 'cause he'd see all his uncles in their 80s and he figured he got cheated out of about 20 years because of the cigarettes.

I'm glad Doug's not smoking anymore. As you say, it's safer. It'll also be easier for him to breathe without those things mucking up his system.

I'm glad I'm able to help a little bit. I've been through so much -- I'd like to think there's a reason for it

Although, I haven't figured out the reason for the toilet getting backed up again I'll have to meditate on that one for awhile I'm waiting for the plumber to show up. My landlord never called me back to tell me that he had called the plumber. I hope he did.

BIG HUGS (and love). Stay strong. And hang on tight.



Barb