Editor:
I agree that it would be very hard to find even one case regarding someone dying of second hand smoke on record today.
What I do know personally and upfront is I grew up in a large Asian household in the 50’s and 60’s where all the males grown up smoked 2-3 packs at day. You walked in the house and you knew there were smokers. Anytime I saw any of them they had a cig in their mouth. You know the stereotype, Chinese cook with a cig in their mouth and the ashes falling into the stir-fly? This was my family – my dad and uncles had a cig in their mouth even when they were talking. I grew up with asthma; the smoking was so bad that my mother built a makeshift room on the roof for me to sleep.
Today, my dad and all my uncles have all passed away from heart disease, lung or throat cancer. Two individual cases have stuck in my mind. My closest uncle retired and weeks later he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. I remember running into him the day he was waiting for the cab to take him to the hospital for his checkup, he had a cig in his mouth. Two weeks later he was bedridden and the cancer so aggressive had spread to his spinal cord. One day he was standing, the next hooked up to life support and the pain on their face as the cancer ate away while his daughter had to make the sensible decision to let him go.
My oldest brother spent 40 years in the same house he purchased. When it came to smoking he was as addicted as anyone I have ever seen or met. Smoked close to 3 packs a day. Never opened a window or door to air out his house. When his friends came to pick him up they never got out of the car or went inside. If one did the smell would attach to your clothes – it was horrible. The window and walls were dripping from brown smoking stains, and it was impossible to actually figure out what colors the walls were painted. Everywhere you turned there were ashes and smoke burns, even on his bed sheets. Believe it or not he had a girlfriend for nearly 10 years living with him that smoked like him so double the problem.
Four years ago I was at one of his doctor’s appointment and the doctor said he should go and check out his cough. My brother responded, “What cough? Why fix something that is not broken?” Two years later he was diagnosed with stage 4 throat and lung cancer. He hung on for 9 months, but the treatments had rendered him a vegetable. One day I got a call from his daughter that he wanted me to come home. The treatments had also taken his inability to speak or eat on his own. The last few hours I spent with him looking at his expression and the pain in his face said it all about the many conversations we had about smoking. An hour later he passed away. I followed his health directive when he had enough to pull the plug.
The worst and saddest part of his death was that he was the primary care giver for his Down syndrome son. They had been together his whole life. He knew nothing else and stayed in the house day in day out breathing that second hand smoke because he loved his dad so much and didn’t know better. Asians want to take care of their own but it was evident to everyone that he would have a better quality of life if he was in an adult group home for individuals like himself. My brother did love him and in his own way did the best for him with what he had. Our family was lucky to find him a nice group home so he could have a normal life living with others and learning. He was like a son to me! When my life was going down hill I would see him and say to myself, what am I complaining about? His hug and smile each time I saw him gave me life! A year later he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Today, after a long fight, he is gone!
I hear people speak and justify why they smoke with all the intelligent B.S. coming out of their mouth. I’ve heard all the excuses and study stuff! I understand the addiction it has on people and even after seeing the pain on my brother’s face from the cancer my other brother and family members continue to smoke after the fear wears off.
Sir, my nephew’s case would never be counted (as a case of someone dying of second hand smoke), but everyone including me who has been associated with his life know better. All the X-rays, MRI, etc., done, all show signs of someone smoking. When he came into my life he was projected he would live 5 years but he lived until he was 50 years old. There is not a day I don’t miss him. You can talk smugly about case studies and such but I know there are many more cases out there like mine. I hope you never have to experience the pain and have to look into the eyes of someone you love before they pull the plug.
Jeff Chumuchi
