I’ve often wondered, why can’t my dad quit smoking? He’s a successful businessman that has built houses his whole life. He can build and sell beautiful homes, but can’t seem to knock down his smoking habit.
I was happy to hear this statistic by the CDC: 70 percent of smokers want to quit.
I wonder whether my dad would be included in that 70 percent. He’s struggled with smoking for as long as I remember. And even when he tries to quit, I’m not sure if he’s serious about it.
This is why I hate that my dad smokes:
- He smells (even when he tries to cover it up with mouth wash)
- He misses important moments (because he’s always going outside to light up)
- He can’t watch a whole movie (again, because he’s going outside to smoke)
- He opens the car windows when it’s way too cold (and the ashes have burned my hair before)
- I’m afraid he’ll die way too soon (from lung cancer, which his mom has had)
A while back, my dad tried the electronic cigarette. For those of you wondering whether it’s worth the money, it did not work for my dad. Not at all.
When I was a little girl, both my parents smoked. I have very few memories of my mom smoking. But I only remember one time when my dad didn’t. He tried to quit when we all went to Florida. Let’s just say that was probably the worst vacation I’ve ever been on. But it’s also probably the only reason I somewhat understand what my dad is going through.
I think he wants to quit. But it’s hard and stressful. I don’t think he knows what to do when the cravings come. Although we’ve never talked about it, I’m sure he regrets ever starting to smoke. I wonder why he did?
My grandma started when she was 12. Back then, no one knew cigarettes were bad. My husband’s father had lip cancer from smoking. It eventually spread and he died of esophageal cancer.
I wish I could make my dad stop smoking by saying, “Dad, please quit.” But it’s not that easy.
According to the CDC, more than half of all smokers tried to quit last year. My dad did too. But only six percent were successful. My dad was not one of them.
It’s not easy– I get that. But I wish he would keep trying, and let me know he’s trying. When I hear from my mom that he’s trying to quit, (and perhaps has gone for days without smoking), I stop talking to my dad. I don’t want to talk to him about it because I’m afraid the mere mention of a cigarette will make him want to smoke. I wonder: would words of encouragement help? Or not?
When it comes to tips, tricks, and products that could help my dad quit, I’m all ears. I just saw this article about a program that urges smokers to switch to smoke-less tobacco and then try to quit.
I also recently raised money for the American Cancer Society. They have a lot of resources for smokers looking to quit:
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy
- Why It’s Hard To Quit & List Of Withdrawal Symptoms
- How To Combat Cravings
- Prescriptions To Help You Quit
Every state has its own hotline to help smokers quit. My dad lives in Missoui. Here’s the Missouri Tobacco Quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
You’ll never see a picture of my dad smoking. He tries to hide it. Even though I wonder whether he’s serious about quitting, I know he wants to hide the fact he does. I hope that means he truly wants to quit. I’d love to see him give up cigarettes. Because that means I’d see him more often (and maybe we could even watch a movie).
Have you or someone you love kicked the habit? If so– please share. What worked? What didn’t? And what is the best way for family to help?
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Kathy Maddy (1952 – 1977) — Kathy was the oldest of Duane Maddy’s four sisters. Born in Oakland in 1952, she passed away in 1977. Her vocation was nursing and avocation was sculpture art. She had a passion for English style horse riding and spent much time in Amish country and Harpers Ferry trolling for antiques. She attended Montgomery Community college and was a volunteer at the National Gallery of Art. She passed away from cervical cancer, one month after her 25th birthday. Her legacy lives on through her daughter Christine, born in 1971. Christine grew up in Gaithersburg and lives in Beverly Hills. She is a producer with the Bravo Network.
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