Smoking & RA

[Guest guest]

Hi There,

I never, ever have smoked a cigarette myself. But spent years growing up with

two heavy smokers. Now myself, my sister, my dad and my mom all have autoimmune

diseases (mostly RA). As far as I know, my grandfather never smoked and had RA

as well, but he was exposed to the second-hand smoke of my parents and my uncle.

I think I got screwed in the bad genes department and I'm sure this didn't help.

I was diagnosed at 16 and have been struggling and fighting RA for the last 27

years. I have allergies and asthma as well...also linked to smoke exposure. Now

I cannot tolerate it at all and am restricted in the restaurants and music

venues I attend.

And my parents are still in denial and refuse to quit! They say you must die of

something, it might as well be cigarettes! But from what I have seen, it is a

nasty painful death to die of lung disease and I did not choose to smoke! I know

from the asthma attacks I have had, how painful it is not to get enough oxygen

in the body. And I know I don't want to see my parents suffer through the

consequences of their actions; nor is it fair that I have to too.

So PLEASE, if you smoke consider quitting. There are so many people it affects

besides yourself.

Sorry to vent so, but I'm hoping someone will recognize the pain I go through

daily and want to stop smoking so they don't harm someone they love. It's not

just about you!