How e-cigs saved my sanity this week

[Moonflame]

I am so glad I switched to vaping right now. I was glad before, but this week has showed me how grateful I really am for the freedom from cigarettes.

Friday night my husband went to work and collapsed right at the beginning of his shift. Medical guy at his factory checked his blood pressure and it was 195/130 and his pulse was around 200 so they sent him to the hospital in an ambulance. After they got his vitals down and ran some tests they decided to do a CT Scan and found that the main artery going from his heart to his groin had split open and he was bleeding into his chest. The sent him in a helicopter to the UVA Hospital and did 5 hour long emergency surgery to put a graft on the artery. They had to crack his chest open and stop his heart long enough to do the repairs. They said it came to within a millimeter of his heart and if it had gone any farther he would have died on the spot. He was in ICU for 2 days and then in a regular room for 2 more and they sent us home yesterday. Thankfully, after about 8 weeks of recuperating he'll be as good as new.

The hospital has a no smoking anywhere on the grounds policy with $100 ticket if they catch you. If I were still smoking I would have had to leave him every time I needed a cigarette and walk for blocks. Instead, I got to use it in his room and got to spend every minute with him that they would let me. I think I would have lost my mind trying to deal with needing nicotine at the same time I was dealing with being completely freaked out by how sick he was. Plus, while his huge incision (and many small ones) is healing he can't be around any smoke so I'd have to go outside at home instead of being able able to hover obsessively.

I also gave out the forum address to anyone who I ran into trying to sneak a smoke when I went outside for some fresh air. I was unconcerned about standing outside puffing away while they were trying to hide their cigarettes and tons of folks asked me about them. Everyone I met that way was interested and I spread the word to the nurses too. Hopefully some of them will find their way here and make the switch.

Being able to vape made the scariest, most stressful week of my life bearable in a way that cigarettes never would have.

 

[Shortstuff116]

My very best for his continued recovery and getting back to normal as soon as possible!

An unfortunate story but it is so good to hear that you were able to use your PV as you liked with no problems. Did they actually tell you that it was ok to use it or did you simply stealth vape without anyone knowing it?

 

[Moonflame]

When I was outside I just used it and figured if anyone asked I'd explain it. In his room, I mostly just kept an ear out for nurses coming in and didn't puff while they were there. I know I wasn't always that careful, but no one said anything and I didn't ask. I did tell all of his nurses that I had quit smoking using e-cigs and left my Joye Stick plugged in and sitting out in plain view all the time. I told his roommate about them for his wife and showed him how it worked and he had no problem with me using it while I was there.

And thanks for the good wishes!

 

[CES]

Moonflame, I can't even imagine how difficult it's been. I'm glad that your husband is going to recover, and that you were able to be there with him. Thanks for taking the time to tell your story.

 

[beebopnjazz]

I'm so glad your hubby is going to make a full recovery! What a stressful time!

 

[Moonflame]

In case anyone is wondering, my hubby is doing well. Each day he gets stronger and more like his old self. Of course his usual self is a major smart a**, and he's getting away with murder because I can't whack his arm or throw something at him like I normally would . (he just blew raspberries at me when I read what I posted to him) It amazes me that a person can be that close to death one Saturday, and home causing mischief the next Saturday. Modern medicine is a wonderful thing.

 

[VapingRulz]

I'm glad your husband is recovering!

I am no longer a smoker but I am outraged by the punitive non-smoking policies of hospitals these days. Yes, it's bad for you. Yes, it's bad for anyone standing nearby or in an enclosed space - but it is NOT going to harm anyone if you're outside of the building, away from the entrance/exit doors. People who are in hospital settings are very often stressed out. Frankly, it's simply cruel to make them walk blocks away to smoke. I get especially ticked off when it's old people who often became addicted to cigarettes at a very young age, in a society that practically pushed them on kids. Anyone serving in the military got them as a freebie in their ration kids, for God's sake! Now, when these people are so addicted that quitting is never going to happen, they torture them? What is WRONG with our society, anyway??

The very least that hospitals should do is offer an outdoor smoking area - and an indoor vaping area.

 

[Moonflame]

Hubby is doing very well, other than an infection in one of the incisions that they put him on antibiotics for. Thankfully he's a geek, so as long as he has the computer and his video games he's not bored being stuck at home for so long .

I couldn't understand why they fuss about people smoking at the benches at the parking garage. With all the stuff that the hundreds of cars going in and out are putting off, a little smoke seems like nothing. At least I got to give info about e-cigs to lots of folks who were desperately trying to smoke fast without getting caught.

 

[firefox335]

I'm glad your husband is recovering!

I am no longer a smoker but I am outraged by the punitive non-smoking policies of hospitals these days. Yes, it's bad for you. Yes, it's bad for anyone standing nearby or in an enclosed space - but it is NOT going to harm anyone if you're outside of the building, away from the entrance/exit doors. People who are in hospital settings are very often stressed out. Frankly, it's simply cruel to make them walk blocks away to smoke. I get especially ticked off when it's old people who often became addicted to cigarettes at a very young age, in a society that practically pushed them on kids. Anyone serving in the military got them as a freebie in their ration kids, for God's sake! Now, when these people are so addicted that quitting is never going to happen, they torture them? What is WRONG with our society, anyway??QUOTE]

The thing that always made me laugh was the fact that smoking by the hospital door was prohibited, but people drive up to pick up their loved ones with their cars belching tons of exhaust. I would probably have to smoke 5 packs of analogs to produce as much pollution as a car idleing for 5 minutes.

 

[Moonflame]

Yeah, the big No Smoking signs in the parking garage really peeved me. You can't walk from the car out of the garage with a cigarette, but you can breathe all the exhaust from the cars. It's absurd.

 

[Mentokk]

Glad to see your post. I had a similar experience today, over the past few days, and probably for the next week. My dad had open heart surgery today and I was able to go to the restroom to sneak a break while waiting for them to fix him up. I could not have afforded to go out and come back smelling like an analog so, I would have been tweaking out without my e-cig. It has helped me cope with the most stressful day of my life without any nasty analog restrictions.