Mistaree, glad to have you here! Not many people survive abdominal aortic aneurysms![/QUOTE]
Thank You & Yes I am truly blessed. I was in a coma for nearly 3 weeks & the entire ICU & Cardiology staff gave me a standing ovation when I woke up. After my surgeon explained what happened, I was told surgery wasn't an option, since it started 3cm from my heart. The aneurysm left me with 1 kidney & severe nerve damage from the waist down. I was told to get my affairs in order & not only did they give me 6months to a year to live, I was told I'd probably never walk again. Well this July 4th made 4yrs & I can walk with a cane. I believe the doctors didn't think I'd quit smoking after doing it for over 28yrs. And they would have been right. Less than 2wks home, depression set in and I started smoking nearly 3 times more than usual. At 1 point I gave up & I was ready to die, until I lost nearly all my friends, I weighed less than 85lbs & all I had was my 10yr old daughter taking care of me. It was her that changed me & made me realize I needed more than anything, to prove everybody wrong. I remember looking for an alternative to smoking & I found ecigs. In just a month I went from Blu's to Ego's to Mods & I went from 2 & a half packs a day to a pack a week. Then came DCT tanks & I haven't looked back since... I love the fact that ecigs have become affordable & I'm loving the change in attitude about ecigs & I spread the word everywhere I go. I tell people to quit while they still have a choice...Before they have a aneurysm or stroke, before they can no longer work or provide for their family, before so-called friends show their true colors. I lost everything job, house, friends everything except my family & I realized that was all I truly needed... So here it is years later, I still suffer with the nerve damage from the waist down & I have good days & bad days, but I'm in pain every min of every day. I've gotten used to it over the years & yet, I would never wish this pain on my worst enemy. Like the commercials on TV about the perils of smoking, I am a living example of what long term smoking can do & I am a living consequence of what procrastinating & saying "I can quit when I get ready" or "I'll quit next month" or next New Years or perhaps breaking promises to yourself & family has become the norm. Yepper !! I am the living example my doctor shows off every time I'm in for my monthly appointment. He suggests vaping to all his patients that smoke & even though my doc only smokes the occasional cigar, he too has begun to take an occasional vape from his pipe shaped mod. Now, how AWESOME is that ???