Anyone out there who wants to quit, call 1-800-QUIT NOW. This is a free quality counseling resource that will put you on a program no matter where you live in the U.S. Canada has a Quit Line also, as does Mexico. Call this number and they can give you help that you need. Do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones.

I’m praying for our world… that tobacco will one day no longer be accepted. It is the only legal product that when used as intended, kills its consumers.

Just saw your tape on youtube and tried to contact you via myspace, but I’m not a member. First of all I am so very terribly sorry you lost your mother to smoking. I lost my father (my best friend) to smoking almost three years ago. It took me a while, but I finally was able to quit the smoking cycle for good and have been quit over a year now. I see that others qmail you and talk about how they quit and have queestions. If there is ANY thing I can do to help you and your mother’s quest and help reach others, I’m honored to do so and please feel free to gmail me…..

Beth

I am so sorry for your loss.

Hugs,
robbster

Reposted by robbster - it appears that Rosilind’s most recent comment (posted at 3:24 EST today) did not post to the blog.

What a loving gift to all smokers, and beautiful tribute to you Mom.

~~ Best Wishes,
Kirk

hugs,
robbster

At the time I had no idea my Mom was going to die. I knew in September 2006 that her left lung was collapsed, but they hadn’t even begun to test her until late Sept. and early October. The hospital had a waiting list to see the oncologist and she had her stroke in November before that even happened. She did have a chest X-ray which showed a golf ball sized tumor pressing against her collapsed lung (left). They did a biopsy 2 weeks before her stroke (which could have contributed to the stroke) after that she was throwing up and not eating.

After she landed in the hospital with a stroke in Nov. 2006, I flew up…Immediately in case she was going then and didn’t even bring my video camera or camera. We were given a disposable camera which I took some farewell shots of her before we had to fly home. I really thought that was the last I’d see of her.

In December, we went back again to be by her side and I brought my video camera and camera this time because I wanted to capture what little bit of my Mom that was left to give to my brother (11-years younger than myself) who is in jail and has been in there through all of my Mom’s terrible ordeal. I didn’t want him missing out on seeing her while she was still talking and determined to fight this.

I also wanted to give a copy to my two cousins that weren’t making an attempt to see her. (Living in the same area as her) Since my one cousin’s common-law wife smokes and mooched cigs off of my Mom all the time still smoked and my other cousin and his Mom (who live together) and chain-smoke together, I figured that would tally up to four people (my brother too) in my immediate family that could benefit from seeing the damage that smoking really can cause over time. I just wanted them all to quit!

So my last cherished memories of Mom wrap up like this in chronological order:

1-March 2006—I visit my Mom for the first time in two years (since moving to California), as I just attained my Green Card and now am allowed in Canada…sad, but true. I videotape her and took some pictures because I just missed her so much!

2-September 2006—I visit Mom and we celebrate my Birthday together and find out she’s in trouble with her health…collapsed lung issue. I start forcing the issue of her getting her replacement birth certificate so I can fly her to California and spoil her with love and excitement.

3-November 2006—I visit her in the hospital after she has her stroke. I was actually on the phone with her when she had it and they called the ambulance while I hung on the line. It was also the same day she got my letter with spending money and her replacement birth certificate. 

4-December 2006—I visit her again to be with her through the holidays because she is alone (no husband or boyfriend) and as mentioned before, the family is a tattered dysfunctional mess not even visiting her.

5-February 2007—I get paperwork to fill out for a nursing home because they are going to release her for long-term care because she is stable. My hopes are up and I’m thinking of trying to get her a motorized wheelchair so she can be independent again. My brother is out of jail and by her side…then he breaks the law again (shoplifting) and is in jail within a week and a half. (He gets released July 31st 2007)

6-March 2007—I get a call saying she took a turn for the worse (having pneumonia) and I need to come now. I take a red-eye and get to her late in the afternoon. She can’t open her eyes or move at all. All I see is her awful fight to breathe through bubbles in her lungs. I decide that as horrible as it looks, I need to video this stage of it to show all the people that are avoiding a visit to her now (my family shrub) two days later, I am told by a male nurse she is going fast and to call family…Only one family member came (the only non-smoking one) but he was 15 minutes late for her demise. I’m kind of glad because he is an emotional baby and would have been more of a distraction to my connection with my Mom. I think my Mom would agree!

To sum it up, most of my last trip I was alone with her and all before that were my wife and me. I felt a duty to be with her in this condition. I even left my job in December 15th 2006 because the phone calls, updates, trips and interaction with the medical staff wore me down to a shell. I couldn’t focus on my work and it pained me to be 2,200 miles away from the only parent I ever knew…and loved dearly. She was too good to me to be left alone in a hospital dying for four months straight. I still think I could have been there more for her, but it was so damn expensive and cost me around $10,000 in expenses with three trips…it would be nice to get that hard-earned money saved up to invest in my music career back from the tobacco companies that profited from my Mom’s addiction.

I know the cigarettes killed her and I can’t even be near family or friends that smoke anymore. I hope this video helps at least one family avoid this catastrophe…then it would have meant my Mom’s existence helped save lives. I’m just feeling robbed of my Mom and need to feel that it wasn’t for nothing.

Take care,
Aaron

This is not *my video.* I found it on YouTube and have been trying to contact the owner.

He did grant permission for his video to be embedded or shared in order to get the message out. I am hoping that he will visit our site soon to make his own statement about this video.

Congratulations on maintaining and nurturing a smokefree lifestyle.

Warm regards,
robbster