The Trust’s total no smoking ban is now in place at Bassetlaw and Montagu Hospitals and DRI. Smoking is outlawed in hospital buildings and grounds, and in Trust vehicles and other office premises. The ban took effect from midnight on Wednesday 30 May in time World Tobacco Free Day on 31 May.
For one patient, giving up smoking was a matter of life and death and there was no question but to give up.
Former miner, Ron Poulston, who is now retired, was attending the Chest Clinic with Consultant Physician, Dr Trevor Rogers, when he was told some home truths. Ron explains: “I was told in no uncertain terms that my emphysema would get worse and that I only had a 25% lung function left. Dr Rogers started talking about lung transplants. It’s the last thing anyone wants to hear and it came as such a shock.
“I knew there and then the damage was irreversible and I had a choice - I either carried on and risked death or I stopped smoking.”
Ron remembers well the date he stopped smoking: it was 22 January 1999 at 10.25am - the time that he had the bad news from Dr Rogers. Ron made the decision instantly to stop and has stuck to it ever since. He said he still misses the pleasure of smoking as his generation grew up thinking it was cool to smoke.
But there have been benefits. Ron added: “Smokers can’t begin to imagine how things smell and things taste different. Another benefit is the cost factor: look at the ridiculously high cost of smoking. I feel a lot better than I would have done if I had carried on smoking.
“Finally, if you can you want to avoid ever hearing the words ‘irreversible’ and ‘incurable’, now’s the time to stop.”
Dr Rogers is the Trust’s lead physician for lung cancer. He is in no doubt about the link between smoking and ill health. He sees patients with the early symptoms of lung cancer: “Lung cancer is almost entirely preventable. People must stop smoking and make some ‘lifestyle changes’ – but there is help with smoking cessation.
He advises going to see a family doctor quickly with any worrying symptoms: “Early reporting of symptoms is important. Shortness of breath, coughing, coughing blood, and unexplained weight loss or tiredness – with any of these symptoms, see your GP straight away. Early treatment can mean a much better chance of recovery.”
For one patient, giving up smoking was a matter of life and death and there was no question but to give up.
Former miner, Ron Poulston, who is now retired, was attending the Chest Clinic with Consultant Physician, Dr Trevor Rogers, when he was told some home truths. Ron explains: “I was told in no uncertain terms that my emphysema would get worse and that I only had a 25% lung function left. Dr Rogers started talking about lung transplants. It’s the last thing anyone wants to hear and it came as such a shock.
“I knew there and then the damage was irreversible and I had a choice - I either carried on and risked death or I stopped smoking.”
Ron remembers well the date he stopped smoking: it was 22 January 1999 at 10.25am - the time that he had the bad news from Dr Rogers. Ron made the decision instantly to stop and has stuck to it ever since. He said he still misses the pleasure of smoking as his generation grew up thinking it was cool to smoke.
But there have been benefits. Ron added: “Smokers can’t begin to imagine how things smell and things taste different. Another benefit is the cost factor: look at the ridiculously high cost of smoking. I feel a lot better than I would have done if I had carried on smoking.
“Finally, if you can you want to avoid ever hearing the words ‘irreversible’ and ‘incurable’, now’s the time to stop.”
Dr Rogers is the Trust’s lead physician for lung cancer. He is in no doubt about the link between smoking and ill health. He sees patients with the early symptoms of lung cancer: “Lung cancer is almost entirely preventable. People must stop smoking and make some ‘lifestyle changes’ – but there is help with smoking cessation.
He advises going to see a family doctor quickly with any worrying symptoms: “Early reporting of symptoms is important. Shortness of breath, coughing, coughing blood, and unexplained weight loss or tiredness – with any of these symptoms, see your GP straight away. Early treatment can mean a much better chance of recovery.”
1 comment:
I have seen a death in my family due to smoking and can relate to this post, one should avoid smoking at any circumstances. Furthermore, Government should also take strict action against it
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