This is a Public Service Announcement!

Don't smoke-it kills. Ok, now I really sound like I am preaching, don't I?

I tried smoking once-in the 7th grade. I thought it was cool to have a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. It didn't last long, believe me. Just the smell, on my clothes, my hair, my breath, did it in for me. I imagined if it smelled that bad, then what the heck was I doing to my lungs?

We don't smoke at my house. Hubby used to, back in Guatemala. But he no longer does, he stopped pretty much when we were living in Rhode Island. Occasionally out with the guys and having a few drinks, he will ask for a cigarette. Then regret it-because he can't stand the heavy cigarette smell on his clothes.

I know there are two sides to every argument, but I enjoy going into a restaurant or bar and not being subjected to someone else's nasty cigarette smoke. I figure if I wanted to deal with it, I would be smoking myself-and I am not so why blow it my way? But I do believe that smokers should have their own areas where they can go to enjoy a meal, a drink or whatever and light up if they want to-along with other smokers. I know in some establishments, they are so small it is just not feasible to set up a designated smokers area, but I am glad that some have as well. Smoking is one's own personal choice, and I have many coworkers and friends who smoke. Along with family-and that is what gets me to this announcement.

My father has always smoked several packs a day. In addition to being a very expensive habit, his health has deteriorated considerably. Recently he had pneumonia, and had his lungs xrayed after having a hard time breathing and just not feeling like his old self. The xray and follow up MRI done a few weeks later showed what we had suspected: a mass on his right lung. This Wednesday he goes for another test, something called a PET where they inject colored dye or something to that effect into the area to see this "mass" and the specifics. I do hope that all will be well, but he and the family are in for a rough time as we wait this one out to see what the results are and what the prognosis is.

So there is my public service announcement. If you have a chance to, stop and think about smoking and what it has done for you. Quitting is hard, but the choices you have to make in the future might be even more difficult. We tried telling me dad all this, but I think his choice to quit came a little too late.