Discussion
I was at the Royal Marsden in Sutton earlier today.
As I was leaving, a people carrier pulled in. In the back was a young lad clearly undergoing cancer treatment. Given that this is a specialist cancer hospital, there's nothing surprising about that. Absolutely staggering, however, was the driver puffing away on a fag, all the windows shut, smoke drifting around the car.
OK, the kid's cancer may well have had nothing to do with cigarette smoke, and assuming the driver was his father then he's no doubt under a lot of stress with his kid being treated for cancer, but how on earth could you turn up to take a kid for cancer treatment whilst smoking??
Is it abnormal that I find this completely shocking?
As I was leaving, a people carrier pulled in. In the back was a young lad clearly undergoing cancer treatment. Given that this is a specialist cancer hospital, there's nothing surprising about that. Absolutely staggering, however, was the driver puffing away on a fag, all the windows shut, smoke drifting around the car.
OK, the kid's cancer may well have had nothing to do with cigarette smoke, and assuming the driver was his father then he's no doubt under a lot of stress with his kid being treated for cancer, but how on earth could you turn up to take a kid for cancer treatment whilst smoking??
Is it abnormal that I find this completely shocking?
bizarre behaviour to be sure.
i had the opportunity to visit there a year or so ago to do some (research) work. It was very sobering being somewhere with so many ill people, really made me stop and think. I think the constant presence of so many cancer patients must really inspire those who work there on research into cancer and cancer therapies.
i had the opportunity to visit there a year or so ago to do some (research) work. It was very sobering being somewhere with so many ill people, really made me stop and think. I think the constant presence of so many cancer patients must really inspire those who work there on research into cancer and cancer therapies.
People are daft, of that there is no doubt.
When I was undergoing chemo, I couldn't believe the number of people undergoing chemo and other cancer treatments who'd go off dragging a drip to stand outside and have a fag. What really got me was the people who I knew were undergoing treatment for lung cancer who'd do it. Of course the smoking might not have been the cause of their cancer, but smoking isn't exactly going to help things...
It's mind-boggling to be honest.
When I was undergoing chemo, I couldn't believe the number of people undergoing chemo and other cancer treatments who'd go off dragging a drip to stand outside and have a fag. What really got me was the people who I knew were undergoing treatment for lung cancer who'd do it. Of course the smoking might not have been the cause of their cancer, but smoking isn't exactly going to help things...
It's mind-boggling to be honest.
Wow that's just senseless and out of order if you ask me, i am a smoker also have children and would not dream of smoking in the same room as my children.
Everyone that visits knows that if you want to smoke you go to the back door, or cold nights you stand in the kitchen with the kitchen door shut and the back door ajar.
To smoke in the car a small confined space with or without windows open is a disgrace. That's without the fact that he is also a cancer patient.
Everyone that visits knows that if you want to smoke you go to the back door, or cold nights you stand in the kitchen with the kitchen door shut and the back door ajar.
To smoke in the car a small confined space with or without windows open is a disgrace. That's without the fact that he is also a cancer patient.
Handie Andy said:
Wow that's just senseless and out of order if you ask me, i am a smoker also have children and would not dream of smoking in the same room as my children.
Everyone that visits knows that if you want to smoke you go to the back door, or cold nights you stand in the kitchen with the kitchen door shut and the back door ajar.
What, you don't go 7 steps away?Everyone that visits knows that if you want to smoke you go to the back door, or cold nights you stand in the kitchen with the kitchen door shut and the back door ajar.
IforB said:
People are daft, of that there is no doubt.
When I was undergoing chemo, I couldn't believe the number of people undergoing chemo and other cancer treatments who'd go off dragging a drip to stand outside and have a fag. What really got me was the people who I knew were undergoing treatment for lung cancer who'd do it. Of course the smoking might not have been the cause of their cancer, but smoking isn't exactly going to help things...
It's mind-boggling to be honest.
I remember a few.When I was undergoing chemo, I couldn't believe the number of people undergoing chemo and other cancer treatments who'd go off dragging a drip to stand outside and have a fag. What really got me was the people who I knew were undergoing treatment for lung cancer who'd do it. Of course the smoking might not have been the cause of their cancer, but smoking isn't exactly going to help things...
It's mind-boggling to be honest.
One was even smoking on the ward! Doc walked in and quite rightly gave her (woman about 60) a bking.
IforB said:
People are daft, of that there is no doubt.
When I was undergoing chemo, I couldn't believe the number of people undergoing chemo and other cancer treatments who'd go off dragging a drip to stand outside and have a fag.
I've no idea of numbers, obviously, but I'm always surprised that it seems like a heck of a lot of nurses smoke.When I was undergoing chemo, I couldn't believe the number of people undergoing chemo and other cancer treatments who'd go off dragging a drip to stand outside and have a fag.
otolith said:
Is it especially wrong to smoke around someone with cancer, as opposed to someone with any other sickness? It seems especially inappropriate, but logically?
Quite probably not. It's just that I'd have thought looking at someone with cancer - or more to the point the obvious signs of chemo - would make you look down at the cigarette in your hand and question yourself.Deva Link said:
Handie Andy said:
Wow that's just senseless and out of order if you ask me, i am a smoker also have children and would not dream of smoking in the same room as my children.
Everyone that visits knows that if you want to smoke you go to the back door, or cold nights you stand in the kitchen with the kitchen door shut and the back door ajar.
What, you don't go 7 steps away?Everyone that visits knows that if you want to smoke you go to the back door, or cold nights you stand in the kitchen with the kitchen door shut and the back door ajar.
Seriously though would you double the 7 steps per person smoking, or could you have 12 smokers and still 7 steps away? Kind of stupid i say.
P.s I have only heard of the 7 step guide don't really know what is all about.
otolith said:
Is it especially wrong to smoke around someone with cancer, as opposed to someone with any other sickness? It seems especially inappropriate, but logically?
Yes. Cancer treatment screws your body. Lungs for example can get a right hammering, so forcing someone (especially a child who's lungs aren't fully developed anyway) to breathe in fag smoke is especially stupid.Edited by IforB on Saturday 27th November 00:04
otolith said:
Seems to me that smoking around sick children is quite bad enough, and that the worst cases to smoke around would be those with respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses rather than particularly those with cancer.
A lot of cancer patients die during treatment thanks to respiratory problems. I was pretty healthy throughout my treatment, but my lung capacity and ability to absorb oxygen fell markedly. I personally know of 3 people who croaked because of pneumonia during their treatment. I was put onto a regime of antibiotics (as were all patients who'd had the same treatment) to help combat the chances of lung infections.So, whilst it's obviously a bad idea to smoke around people with specific lung problems, cancer treatment can mean that you are in the same boat as them, but for a different reason. Oh and your heart can get a pounding too, one of the reasons that you get it checked out before during and after chemo.
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