I gave up smoking for good in October 1997 after smoking on and off for ten years (Christ, it adds up). October 16th if I remember rightly. I remember so definitely because I am living now with how 100% addicted to nicotine I was.
The reason I had to give up so suddenly was because Owen had been rushed to hospital in Canada with a blood clot in his lung. What has that got to do with me? OK, let's look at the evidence:
- Grandad has two strokes - smokes like a chimney
- His two sisters have blood clots in legs after or during pregnancy
- His son (John) has blood clot in leg - smokes like a chimney
- His daughter has blood clot in leg - smokes like a chimney
- Owen, aged 31 - thirty-one for crying out loud!!! Vegetarian on and off for fifteen years!!! Has blood clot in lung - smokes like a chimney.
We're working out having the blood tests now, but uh - ok - two reasonably persuasive conclusions can come from the above: one, my Dad's side of the family has a genetic predisposition toward clots and blood fuck ups (this is now proved as true) and two - only the smoking members of the family (so far that we know of, apart from the two great aunts who we can't know the details of) get the clots. Therefore… I no longer smoke. There is no middle ground here.
"Could I not social smoke a little?"
No, you will very possibly die if you do
"well, one or two might not hurt"
You are not listening to me. You cannot smoke. That's it.
"But.."
Shut up now.
Owen is fine, by the way.