A Cautionary Tale

I don't want to scare anyone but today I was referred to a dermatologist for possible lesions on my tongue which would be caused by my years as a smoker. They want me to get my tongue biopsied. While it is quite possible that the pain I experience in my tongue is due to more benign causes, it could also be the worst imaginable. Had I never started smoking, they could have easily ruled out these more disturbing possibilities, and while quitting smoking was the best thing for me--I will always be at risk for certain health complications.

I don't want to sound like a commercial paid for by the Ad Council of [State], but if you've been wanting to quit, please do it now. It sucks and you will probably hate how you feel for the first month or two, but we've already lost a lot of good people to smoking-related health problems.

Thank you for sharing this. It is easy to feel invincible in our teens and twenties, but certain habits will always have a way of catching up to us. I quit smoking 10 years ago, and while I may never undo some damage it may have caused, I am grateful for the people who convinced me to do it then.

Best wishes for a good outcome, Jamie! Everyone's body reacts differently to cigarettes, addiction, and quitting. Stay positive and remember that regardless of the physical complications, your mind can be a very powerful tool in healing.

This is much the same for all choice-related health problems. Not to belittle your specific condition, but we can open this up to over/undereating. People who develop Type 2 diabetes because of uncontrollable eating (points at this guy!) can be subject to intense problems for our whole lives.

I hope your tests go the best possible. Sending good energy your way!