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This video was created over a one-year period. At first, it was just random use of a video camera, plus a few pictures taken during a visit in September of 2006. Of course, this was before we knew that Mom had a collapsed lung. She went in for tests, and it was discovered that she had Stage IV Lung Cancer. As we learned of the cancer diagnosis in October of 2006, we tried to get Mom down to California (from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada). It was a race against logistics and paperwork (i.e. obtaining documentation in order to cross a border and travel), which we unfortunately lost. Mom suffered a stroke, ironically on the same day as she received her birth certificate, which would have allowed her to travel to Southern California. The stroke left her left side completely paralyzed, and she was stuck in the hospital, no longer the independent woman she once was. We were summoned to fly up immediately, as we were told by her doctors that her death would not be far behind. Mom proved them all wrong, and lived for four more months. Of course, the quality of life was minimal at best. There was no treatment, since the cancer was discovered so late, and due to the stroke. We have since learned that often times, a biopsy can knock loose cancerous material within a tumor, which can cause a stroke. It was extremely difficult to watch her suffering in a hospital bed, and wondering why her last months had to be made that much worse due to the stroke. So, Mom never did get to come see where we live in California. We continued to videotape the entire ordeal, so that family (who couldn't be with us at that time) could see everything. We ended up with approximately 90 minutes of raw footage, which has been edited down to the 10 minutes allowed here. First, we have done this to honor Mom's last wishes: tell people not to smoke. Second, we have completed this very emotional project to honor her memory, and to help us as we continue through the grieving process. Finally, we are aware that much of the anti-smoking media is not so real to life--it doesn't show the suffering, what the families go through, and the pain that cigarettes actually cause. This documentary is "non-Hollywood". We have omitted certain things that one might find offensive, including her IV, vomiting, bodily functions, and her actual death itself, which was obviously painful. Instead, we have brought many different segments together, which still conveys our overall message: DON'T SMOKE!
In a letter dated September 24, 2006, from Mom:
"Try not to worry about my health. I go for a CAT-SCAN on October 4th. I should have the results about a week later. The appointments are taking a long time, so I must not be in such dire shape, or they would rush them. I'm glad you never really had the desire to smoke. What do your lungs look like after all of those years of second-hand smoke? I can't wait to see you and Patti more often. Gotta go for now. Love Forever, Mom"
To conclude, one can compare smoking cigarettes to a slow-motion car accident. At any time, you can get out of the car before it crashes. It is your choice. Furthermore, you may be driving your own car, but please remember that you take passengers along for the ride.
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"Go confidently into the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've always imagined.. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." - Henry David Thoreau |
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| | | | first, if this was your mother, I'm sorry for you loss...
and I hope your family can soon find peace and comfort....
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now is this an anti-smoking thing or an anti-govt. healthcare thing.....
while she certainly had a choice to smoke or not
it seems she didnt have a choice about these kinds of things
"Try not to worry about my health. I go for a CAT-SCAN on October 4th. I should have the results about a week later. The appointments are taking a long time, so I must not be in such dire shape, or they would rush them."
and is this type of thing effective.....a video of the suffering endured by smoking.....?
oh, and dont be surprised if you look in and find it removed.....
for some reason its against the rules here to post visual things like that....I learned that when I posted pics of aborted babies in a pro-life thread....
I came in, found the pics removed and a warning to never post things like that on the site again....
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| | | | Kasha, sorry for your loss. To loose a parent is sad enough, but loosing one at such a young age and to something that could have been prevented, is truly awful.
Interestingly, cigarettes are the only product, that if used according to the manufacturer's instructions...will cause death.
From a family of non-smoking parents...my sister has smoked for many years, as has my youngest brother. Neither me or my husband smoke but yet both children have tried it, in spite of loosing my husband's aunt to lung cancer so many years ago. She went on vacation during pre-retirement leave, her lung collapsed and she was gone within the year! I've no idea what moves young people to try smoking. I'm aware that many get away with it for years..while others die young.
I hope we can persuade the young..that it's neither cool nor good for you....I think it will only happen over generations though. It wasn't that long ago when non-smokers had a hard time persuading visitors to their own homes...that stinking out someone else's house with cigarette smoke...was anti-social.
Some of my best friends are avid smokers...that's their choice...but I cringe when they're close to one of my grandchildren, cigarette in hand. Fortunately, I live in a very open air existence and it's relatively easy to escape the smoke. |
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| | | | Unfortunately - even to this day, Tobacco companies get away with murder.
so very sorry Kasha,.
My Sentiments. |
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| | | | i watched this one a while ago.... and.. right til the very end, she smoked... made the choice, all by herself and smoked....
She says "tell the kids don't smoke"....
Telling them to make the decision not to smoke....
i don't know about anywhere else, but here in Australia it's illegal to advertise tobacco products, and cigarette packets are covered in warning labels and awful pictures....
Tobacco companies aren't to blame for this stuff... the person who makes the choice to smoke is the one in charge of their fate. The company just does what any company does... tries to make a profit... and i have to say, as a person in business for myself, i'm amazed that despite the negative publicity they still manage to make a buck.
i wonder if anyone's made a YouTube vid that's called "thanks, heroin/crack/oxy... you killed my mum/dad/brother/sister/dealer"...
Probably not...
but it's the same thing.
*~never sweat the petty things..........never pet the sweaty things~* |
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| | | | I'm sorry to hear about your loss Kasha
And I think its a brave and commendable move to film these last few moments, I can see why your mom wanted to do this 'nods'
I think it's pointless asserting blame on the tobacco companies, young people start smoking because it's cool, it's still James Dean on that poster looking like the bad boy we all wanted to be dating, or wanted to be. Girls smoke cos it keeps you slim, boys smoke cos its bad and a finger in the face of authority.
We all know it would be a better place to ban cigarettes, but that is never going to happen. I'm afraid its down to telling our kids why we shouldn't do these things, it's down to showing the reality of what disease like lung cancer is, it's down to society makig it less cool to smoke. And thats the toughie....in a world filled with fashion, trends and celebity status, making something like smoking socially unacceptable will be a long long journey to make. My ex brother in law is a dental surgeon and he always said he wished he could show the ravages of cigarettes when he's faced with facial reconstruction, gaping holes in necks, rotting jaws...all because smoking gave the patient throat and neck cancer. Like he said, death doesn't put off the young, it doesn't happen to them. But if they could see the journey leading up to death, or the disfigurement of a cancer that didn't kill you, but you have to live with....maybe people would chose not to risk it.
Videos like this will help. If one person turns away from picking up that first cigarette bacuse of this, then it was worth doing it....
I hope it does, and again, my condolences to you all
'The wit dried up years ago' |
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Movie Unavailable? Click here.
cheer up buttercup! 
*small grin, subtle long squeezes and playful tugs of Kasha's hair*
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A day without blood is like a day without sunshine...
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Religion is regarded by the Common People as True,
by the Wise as False, and by the Rulers as Useful. |
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Graphics Director
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| That is so not cool.
Not cool at at all.
*shakes head* |
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| | | | I used to smoke, for many years. It was a stress relief to get me out of my office and away from my work.
Tobacco didn't cause my smoker's cough. Tobacco didn't cause me to stand outside freezing my ass off to smoke a cigarette. Tobacco didn't cause my twice yearly bouts of bronchitis.
I did. I chose to light up. Personal responsibility is a wonderful thing. Nobody on this planet can ever claim ignorance on the health issues associated with inhaling known carcinogens in to your body. A better title would be "Thanks Mom for smoking yourself to death."
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