Smoking.........

[Zoey7206]

Hi my name is sarah for those of you who dont know me yet. I have a
8 week old daughter named zoey. She is still in the hospital as of
right now but im just wondering something. I dont smoke nor does my
husband but some of our family members do. Im really concerned how
this will affect her health with her having cf. And yet i dont want
to be rude and keep her away from them. Please give me some
advice...THANX

 

[Jane]

We spread the word about smoking with the news of the diagnosis so most of our relatives who smoked were very gracious and moved themselves out of range of the babies. There was one who never cared (still doesn't). Instead of fighting with him, we either choose not to visit, or try to stay in a ventilated area. Some people are just ignorant.

At the beginning, when you are learning about CF so much of it is overwhelming. Try to teach your relatives in small bits. It will sink in better that way. When they understand, they will be a better support to you.

 

[Allie]

Try to keep smoking away from Zoey as much as possible. Send people outside, etc. Be as diplomatic as possible, but firm. Good luck!

 

[Seana30]

Zoey,

You are going to get a lot of advice on this one. For good reasons Cfers have very strong feeling about smoking.

I personally would never ask someone that smoked not to do it in their own house, so the best thing I think is to invite them to your house. Have NO SMOKING signs that people can see as they walk thru the doors. If your friends are smokers you can set up a little table in the backyard that they can go smoke at.

We try to keep Courtney away from situations like this, but we are also not going to keep her completely sheltered.

Hope that helps you a little.

Seana

 

[Emily65Roses]

I am not a germaphobe. I am not a "shelter your kids" CFer person. I will however, tell you try to stay out of smoke. It's such a b*tch. Some places you won't be able to avoid it. College campuses for instance. But if it's people you know (friends, family), you can ask them to watch it. My parents did. I still have some relatives that don't think much of it. They "stay out of the way" without realizing that wind carries smoke. Heh. I don't really complain, I just move. But most of them are good about it, ESPECIALLY when the child is still that... a child.

Random story of niceness of some people:
My dad and I went to Barcelona for my graduation to stay with his Spanish "brother." Juan was an exchange student and lived with my dad for a year in high school, so they were like brothers, and we stayed with Juan and his family. They ALL smoked (this is Europe...), and while we stayed with them, every single one of them went out on the tiny apartment balcony to smoke everytime they did. Without my or my dad asking them to.

So some people can be very very accommodating, some can be ignorant buttheads. Heh. :X

 

[rose4cale]

Great idea about the sign on the door. Another thing I would suggest, especially with a newborn, would also be a sign asking them to wash their hands once they come in, so that when they hold her, it helps with the smell of cigs and also germs. If they are offended, so be it. I think 99% of family and friends will understand.

 

[anonymous]

I've heard conflicting reports on smoking. I do know it is bad for everyone in general to breathe it in. I read about a study that compared people with CF and those without CF in a household with a smoker. Over five years, those with CF didn't experience greater lung function decline from the smoke than those without CF. I always worry about smoke, but does it really have a greater impact on those with CF than those without?

 

[JazzysMom]

I grew up with a smoking household & both my first and new husband smoke. My Mom is the one that doesnt seem to respect my health. I have finally started putting my foot down since last year. All the years of dealing with it & being sick didnt bother me until last year when in the first time in my life I felt like I could not breath. Sadly some people wont get it, but you have to worry about your little one. Its not easy, but you do what you have to do to protect her lungs for as long as possible!

BTW last year when I had such problems....it wasnt just the actual smoke. It was the smell also. I realize that my airways were EXTREMELY sensitive, but I thought I would just mention that they dont have to be SMOKING around her to possibly have issues.

 

[tammykrumrey]

Sarah,
When my nephew was dx 15 years ago, most of my family smoked. And it was difficult for my sister to get the family to understand how vital it was that Dalton was not exposed to the smoke because he 'looked so healthy'. And I think it was tough for her at all family get togethers at my grandparents home until my grandma went on oxygen, then noone could smoke in the house. Unfortunately it took that to get some clean air in the house.
But now with my own two daughters having CF, we stay completely away from smoke, and I have taught my girls to leave the area if there is smoking going on. If we are invited someplace, and there is smoking, we just excuse ourselves and thank the people who invited us, but explain that it is just something that we have to steer clear of. No problem no hard feelings. As far as in my home, no one has ever been allowed to smoke in it. If a guest of mine smokes, they do it outside on the deck (or in the garage if it's too awfully cold). I have never had my family or friends get upset with the rules.
As family asks about her condition, use the opportunity to educate them regarding what you can do to help keep her lungs healthy longer, including not being around smokers<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Good luck, and Zoey is beautiful!!

 

[anonymous]

I'll respond with a longer post in a bit with some information about smoking and CF as it relates to air quality in general. I am employed as an air quality scientist and have background in air quality research, so I'd like the opportunity to pass along what I know to those who may have questions.

 

[Zoey7206]

thanx for all the replies so far.....keep them coming!!!! I'm just
worried about going to family members houses that smoke because
their house smells like it whether they go outside to smoke when we
are there or not. They know they cant smoke around her and that
they will have to cleanse their hands with an anti bacterial gel
before they touch her.  Is that enough though? Im new to cf so
im not sure how bad smoking can be for you guys. Please keep the
advice coming.

 

[NoExcuses]

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[NoExcuses]

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[Ender]

Does anyones parents of cfers used to smoke when they were little? Both my mom and my dad smoked...didn't seem to affect me too bad.

Of course so did I, so i might not know what the hell I'm talking about hehe

 

[JazzysMom]

My Mom always smoked & still does. She is a chain smoker to top it off & seems irritated when I get up & move away while she is filling my breathing space with that crap!

 

[LeftY]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Ender</b></i> Does anyones parents
of cfers used to smoke when they were little? Both my mom and my
dad smoked...didn't seem to affect me too bad. Of course so did I,
so i might not know what the hell I'm talking about hehe</end quote></div><br>
<br>
<br>
omg, we are same!<br>
<br>

 

[Momtana]

well, my parents smoked (my Dad has a pipe) until my Mother's sister died from lung cancer in ?1962 (I was born in 1953) I was a sick child, but with no diagnosis. The worst that happened to me was when my in laws had a baby shower for us in their home and there were a lot of smokers - we spent the night on the pull out couch in the same room. aarrgghh. Now this was 1980, but could you imagine surrounding a pregnant woman with smokers?!

 

[thelizardqueen]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Ender</b></i>

Does anyones parents of cfers used to smoke when they were little? Both my mom and my dad smoked...didn't seem to affect me too bad.</end quote></div>

My mum smoked up until I was 22. I was around smoke growing up, most of my family smoked, etc. They tried not to do it around me, but I found more often then not I was around it. It never bothered me or affected my PFTs. Growing up I had 100% of my lung function up until the age of 21. That being said - now that my lung function hovers between 63-75% I notice it now, and it affects me.

 

[Emily65Roses]

My mom smoked until I was about 3 (barring her pregnancies).

As for smoke, basically what others said. It sucks and you want to avoid it.

HOWEVER don't feel like she can NEVER EVER BREATHE IT IN EVER, because there are some places in public where you simply (sadly) <u>cannot</u> avoid it. Like I said before, college campuses. If she ever wants to go to college, she'll be stuck with it. Not in the buildings of course, but to and from class, the smoke is disgusting. I can't avoid it, ever. In the end, it sucks... but it's better to deal with a little in order to go to college... than not go at all. Obviously that's extreme, but I figured I'd make the point. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Emily65Roses]

Oh and yes to what Liz just said. When I was 90-100% PFTs, it smelled gross, but didn't really get me hacking or wishing I could hold my breath. Now that I'm in the 70% range, I do notice smoke a lot easier and it does get me coughing.

So how much it affects us probably changes with time and when lung function drops. That makes sense anyway.