There are so many things I wanted to write about this week. April is a time to think about numerous important subjects such as Youth Sports Safety, Earth Day, Alcohol Awareness, Women’s Eye Health and Child Abuse Prevention Month. But the topic that woke me up out of a sound sleep at 3 in the morning was Cancer Control Month. The first therapeutic relationship I developed as a nursing student was with a cancer patient. I know I have written about cancer prevention in the past weeks- on ways to protect your skin and the importance of colorectal screenings. These writings are not simply about publishing a newspaper column. They are about informing and making a difference in my community and making a difference in someone’s life- maybe even yours.
This weekend I had the honor and privilege of caring for a man I had seen from diagnosis, through treatment, to end of life. I will always remember his sense of humor, his smile and his positive attitude. As I went about my nursing duties his hands touched my arm and he said, “Help me”. In that moment my heart swelled with an overwhelming compassion for life and for another human being. I realize what is important in life. Wealth, accomplishment, and debt are not important in the final moments of life. Family, hope and health are what matter. In these moments people don’t think about the roads that led to this point or the reasons why. What we think about are the comforts of the end.
What if we could know now what we will know then? Would seeing the end of our life influence the things we do in between? In the novel “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge was lucky to be able to see how the choices in his life would impact not only his life but also how they would affect the lives around him. This insight gave Ebenezer the opportunity to make adjustments before it was too late. What if we could see how the choices we make would impact our lives and the lives around us? Would we be inspired and motivated to make a change?
Ninety seven years ago this week the Titanic sunk, and out of the 2,227 people who were on board 1,522 people died. Knowing what you know today, would you buy a ticket and board the Titanic? On the one hand you might have a great adventure and go down in history as a survivor of the Titanic; however, on the other hand you die on a cold night in the icy waters. Cigarette smoking involves similar life-threatening risk as it is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. As a result, smoking related deaths are the most preventable cause of premature death in our society. Cigarette smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs-combined.
Whether it’s Cancer Control Month or not, it is important we do our part in cancer prevention and control. If you smoke, the single most important thing you can do to prolong your life and decrease your days of illness is to stop smoking. For free help in quitting, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. You have nothing to lose and possibly everything to gain. If you don’t smoke, log on to www.cancer.org or call the Preston Medical Library at 865-305-9525 and find out other ways you might reduce your risk of cancer. The Preston Medical Library will send you information in the mail free of charge.
Do not think you are “unsinkable” or that tragedy will not happen to you. I have witnessed firsthand the sadness smoking brings and leaves behind. Don’t let smoking be your ticket aboard the Titanic.
Howard Baker, RN BSN
For questions, comments, or suggestions on topics you want to read about please email me at: howard@howardsbaker.
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