A lot of kids start smoking because they think it is cool or trendy or might attract the attention of a love interest. But they don’t think ahead to what the action could do to their health. Even if they do recognize the dangers of smoking and want to quit, the nicotine has already sparked an addiction. So people smoke a little longer, thinking the chances of smoking-related health problems are so far down the road, it is simply not a concern right now. Well my brother-in-law thought all those things like most people and loosely entertained the idea to quit smoking many times. On his 28th birthday, April 22, 2008, he laid down his last pack of smokes and never looked back. Soon after his decision to change his life for the better, he started feeling intense pain in his neck and then in his shoulder. Four months trickled by with some doctor visits, but the pain kept increasing. Finally my brother-in-law insisted on an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of his neck. The MRI revealed a soft-tissue mass close to the spine. Further tests showed approximately eight tumors present throughout his body, the largest being a mass on his lung, and the majority of the tumors existing in his bones. Justin Andrews from Creedmoor, NC smoked 14 years. He has a two-year old son, a beautiful home and family, a fantastic job, and Stage IV inoperable lung cancer at age 28.
Justin was diagnosed on September 5, 2008. The news was a hard blow to the family. Loved ones immediately pulled together to think positive and embrace the illness. The morning after the diagnosis, my sister (Justin’s wife Kristy) created a tribute page on CaringBridge, a website that offers support and updates for patients who are ill, undergoing treatment and recovery. In two weeks, they have had over 7,000 people visit their page and over 350 guestbook submissions from people offering prayers and encouragement. My sister has written a journal entry on the website every day since the diagnosis to provide updates on Justin’s progress, and she continues the journal postings daily.
**Photo Submitted by Karin Goodhue
