LoBD

I am very happy that Wisconsin is now smoke-free. I do have personal reasons why. The first is that my dad smoked until I was four years-old when I was able to get him to stop. To this day, he says that his "Cute button" is broken because of what I said to him. "Daddy, at school today, we learned about smoking and how it causes cancer and kills you. Daddy, I don't want you to die." It was something like that. I had gone outside when he was smoking a cigarette, said what I need to say, and in turn, he flicked away his cigarette and never had another one.

The second of my reasons is the fact that my great-grandmother is such a sweet, old lady. However, she must use an oxygen tank because she has emphysema from smoking for so long. Third on my list of reasons is my great-uncle. His name was Danny. He was the coolest guy that you would ever meet. Always so kind and loved havin' fun. He spent half of his life in New Orleans; he loved that town, and he lived the lifestyle. He was the epitome of "Laissez les bons temps roulez." For those who don't know what that means, it is "Let the good times roll" in French. That saying is the motto of New Orleans. For twenty-four years, Danny lived there, and for twenty-four years, he drank and smoked like nobody's business. Almost two years ago, Danny died from cancer. It wound up in his lungs, liver, groin, and brain. He was forty-eight years-old.

The forth reason is Grandpa Raymond. My grandaddy Ray was a drummer in a band. When I found that out, I was surprised but also excited; I finally understood my connection to drums. I was finally able to comprehend why, whenever I hear drums, I can't help but to move along to the beat. He passed music on to my father, who passed it on to my brother and me. However much he loved music, that was not his profession. He was a trucker; he carried the coal. Ray died of lung cancer when my dad was two years-old. Altough his death isn't related to smoking, I still think about how he died of lung cancer, leaving behind a grieving wife, a six year-old daughter, a two year-old son, plus more children from his first marriage.

My fifth, and final, reason is the fact that I chose to stay smoke-free, and appreciate the fact that now I do not have to expose myself to elements that I do not wish to take into my body by inhaling second-hand smoke. This journal is not a slight against smokers. It is simply my reasons for being excited about the smoking ban. Also, as a supporter and participant of Relay for Life, anything that may help reduce the number of cancer patients is good, in my eyes. I don't know if you agree with me, so I would like to hear what you think of the smoking ban.