{"id":3114,"date":"2025-05-18T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=3114"},"modified":"2025-05-21T21:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:34:14","slug":"my-doctor-couldnt-promise-id-make-it-i-was-just-48","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/18\/my-doctor-couldnt-promise-id-make-it-i-was-just-48\/","title":{"rendered":"My doctor couldn\u2019t promise I\u2019d make it \u2013 I was just 48"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Growing up, I never saw smoking as a problem (Picture: Dan Aziz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Watching the colour drain from my mum\u2019s and wife\u2019s faces, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.  <\/p>\n

It was like I was watching them being told I was dead already.  <\/p>\n

I\u2019d been having chest pains for a couple of days, but instead of being concerned, I\u2019d continuously put it down to stress. It was only after my wife kept on at me to go to hospital and get it checked that I finally discovered the truth\u2026 <\/p>\n

\u2018You\u2019re having a heart attack<\/a>,\u2019 said the doctor.  <\/p>\n

I remember asking him whether I was going to be alright, to which he just looked at me and said: \u2018I can\u2019t promise you that.\u2019   <\/p>\n

At that moment I made a silent promise to myself to quit smoking<\/a>, for good.  <\/p>\n

Growing up, I never saw smoking as a problem. My parents, grandparents and friends all did it so it\u2019s no wonder I took up the habit when I was 15.  <\/p>\n

But what started as a social habit, only smoking when around friends, soon became an addiction<\/a> \u2013 even if I didn\u2019t want to admit it.  <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"John\t<\/div>
Having COPD meant I couldn\u2019t clear my airway properly (Picture: John Stephenson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By my late thirties, I smoked at least 30 cigarettes a day<\/a> and, though I could generally keep up with my peers, I was starting to have issues with my breathing. <\/p>\n

Ever since I\u2019d had a large section of my right lung removed at the age of three, I\u2019d always had problems in this area. But lately, the breathlessness was worse than usual. <\/p>\n

Over the next decade my lung health continued to decline until, aged 41, I was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)<\/a> \u2013 a common condition that mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke. <\/p>\n

Having COPD meant I couldn\u2019t clear my airway properly, which led to a build-up of excess mucus that in turn gave me a persistent cough and meant I suffered recurring chest infections. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Close\t<\/div>
I\u2019d get breathless getting out of the bath and even struggled to get ready in the morning (Picture: Getty Images\/iStockphoto)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The one thing that would have eased my symptoms would have been to quit smoking, so I tried using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). <\/p>\n

However, as soon as I experienced any type of stress, I\u2019d turn back to cigarettes. \u2018One\u2019s not going to hurt me,\u2019 I\u2019d think. Before I knew it though I\u2019d have smoked a pack of 20. <\/p>\n

Each time I lapsed, I blamed myself, thinking I\u2019d failed so what was the point in carrying on?  <\/p>\n

Two years later, my COPD was worse<\/a> than ever. I struggled for oxygen and it impacted my daily life \u2013 I\u2019d get breathless getting out of the bath and even struggled to get ready in the morning.  <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"John\t<\/div>
Around that same time, my first grandchild was born (Picture: Dan Aziz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I vividly remember being sat on the bed trying to put a pair of socks on but I needed to stop and catch my breath while doing so. <\/p>\n

It was humiliating.  <\/p>\n

Around that same time, my first grandchild was born. Yet despite being a \u2018young\u2019 grandad<\/a>, I just couldn\u2019t keep up as I didn\u2019t have the energy.  <\/p>\n

I knew I had to make changes and went back to the doctors to try to quit again. I managed to go cold turkey for a couple of weeks but that\u2019s as long as it lasted and soon, I felt like I was back to square one. <\/p>\n

Then at the age of 48, I started having those chest pains. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Senior\t<\/div>
I needed to stop and catch my breath (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the hospital, doctor\u2019s said the pains were actually a heart attack<\/a>, not indigestion as I had believed and I was shocked \u2013 my experience was nothing like the sudden pain and clutching of the chest that\u2019s depicted on TV and in films. <\/p>\n

Then, seeing the terrified looks on my loved ones faces, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. I\u2019d done this to myself, I was in this position because I\u2019d refused to quit smoking.  <\/p>\n

I was transferred to James Cook University Hospital soon after where I had three stents fitted. Doctors told me afterwards it had been touch and go for a while as to whether I\u2019d survive the surgery as my smoking was making every organ, including my heart, have to work much harder.  <\/p>\n

Even though I\u2019d already made my silent promise, I knew then I had<\/em> to do better.   <\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tQuit smoking\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

Download the free<\/a> NHS Quit Smoking app to try and quit today.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Before my heart attack, I used to roll my eyes at anybody who asked me whether I smoked because I thought I was doing other things to protect myself, like eating healthily. But nearly dying made me realise how important health is.   <\/p>\n

I had three grandchildren at the time, and I knew I needed, and wanted, to be around for them for a long time to come.  <\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019ve been smokefree<\/a> for 18 months and my health has improved beyond my dreams.  <\/p>\n

This time around I used a vape to help me quit \u2013 when I got cravings, I used that instead of returning to old habits \u2013 and I\u2019m a lot less stressed because I finally feel I\u2019m in control instead of the cigarettes controlling me.  <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"John\t<\/div>
I\u2019m so pleased I get to be here with them and make those precious memories (Picture: Dan Aziz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019ve even had the chance to star in a TV ad for a regional quit smoking campaign, which is something I never thought I\u2019d do. But, if hearing my story gives just one person the motivation to quit then I\u2019ve done my job.   <\/p>\n

Best of all though, I now feel better than ever. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m enjoying life again and am even able to play on the beach with my grandkids without getting breathless. I\u2019m so pleased I get to be here with them and make those precious memories.  <\/p>\n

Smoking is one of the most lethal addictions of all but I know how hard quitting can be.  <\/p>\n

The important thing to remember is that there is lots of support out there to help you to quit. No matter how many times you have tried before, you should never treat a blip as a failure \u2013 just try something else and keep going.   <\/p>\n

I never thought I\u2019d be able to stop, but now I have and it\u2019s the best thing I ever did.  <\/p>\n

Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing James.Besanvalle@metro.co.uk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Growing up, I never saw smoking as a problem (Picture: Dan Aziz) Watching the colour drain from my mum\u2019s and wife\u2019s faces, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.   It was like I was watching them being told I was dead already.   I\u2019d been having chest pains for a couple of days, but instead of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3114"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3114"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3123,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3114\/revisions\/3123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}