"It seems like nowadays everybody's dropping like flies, all my friends"
- Thread starter DTL
- Start date
Thanks for the heads up.... gotta few years to go but it's nice to know advances are being made... Now if I can just find the willpower to toss the friggin things in the garbage....
Chris
Chris
Great information. I have survived prostate cancer surgery but am very concerned about other cancers. In younger years I worked in a factory with many chemicals which are now banned. Presently I play in a very smoky pool room about 5 times per week but haven't smoked in 30 years.
Thanks for the heads up ... I will talk to my doctor about this.
Thanks for the heads up ... I will talk to my doctor about this.
Thanks for posting this thread on a topic that needs more attention by pool players who play in pool halls that allow smoking. Anyone who plays in a pool hall that allows smoking may be inhaling the equivalent of a what a pack-a-day smoker breathes in over the course of a few hours.
Why wait until you're 55 to get a LDCT scan and find out that you have cancer? If you are playing in a pool hall that allows smoking, the time to make a change in your lifestyle is NOW and find another pool hall that is smoke-free!
BTW, Even if you do get a LDCT and find out that you don't currently have cancer, because of the hazardous smoking environment that you're exposing yourself to, you're still at a extremely high risk of getting cancer in future years...and will need periodic re-testing for the rest of your life.
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I lost myy two clsest freids to cancer/ The first was Al Hogue back in 1991 and then Danny Medina this past January. Neither was lung cancer but devastating/
I got up today thinking of both ad miss them terribly. Ironicly All waw abit of a health frek but abused alchohol while Danny was absolutely fearless of anything.
I guess when it comes your time not much to stop it. Bt I am changing to the smokeless cigs tomorrow.
Good information.
Great Post
I know players all across the country and many of the best just don't take care of themselves at any level. They don't eat right, sleep enough, work out and many do other things to break down their bodies.
I hope your post motivates other players to take better care.
I know players all across the country and many of the best just don't take care of themselves at any level. They don't eat right, sleep enough, work out and many do other things to break down their bodies.
I hope your post motivates other players to take better care.
Thanks for a well reasoned, well presented and well intentioned post.
As for me, though, I'm still thankful for all those whom I knew who left us far too early. Many of them were great friends and great influences who left their mark on pro pool despite a shortened journey in life.
As importantly, though, let's not forget to celebrate the continuing presence of some of pro pool's true old masters, like Ray Martin, Eddie Kelly, Dallas West, Lou Butera, Dan DiLiberto, Allen Hopkins, Buddy Hall and others. Let's never stop telling them what they mean and have meant to us.
As for me, though, I'm still thankful for all those whom I knew who left us far too early. Many of them were great friends and great influences who left their mark on pro pool despite a shortened journey in life.
As importantly, though, let's not forget to celebrate the continuing presence of some of pro pool's true old masters, like Ray Martin, Eddie Kelly, Dallas West, Lou Butera, Dan DiLiberto, Allen Hopkins, Buddy Hall and others. Let's never stop telling them what they mean and have meant to us.
dying
The above quote is from Keith McCready's recent post on the Cecil Tugwell thread.
It does seem that many "old timers" are passing away these days, most 15- 20 years before normal life expectancy. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why. It is directly related to the lifestyle and environment that these pool players exposed themselves to. The majority of people that played or hung out in poolrooms/bars from the 60's - 80's were smokers. I'd say today there are fewer smokers and "smoke free" rooms which bodes well for the current generation of players.
The #1 cancer in men is prostate, in women it is breast. BUT the #1 cancer killer is LUNG.........the vast majority of cases caused by tobacco use (85%). Smoking also puts one at risk for other cancers like kidney, pancreas, and many others.
I think most people reading the above will agree with what I've written.........but some may be asking why is he talking about this? Because if you're over the age of 55 and have spent a large majority of your life in smoke filled poolrooms and bars, you're at risk for developing a smoke related illness.....cancer, COPD, etc.
If you're in this category THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TO POTENTIALLY SAVE YOUR LIFE! It is called Screening for Lung Cancer With Low-Dose Computed Tomography or LDCT (CT Scan).
Many different cancer screening tests are available and have saved millions of lives.........PAP Smear, Mammogram, PSA, etc. LDCT is a relatively new screening tool for cancer, specifically lung cancer. If found early, most lung cancers can be cured. Approval by insurance company's for using LDCT to screen for lung cancer is currently pending. The good news is that it is now being offered by most large hospitals for a relatively small fee........$185 in Louisville, KY. Those who qualify are people 55 - 74 years old with a long history of tobacco use and are without any current signs or symptoms of any lung cancer. A recent study on LDCT was stopped early due to the obvious benefit which was reduced deaths caused by lung cancer..........20% less compared to the control group.
Although I never smoked, I plan on getting one when I turn 55 in 2 years........I spent my whole life in smoke filled poolrooms. Maybe it will save my life, maybe yours?
DTL[/QUOTE
There are hazards in everything we do. Just saying hello to my wife can be hazardous to ones health :yikes:
Not everyone is born with good health and would feel that it would be a privilege dying from smoking cigarettes in a pool hall.
MMike
Keith lost three of his best friends within a 3-month time frame this year. He hasn't recovered fully from the loss. There is a void in his life today. He spoke to Ronnie Allen every day, as he did Tony Rila from Vegas. Cole Dixon was a mentor of his that he grew up with, and it hits home when you lose your good friends so close in time.
My ex-husband, the father of my daughter, passed away earlier this year. Though we have not been close in recent years, he always kept in touch every birthday, holiday, special occasion. He had pancreatic cancer. When he found out he had it, it was too far gone, and he passed away a month later. I still grieve his passing very much. It hit home with me.
My brother just lost his soul mate 2 weeks ago to cancer, and he's a mess right now. I wish he would move back East and stay with me until he is whole again.
Death affects everybody differently. I think as we age, the realization of permanency of it is hard to swallow. We each grieve differently. What I like to think is that those who have passed made the transition to heaven.
My ex-husband, the father of my daughter, passed away earlier this year. Though we have not been close in recent years, he always kept in touch every birthday, holiday, special occasion. He had pancreatic cancer. When he found out he had it, it was too far gone, and he passed away a month later. I still grieve his passing very much. It hit home with me.
My brother just lost his soul mate 2 weeks ago to cancer, and he's a mess right now. I wish he would move back East and stay with me until he is whole again.
Death affects everybody differently. I think as we age, the realization of permanency of it is hard to swallow. We each grieve differently. What I like to think is that those who have passed made the transition to heaven.
Second hand smoke kills
Second hand smoke is a major factor in a variety of cancers, as I learned eight years ago.
Second hand smoke is a major factor in a variety of cancers, as I learned eight years ago.
Kathy Keegan
Registered
I lost my mother, age 85, to lung cancer in September. She had smoked most of her life. It is a horrible way to go. The lung does not kill you. The cancer moves to the brain. Then you have only a short time left.
She started having seizures, then she lasted 2 weeks in intensive care.
She started having seizures, then she lasted 2 weeks in intensive care.
Let's not forget, with many of these folks: Cecil Tugwell, Ronnie Allen, & Cole Dickson et al - alcohol played a major part in their lives.
Certainly life styles have a major impact on how long a person lives. I grew up during the turbulent 60's & 70's and have seen many of what the other posters are commenting on. I am now 61 and have seen many friends passing on before they reached my age. Recently at a funeral an old friend and I were speaking about this very thing. He commented to me, "it shouldn't have happened like this." Sadly it has and will continue throughout our lives. I think the smoking related deaths will slowly subside due to the increased awareness but the drug/alcohol rates are likely to increase. With the influx of 'designer' drugs and higher quality hard drugs the death rates can only increase. Self medicating with drugs and alcohol is ruining many families and it is a sad and difficult thing to watch a loved one's life ruined. Years ago we had state run institutions to help but those are gone. Then there is the insurance industry that has dismantled and no longer covers the psychiatric issues that so many folks need help with. I have seen the effects of all the above personally and find it all very, very sad to say the least.
Pathetic Shark
Banned
It's combinations that tend to get you. Multipliers.
I'm not convinced on passive smoking. I'm amazed there is still smoking in public areas, however. The UK outlawed it a decade or so ago and it's astonishing you still have it. I was against the ban at the time but would hate it to be reversed now.
I'm pretty sure that the ex-owner of Lexington's now defunct Rack Club is not too fond of yours truly as I was interviewed by the local news whilst shooting pool in his establishment years ago about the smoking debate. I came in heavily in favor of the smoking ban, which has saved much grief for pushing a decade now. This was a pretty progressive measure for our state which I learned has more bourbon barrels than people - ha ha ha.
As an aside, GREAT shooting in your taped run of 200 +. Really inspiring stuff. I practice 14.1 intermittently, but no one seems interested in playing the game around Lexington, so it remains a solo pursuit for me.
Cheers,
Neil
As an aside, GREAT shooting in your taped run of 200 +. Really inspiring stuff. I practice 14.1 intermittently, but no one seems interested in playing the game around Lexington, so it remains a solo pursuit for me.
Cheers,
Neil
Most of the US (centers-of-population-wise, anyway) is smoke-free indoors at public places, and has been "for at least a decade" as well. It's only certain pockets in the south and midwest that still have smoking indoors, probably because they are either tobacco-growing states / tobacco-product producing states, or else are the last selfish holdouts (e.g. "you'll take my cigs from my cold, dead fingers -- public health be damned!").
I agree that bans are a "finger in the eye" initially, but once they're in place, most would NEVER want them to be turned back. People realize it's nice to go out in town, and come back NOT smelling like you yourself smoked a pack of cigs even when you never touched the things.
I agree that alcohol is more dangerous (especially in large quantities) than tobacco, but there are laws against public drunkenness as well.
It's a tough predicament having to enforce public health (especially considering the flipside of the coin, i.e. the rights of people to use a legal product), but progress is being made.
-Sean
the main problem is people with addictions like smoking, drinking etc. are in denial of what it does to them. only by making it unlawful to poison yourself along with others in public can it be slowed down. smokers tend to be poorer people and less intelligent and that makes it even harder for them to understand the benefits of a healthy life.
yes you should be able to kill yourself if you please but a business should not be allowed to force other customers to have to endure it as well.
so many die a young hard painful death because of it. i wont go into anyplace that allows smoking.
yes you should be able to kill yourself if you please but a business should not be allowed to force other customers to have to endure it as well.
so many die a young hard painful death because of it. i wont go into anyplace that allows smoking.
Jack "Jersey Red" Breit always blamed the cancer that killed him on second-hand smoke. If you play in a place that allows that filthy habit, play somewhere else.