I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to put this, so mods if you think there's somewhere better, please move it.

So my dad apparently has had a really bad cough for over a week (I just saw him on Saturday, but he was sick for a while before that). My mom, who's an x-ray technician, took him in to get an x-ray and see a doctor yesterday.

When they called me at work yesterday afternoon, they were saying that the doctor said he has the beginnings of COPD. No one seemed worried, and they talked more about the car they found for BF and I to buy than about the doctor's visit.

Last night, when I talked to them again, my dad said "Actually, the doctor said it's the beginnings of emphysema, not COPD, but that if I quit smoking and quit being around smoke, I can stop it in its tracks." Cue a major freak-out from me. My dad's acting like this is no big freakin' deal, and I don't know if it's because he's trying to protect me, or if he really isn't worried and should be, or if he really isn't worried and has no reason to be, KWIM??

I guess a little background is in order...
My dad's mom died of emphysema when she was 64 years old. She was a smoker for most of her life. My dad is 60 years old. He's been a smoker for most of his life. BUT, he's a weird smoker. He'll go days, a week even, without a cigarette, and then smoke two packs in one night. In recent years, however, I've noticed he smokes a lot more frequently than he used to. My dad was also a firefighter for 25 years (retired last year), and apparently the doctor said the majority of firefighters WOULD have the beginnings of COPD and/or emphysema. I told him that his body doesn't care if everyone else has it too, it's still not good for him and that won't help him live longer!!

On the flip side, my dad is also VERY, VERY active. Like, working out 4 hours a day active. He says he's not short of breath when he works out, so he's not concerned at all. He did, after all, watch his mom die and know a little bit about what's involved with emphysema, right? So he's got that going for him.

I'm just so scared. I don't believe that this can be stopped, especially because I don't think he'll quit smoking. And I know my mom and my sister won't stop smoking in the house, either, which breaks my heart. I want to help him, really I do, but I don't know how. He says he's quitting EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH. and it usually lasts about 5 days, then he starts again. I quit smoking last year, because the emphysema thing freaks me out. I've talked lots to him about quitting, but it doesn't work...

I've just been thinking a lot about my parents' mortality. I'm 25, I'm not ready for my parents to die. Or be sick. My mom has a lot of heart disease on her side of the family, and she smokes and eats like CRAP. But because she's thin, she's not concerned. I've started eating healthy, too, because the heart disease scares me.

So... does anyone have any information about emphysema or COPD and whether or not it can actually be "stopped"? Anyone have any ideas about how to help my dad quit smoking??

Sorry this got so long... it's been weighing heavily on my mind.

lots of Hugs to you!

Emphysema is scary but people can live a long time with it. My dad is now 82, smoked for 57 years. He has been living with emphysema for over 20 years now. Yes, it's really bad now but he did quit smoking about 8 years ago. I never believed he would quit smoking either but after a really bad breathing attack 8 years ago he quit cold turkey. If he had not quit smoking I don't think he would be here with us today.

I lost my mother at 23 years old and I know how scary and sad losing your parent/parents can be.

There are lots of treatments today. I don't know of any cures.

My Mum's friend has COPD - diagnosed 7 years ago. She quit smoking IMMEDIATELY on diagnosis and has never got any worse. You can't turn back the clock but you can slow down the progression to a virtual standstill. It's up to him. I'm so sorry for you, this must be frightening

Thanks guys, it is very scary. I have been fortunate enough to have lost only one person I really cared about a lot so far in my life (plus one animal who meant the WORLD to me), and don't feel I'm prepared to face my parents' mortality. I guess it's something we all have to do at some point, though.

I really hope this wakes him up enough to get him to quit. And that my mom and sister care enough to not smoke around him (quitting would also be nice, but neither of them have ever shown a desire to do so).

My brother was diagnosed last year with COPD.........at the age of 26!!!! He is a heavy smoker (of more than just cigerettes, if you get my meaning) and has had severe asthma all his life. He refuses to quit! And what is worse is that he still smokes around his children!!!!! There is nothing I can do to change his behavior, but I did find out as much as I could about this illness and I keep him informed. Here is a good place to start, the internet is chalk full of info! http://www.copdfoundation.org/
You would think that being in and out the hospital would be enough to scare him, but he truely thinks that he is invincible.

Good luck with everything! AND GOOD FOR YOU FOR QUITTING!!!!

My paternal grandpa died at 82 due to his 3rd heart attack & an aneurism - he was a smoker for 30+ years and fairly early in life. My maternal grandpa died due to emphysema - smoker for 50ish years. He smoked until the day he was hospitalized, where he died shortly after at the age of 72. My maternal grandma died from a heart attack at the age of 54. Smoker, for about 30 years (see a trend?). My dad is going to be 65 this year and has smoked since the age of 12. Among other health issues, he has emphysema. Still smokes, even on the darn oxygen. Does he know the risks? Definitely. But you can't make someone do something (no matter how much better it'd be for them) if they really don't want to do it.

As far as 'stopping it in its tracks', you can't really stop it, but you can really slow the progression and you can still live a very full life. I truly hope he'll stop smoking, because his quality of life will be much, much better. You may also want to talk to your relatives who smoke in the house with him there. You can't make them quit either, but you can suggest that with your father's health being where it's at right now, it's probably a better idea to smoke outside.

It's normal to be scared and to have a feeling of panic come over you when you start to realize your parents' mortality. I'm nearly 25 and unfortunately, my dad likely won't be with us very much longer. Even if you can't convince your dad to stop smoking, you can still enjoy every minute of your time with him, and help him enjoy every minute as well. I wish him a long and healthy life!