[{"id":"e6e025c","elType":"section","settings":[],"elements":[{"id":"ee83444","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"e3ae5bd","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It was a wonderful day, bright and beautiful. It was a new year, and this year she clocks 40. Ahhh! The amazing 40! She was going to have a big birthday bash come October 25th. But today, she must concentrate on the task ahead. She was finally having surgery! Bimbo is excited beyond words as she eagerly looks forward to the surgery results in a couple of months. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">After giving birth to her three designer dresses. \u201cKeto diet and exercises seemed too slow though she cheated most times\u201d. She admits to herself. But that isn\u2019t the crust of the matter. She can\u2019t seem to muster the courage to get fully naked before her husband in the bedroom. She couldn\u2019t have him see, let alone touch her battle scars from the last cesarean section birth. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Yes, her husband didn\u2019t mind and treated her like an Amazonian Queen as he practically worshipped the ground she walked on, yet she didn\u2019t feel whole enough to bask in the warmth of his love until she could get rid of the bloated abdomen and large love handles. And today was that day.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The day starts for Bimbo, like every other day, with a cup of tea and a light breakfast followed by smoking 2 sticks of cigarettes as she checks her Instagram feed for product orders from her clients. Except it was the second day in the New Year 2021- she is scheduled for liposuction that evening.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Her plastic surgeon had assured her the surgery today was the beginning of the journey to getting her on the road to looking fabulous again at her last consultation appointment one month ago. Though it would be the first in a series, she was resolute in her new year\u2019s resolve to do all it takes to look amazing and feel again. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">With this thought, she looks at the checklist of things not to do in one month leading up to the surgery date as directed by her doctor. She had followed most of the nutrition and some exercise rules, but she couldn\u2019t kick the smoking habit. She was a highly active businesswoman, and smoking helped calm her constantly pumped-up nerves. So she had reduced her smoking from 5 sticks a day to 2\/day, even that was a struggle. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Even now, she needed to relax, and the jasmine tea she took earlier wasn\u2019t catching up with her nerves. \u2018Well what the hell! The doctor doesn\u2019t have to know\u2019, she thought to herself. \u2018Besides what has smoking got to do with a surgery in the stomach area?\u2019. So she lights the cigarette and takes a long full drag. \u2018Ahhh! That\u2019s better, feeling calmer already,\u2019 she thought to herself. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">She would wash her mouth with the smoker\u2019s toothpaste and mouth wash she bought from Paris on her last trip and use her killer perfume to disguise the nicotine smell in the evening on her way to the surgery. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Time for the surgery, she got to the hospital two hours early, as she needed to be prepped, plus she couldn\u2019t stay still. The Anaesthologists checked her vital signs and hooked her up to the machine. All seemed well - the surgery begins in thirty minutes. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, one hour into the surgery, the oxygen monitor and heart rate machine started to go haywire. Her heart rate was slowing down dangerously; there was no time to lose; the surgery had to be paused while the problem was investigated. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Suddenly, the surgeon and anaesthesiologist had a light bulb moment; they remember seeing a note in her medical file that said she was a smoker. Quickly, albuterol (a bronchodilator medication) had to be administered. The surgeon orders the original calibrated oxygen levels to increase while they struggle to get her heart rate stable enough to continue the surgery. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It was a near miss! It\u2019s one month after the surgery; she had survived the surgery but somehow slipped into a coma for seven days post-surgery. The coma was a result of complications during the surgery. She is back home now, and in recovery, the wounds won\u2019t heal; she is feverish and has the chills and isn\u2019t breathing right. Plus, there is this continuous cough and chest pain. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">She is miserable and confused as this isn\u2019t what she bargained for. Her checkup with her doctor reveals she has post-operative pneumonia and irregular blood clots due to complications from the surgery. She isn\u2019t out of the woods yet as she has to be placed in the intensive care unit as her immune system is compromised, and she can\u2019t fight this infection without adequate care and treatment from the hospital. At this rate, the doctors are more worried about keeping her alive than continuing with the liposuction process. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The diagnosis from the lab regarding all the complications she is experiencing leads back to her smoking habit. High levels of nicotine in her blood had impaired her immune functions. The same nicotine was stopping her healing process from commencing. Her body could not stand the strain and needed constant oxygen in her blood. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">She had to admit to her doctor that she didn\u2019t follow his instructions regarding smoking. Now her husband is pissed, plus she had replaced old scars with new thick scars that won\u2019t go away, and she had not hugged her kids in two months. She can see the fear in their eyes through the glass doors when they visit; she is isolated from them to avoid spreading the infection. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If only she had listened to her doctor, if only she had quit smoking a month before the surgery, if only she hadn\u2019t cared so much about her size four looks, if only she hadn\u2019t smoked just before the surgery, if only\u2026 \u2018Lord, please don\u2019t let me die\u2019 was her last thought as she slipped into a long sleep.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you smoke and are having surgery, physician anesthesiologists recommend quitting smoking as soon as possible before the procedure. It\u2019s also important to meet with your physician or anesthesiologist about your smoking and how it might affect your anesthesia care plan\u2019. This is according to the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asahq.org\/madeforthismoment\/preparing-for-surgery\/risks\/smoking\/\">American Society of Anaesthesiologists<\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As you begin the new year armed with your resolutions and goals (Did you include the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/app.grammarly.com\/ddocs\/damidols.com\/product-category\/shapewear\/\">shapewears<\/a><\/span><\/span> you intend to blossom beautifully in this year? Lol!), please make resolutions for your health and wellness as well. The new year is a new chapter to rewrite your story, begin your journey to the best time of your life, and resolve to kick old bad habits and imbibe new, progressive habits. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We at Damidols invite you, \u2018our lovelies\u2019 to kick the smoking habit. It doesn\u2019t matter whether you are going for surgery or not. The government and medical associations were not kidding when they advertised \u2018smokers are liable to die young.' Smoking is detrimental to your health in ways beyond infectious disease. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For one example, as seen above with Bimbo: it affects how the body responds to surgery. Some plastic surgeons and certified practitioners have, for this reason alone, blatantly refused to operate on smokers to avoid death or disability resulting from complications. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, not all doctors put up the drastic wall; some ask patients to stop, or in the worst case, reduce smoking cigarettes before and after undergoing a surgical procedure. The request makes sense because quitting even some days before surgery\u2014plus staying smoke-free afterward\u2014reduces the risk of some complications, re-oxygenates the blood, and aids the body to heal better and faster post-operation.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Still, wondering how or why smoking and surgery shouldn\u2019t mix according to the experts? Let\u2019s turn to the experts behind BecomeAnEX\u00ae, a digital quit-smoking program by Truth Initiative\u00ae, developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, to answer three common questions about smoking and surgery.<\/span><\/p>","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Nanum Myeongjo","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":19,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"600"},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false},{"id":"4cf5ed6","elType":"section","settings":[],"elements":[{"id":"a891a16","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"6975987","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<h5><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here Are Three Questions and Answers Regarding Smoking and Surgery.<\/span><\/h5><h6><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Does smoking affect people having surgery?<\/span><\/h6><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Yes, \u201cSmoking before surgery puts you at a higher risk for post-operative heart attacks, blood clots, pneumonia and even death,\u201d says pulmonologist <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/staff\/18275-humberto-choi\">Humberto Choi, MD<\/a><\/span><\/span>. \u201cWhen I schedule surgery, I tell my patients they should stop smoking right away.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Research in recent years has shown that when compared to non-smokers, smokers have a higher chance of being exposed to surgery-related complications like heart attack, stroke, shock, and even death. Smoking deoxygenates the blood and decreases blood flow, making surgical wounds less likely to heal and more likely to become infected.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Smoking also weakens the immune system, which increases the chance of infection after surgery by opportunistic infections and parasites. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to experience specific complications from all types of surgeries, even cosmetic surgery. For example:<br \/><\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ul><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Plastic surgery: higher scarring possibility.<br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Liposuction: Takes longer to heal, fat necrosis, blood clots, thick scars, and higher pain levels.<br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Breast reconstruction surgery: more likely to lose implants.<br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/app.grammarly.com\/ddocs\/damidols.com\/tummy-tuck-processes-risks-and-all-you-should-know\/\">Abdominoplasty<\/a><\/span><\/span>: Tissue necrosis, possible reopened incisions, impaired blood flow, non-healing wound.<br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/app.grammarly.com\/ddocs\/damidols.com\/cool-sculpting-what-how-and-everything-you-should-know-2\/\">Cool sculpting<\/a><\/span><\/span>: Smoking affects your exercise regimen effectiveness after the procedure and your body\u2019s healing abilities.<br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Spinal fusion surgery: higher chance of infection and bone fracture.<br \/><\/span><\/li><li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Orthopaedic (bone or joint) surgery: bones can take longer to heal.<br \/><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In short, smoking increases your risks for massive and minor complications during plus after surgery. It also ruins your results.<\/span><\/p><h6><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Why are smoking and surgery a bad combination?<\/span><\/h6><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As seen with the case of Bimbo above, Dr. Choi, in an interview, explains why smoking before surgery is hazardous:<br \/>1. It complicates anesthesia \u201cAnesthesiologists have to work harder to keep smokers breathing while under anesthesia, fighting against lungs compromised by cigarette smoke,\u201d says Dr. Choi. \u201cThat makes it more likely that bronchodilator medications like albuterol must be used.\u201d The American Society of Anesthesiologists reports that smoking reduces blood flow and your surgical incisions are more likely to become infected by opportunistic parasites since it slows healing.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">2. The heart must exert more effort. Smoking impairs heart function, making a patient more susceptible to cardiac issues during or after surgery. According to the same JAMA research, smokers had a 77 percent higher risk of a heart attack following surgery than non-smokers. Tobacco harms your heart and blood vessels. They cause cardiac rhythm disturbances, inflammation and raise blood pressure and heart rate. Furthermore, smoking raises your chances of developing heart failure, having a heart attack, and dying from heart disease.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">3. It takes longer for wounds to heal. Carbon monoxide deprives tissues of the oxygen they require to mend in a smoker's body. Toxins in smokers' blood also infiltrate the tissue, complicating the healing process. Because oxygen is the major supply for healing wounds, you may be more susceptible to infections if you don't quit smoking before surgery. Even if you stop smoking 24 hours before your operation, the amount of oxygen in your body will rise. Whether you're a first-time smoker or have been smoking for 20 years, quitting smoking before surgery is critical to determining the success rate of your surgery.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The good news is that an impending operation may be precisely what a smoker requires to quit finally. It's never a bad thing to give up smoking, and your forthcoming surgery could be just the reason or motivation you need. Consult your doctor for information on resources or activities that might assist you in quitting smoking as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\"Surgery is a fantastic moment to stop,\" Dr. Choi explains. \"When I go over the dangers of pneumonia, heart attack, and mortality with patients, it helps them realize the heightened risks they're facing and how they may improve their result.\"<\/span><\/p><h6><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Does quitting smoking help with surgical outcomes?<\/span><\/h6><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In a recent research study, patients having coronary bypass surgery were examined to determine the impact that smoking has after surgery. Patients who smoked had more than twice as many avoidable heart and lung complications than patients who didn\u2019t smoke. Astonishingly, patients who had quit smoking for just one month before surgery showed no complications like patients who had never smoked.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The scientists concluded after the study that quitting cigarettes before surgery makes a huge difference. The longer the quitting time, the better the results. Be that as it may, quitting a day or two before any surgery can make a tremendous difference. This is because, just within a day or two after the smoker quits, the blood re-oxygenates, the body can move more oxygen to cells, and general blood flow improves, making it easier for healing. Three to six weeks after stopping, the body\u2019s immune function against opportunistic infections improves.<\/span><\/p>","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Nanum Myeongjo","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":19,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"600"},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false},{"id":"4732942","elType":"section","settings":[],"elements":[{"id":"c1c67bd","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"370c4fb","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Final thoughts: As with Shakespeare\u2019s question, \u201cto be or not to be\u2026\u201d, to smoke or not to smoke, the final decision is yours. Smoking on its own has both immediate and long-term hazards that it can inflict on your health or life. To complicate it with a very strenuous procedure like surgery of any kind is to expose oneself to uncertain hardships. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Do you want to be like Bimbo? Been isolated for months and subconsciously asking open-ended questions while hanging between the ropes of life and death? Or do you want a full life complete with the health and wealth to pursue and enjoy the fruits of your goals? <\/span><\/p>","typography_typography":"custom","typography_font_family":"Nanum Myeongjo","typography_font_size":{"unit":"px","size":19,"sizes":[]},"typography_font_weight":"600"},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false}]