Advice please

Hi all. My wife has leukaemia, and we do not talk about the illness unless she feels it is necessary, it is her way of having a normal life which I respect her greatly for. She is always so happy and up beat. My problem is that I stopped smoking 14 years ago but recently have been smoking socially with friends. My wife informed me a few weeks ago that she is taking a large tablet once weekly as part of her treatment. And that being in contact with someone who has been smoking can affect the tablet. That it will become innefective due to nicotine and the bodies reaction to it. Obviously I have told her about my social smoking and I am on thin ice to say the least. I'm really just after some general advice on how to handle the situation and to help my wife realise that it was not my intention to ever put her truant and health at risk further. And also to convince her to carry on taking the medication as obviously I won't be smoking any more. Thanks all 

 

  • Hi Barry

    My husband hated taking about his illness too which is why I joined the forum to get help and support.  I do not have any medical knowledge as regards the tablet your wife is taking and wonder if it might be worth you giving the nurses a ring (freephone from UK landlines mon to fri 9-5) or you could pose the question on the Ask for Nurses section of this forum(may take a few days to answer due to the workload).   It may help if you have the  name of the drug she is taking once a week.

    I am sure your social smoking is hard to give up (my hubby continued to smoke throughout all his treatment but then his consultant took the view that with a terminal diagnosis he had nothing to lose!) and wonder if, dare I suggest it, an E cigarette would help or be allowed.

    If you wife does not wish to discuss matters with you then maybe she would be agreeable to giving permission for you to talk to her medical team so you know what you should/could be  doing to help her. This is how my husband and I came to a 'compromise'.  Hope this is of some  help. Jules54