A Malaysian doctor is sharing an incident where a man in his 30s had nearly died of a collapsed lung due to his habit of smoking, which he had started when he was only 15 years old.
Taking to her Facebook page, Dr Nurul Yaqeen explained how the man was rushed to her in a state of emergency due to a collapsed lung, and how he begged her to save him.
She wrote, “One day, around 7:45am, as I was preparing to start my clinic, a nurse rushed in, her face was pale with urgency. ‘Doctor, there’s an emergency. A young man, severe shortness of breath. His wife wheeled him in, and he can’t speak‘. I dropped everything and walked quickly to the waiting area.”
“There he was, a man in his 30s. His face was as pale as paper, still wearing his dusty work clothes, drenched in sweat. His breathing was rapid and shallow, his eyes were silently screaming for help.”
“I want to quit smoking”
After listening to his chest, Dr Nurul Yaqeen determined that his left lung had collapsed.
Upon informing the man that she would have to insert a chest tube to release trapped air, the man weakly said, “I want to live, doctor. I have a young child. I want to quit smoking, I swear.”.
This image is for illustration purposes only.
She performed a few more tests, including an X-ray, to confirm that he, indeed, had tension pneumothorax and air was trapped in his chest cavity, which was pressing against his heart and right lung.
Dr Nurul Yaqeen then gave him pain medication before inserting the chest tube and allowing air to escape.
The doctor’s quick action ultimately saved the man.
“I destroyed my lungs myself”
Three days later, Dr Nurul Yaqeen visited the man in the ward, and he, thankfully, was feeling much better. She also found that he had crushed up a cigarette box and discarded it next to his bed.
That’s when he admitted that he had been smoking since he was 15 years old and knew that his health issue was his own doing.
This image is for illustration purposes only.”Doctor, I want to apologise. I destroyed my lungs myself. I started smoking at 15. But today, I quit. I repent. God gave me a second chance. I won’t waste it,” he said.
“It’s not too late. Your lungs cried for help, and you listened. That’s enough,” the doctor responded to him.
A lesson learned from this incident
Dr Nurul Yaqeen ended her post by urging smokers to quit before it is too late. Here’s what she had to say:
- Smoking doesn’t just destroy your lungs, it destroys lives. And sometimes, it’s too late. But while you’re still alive, there’s still time to change.
- Pneumothorax can happen even to young, fit-looking smokers. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
- Doctors don’t just treat diseases. We stand in the most fragile, terrifying moments of a person’s life.
- Second chances are priceless. If God gives you another breath, treasure it.
- Life is fragile. One tiny hole in a lung can stop everything.
“I wrote this for those of you who still smoke and may find it hard to quit. Quit, before your lungs quit on you. Don’t wait until your wife is crying in front of the doctor. Don’t wait until your child almost becomes an orphan. Today is not too late. Quit, for your life. For those who love you.”
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: Form 3 Student Suffers Seizure After Allegedly Smoking Vape in Perlis School Toilet
