Robert Edwards, 40, has a good life. Married to his high school sweetheart, Stacey, he has two children, ages 20 and 17, and feels fortunate that he has saved enough money to pay for their college education. He owns a small contracting company and is doing quite well due to his hard work; which has allowed his family to move into a nice home in the suburbs with a remodeled kitchen and additional bedroom suite that he and his employees added. On the weekends, he loves to fish, hunt and spend time outdoors. Rob is active, but doesn’t always make the best food choices. Below is a one day food diary.
Rob began smoking 24 years ago when hanging out with his buddies, but now it has become a necessity. He feels as if smoking is the only thing that helps him make it through the day. He knows he is addicted and has tried to quit numerous times. Even after watching his father die of lung cancer and his stepfather develop emphysema, Rob continues to smoke.
He knows the warning signs of respiratory distress but he seldom visits a physician, except when he gets a cold. A year ago when he had a lingering cold, Rob went to his wife’s physician who gave him a 10-day prescription for a codeine cough syrup. Also, during his exam, it was discovered that he had high blood pressure, so the physician prescribed Altace Oral. In addition, the physician also told him he should stop smoking saying, “It could add years to your life, even though you have been smoking since you were 16.”
Recently, Rob has been experiencing respiratory distress and, after sharing this with his wife, it has gotten worse. So, he makes an appointment with the doctor at her insistence.
