Wow! That's rough.

My heart goes out. I totally get all his pleas to stop smoking. I watched my stepmom's dad battle with lung cancer but I didn't quit for good until 9 years later. I'll never forget his funeral because it was the same day pigs flew over Tuscaloosa and he was a huge LSU fan so it was a great comfort to us that day. Smoking took a lot of years off all the men in my family from that greatest WW2 generation.

Half the reason I got out of South Louisiana (not coincidentally same time I quit smoking for good) was because I feared a bad end going out 4 nights a week with my chainsmoking neighbors. Really glad you can't smoke in bars anymore. Don't miss my clothes smelling like I bathed in smoke.

Giving up drinking is proving to be harder. I don't want to give it up altogether but seeing what it's done to my mother-in-law (dementia) is some scary shite. In a lot of ways, I'd rather have cancer than have my mind go like that. It's a cruel, cruel disease. It sucks to get old, y'all. Do not recommend.

Hang in there, OP. You are a good egg. Hope your Bulldogs give something to smile about soon.