Tammy W.’s Story
Tammy, age 50, is a member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians tribe and lives in Michigan. A life-long runner, Tammy always ate right and stayed away from drugs and alcohol.
But for years, Tammy smoked menthol cigarettes. She told herself that smoking was a “side hobby” instead of an addiction. She thought that menthol cigarettes were less harmful than non-menthol cigarettes, and that exercising and eating right would keep her safe. However, by the age of 44, Tammy needed open-heart surgery to keep her alive.
Since her recovery, Tammy still runs, but not as far or as fast as she used to. “I miss not being able to run as far as I want to,” she said.
Tammy quit smoking after her surgery. “Open-heart surgery and the possibility of dying motivated me,” she said. “Life is a gift. I want to stay here as long as I can.”
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Tammy W.’s Biography
Tammy, age 50, lives in Michigan and is a member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians tribe. She grew up with a large extended family, many of whom smoked cigarettes.
Tammy’s family affectionately called her “the healthy one.” She loved to run. She ran track in high school and later in life participated in marathons. She ate a healthy diet and stayed away from drugs and alcohol. “Smoking was the only thing I did wrong,” Tammy recalled.
At the age of 21, Tammy joined the Army. During training, she noticed that people who smoked were granted longer breaks to rest. Tammy decided that she would start smoking to get the same extra break time. She smoked menthol cigarettes on and off for the next 23 years, usually smoking more when she was stressed.
Tammy started working at her tribe’s health office in her mid-30s. She kept her smoking a secret from everyone. She would go running during her lunch hour, lighting up a cigarette when she was far enough from the office so her coworkers wouldn’t catch her smoking. “I knew it was wrong,” Tammy recalled. “When you’re trying to hide something from people, it’s a good sign that you’re doing something you know you shouldn’t be doing.”
She told herself that smoking was a “side hobby” instead of an addiction. She thought that menthol cigarettes were less harmful than non-menthol cigarettes, and that exercising and eating right would keep her safe. Then, in her early 40s, Tammy started feeling pain and pressure in her chest when she ran. She got winded easily, and she passed out a couple of times. Her back was sore, and she couldn’t catch her breath. She knew something was very wrong.
When Tammy saw a doctor, she was shocked to learn that she had severe heart disease. The blood vessels in her heart were almost completely blocked. She had open-heart surgery the next day. “I remember going in and the look on my mom’s face,” Tammy remembered. “She thought I was going to die.” She was only 44 years old.
Tammy quit smoking after her surgery. It took a full 6 months into her recovery before she could even return to working behind a desk. But she was determined to move forward. “It hurt, but I kept moving,” she said. “I just had to. It reminded me that I was still alive.”
Today Tammy still runs, but not as far or as fast as she used to. “I miss not being able to run as far as I want to,” she said. She can’t pick up heavy things. She goes to the gym a few times a week if she’s not too tired after work.
She says if she can save even one person from smoking, her experience will have been worth it. “You don’t get a do-over on some things,” Tammy said. “Don’t smoke, because you will lose something that matters to you.”
