What does the lungs of a 75 year old womans who has smoked since age 15 look like?

Question

This woman coughs every morning daily, for an hour or more, and then smokes once done with her coughing fit. Smokes 3 packs a day, then at night gets under her oxygen. She has emphezema, copd, her left lung has collapsed, and who knows if she has lung cancer, but I think so.

She takes inhalers, albuterol, vitamins a b c d e etc, blood thinners, etc. Also goes to the hospital once a month saying that she cannot breathe. Go figure. They have termed her "frequent flyer". Her own doctor has given up on her smoking bouts but still treats her for other things.

Is smoking really worth all this??

I have wondered what her lungs must be like. 60 years of smoking, ewww, I bet they are very black because nicotine is sticky like glue.

Answer 1

Spongy black masses with air filled sacs on the surface

Answer 2

It is very possible, though not very likely. The radiation and other pesticides inside of cigarettes can remain dormant in your lungs and increase the risk of cancer no matter what the age, but it all depends on how much your smoke, how much your lungs absorb, and how much of the substances do not leave the lungs. From what it sounds like, I think you just have a cough and doesn't seem like anything to worry about. I advise quitting for a while, maybe a month, just for your body to combat some of the pesticides and such. After that, you should be relatively well off. If you're nervous or fear your symptoms are getting worse, see a doctor (it could only benefit you). Any questions, feel free to email me.

Answer 3

A picture is worth a thousand words. Look up "lung pics" on the net. You will see healthy lungs and diseased lungs. The lungs of your subject are most likely very traumatized from the 60 years of smoking. As far as your question "Is it worth it?" To me it's not worth it. But i also know what addiction can do to a person. Nicotine addiction is serious and unfortunately many people will die from small cell lung cancer.

Answer 4

If you can imagine a piece of sewing cloth, solid pink.
Then take black ink and blot it here and there on the pink cloth.
Let it dry. As it dries it will diffuse into the cloth.
After it dries, pick it up and look at it at arms length.
Its not perfect but thats an idea of a smokers lungs.

Answer 5

This is very sad. I hope this is a lesson for you and any family members who smoke or who are thinking of starting. It is not worth it. It causes a lot of pain later down the road for your love ones who care about you, like you with your elderly friend. After 60 years of smoking, I bet she enjoyed every minute of it.

Answer 6

Charred Remains of the day!

Of course you might also get a look at her skin to see the outward effects. Smokers grow to look far older than they actually are.

From the outer appearance, I would imagine you could get the far scarier vantage point of what her lungs look like now.

If you are not squeemish though, here's you a REALITY CHECK http://charles96707.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/drobson26a.jpg.w180h114.jpg

The images of prior answers look far too healthy dear. Her lungs are most likely more deflated, drier and not spongy at all. Yes, nicotine & tar are sticky, but that only makes the inside of the lungs STICK together so that they are harder to inflate!!!

Should she continue, tell her of my Nanna who plead with my sister, "Breathe for me Dinece!!! Help me please!!!" before she died by literal suffocation.

Answer 7

yuck i bet they are really black with lots of holes in them i am sorry to hear she cannot stop smoking but maybe she figures she is to old now and already has lung disease so what the hell if she keeps on smoking it is not going to change anything anyway maybe she feels like that that is why she keeps on smoking

Answer 8

Plz go and see the pictures :
1) http://www.medsyn.fr/perso/g.perrin/cyberdoc/medical/stop-tabac/images/poumons.jpg
2) http://www.futura-sciences.com/img/GoodLungBadLung.gif

These are real pictures!