Former smokers urge others to quit
By Terry Rindfleisch of the Tribune staff
William King and Harold Flemke started smoking at age 18 when they entered the military.
They quit at different times in their lives and for different reasons. Both now are in a cardiac rehabilitation program at the La Crosse Exercise and Health Program at the University of Wisconssin-La Crosse.
King, 80, quit smoking cigarettes about 20 years ago after his first heart attack. He had heart bypass surgery and also suffered a stroke.
“That will make you stop,” King said. “I quit on the spot. The first couple of weeks were bad, but you got to tell yourself that this stuff will kill you.”
King said he began smoking more than a pack of cigarettes a day as an Army paratrooper. He smoked mostly cigarettes, but from time to time he had a cigar and smoked a pipe.
“I’d have a cocktail, and then I’d smoke a pack that night,” King said. “I had a pressure job and when things got tough, I’d smoke a lot.”
Today, teens are more informed about the dangers of smoking and should never start because tobacco is dangerous to their health, he said.
“I also don’t know how kids can afford cigarettes today,” King said. “f I smoked today, I’d quit because of the price.
“You’re nuts if you smoke today,” he said. “You have to quit. It’s not worth the cost down the line.”
Sharon Schulz, a registered nurse and co-coordinator of the Mayo Nicotine Research Program at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, said many people quit smoking because they want to change their lifestyle, or they get pressure or encouragement from a spouse, family and friends.
“Some want to save money,” Schulz said. “They always wanted to quit and the price keeps going up. Others don’t want to jeopardize their health because they want to be around for their family.”
Flemke, 77, said cigarettes cost 35 cents a pack when he quit almost 40 years ago. He smoked a pack or more a day off and on for 20 years starting when he joined the U.S. Navy.
“I quit so many times, and it was so hard,” Flemke said.
Then one New Year’s Eve, Flemke said he threw a pack of cigarettes on a table at the stroke of midnight. Even though he wanted his cigarettes back in a half hour, he said he never smoked again.
“It’s a bad addiction,” Flemke said. “Some people enjoy a cigarette. I really didn’t like smoking. I never coughed like other smokers, but everybody smoked in those days.
“I never missed smoking, and now I hate the smell of smoke,” he said.
Like King, Flemke quit cold turkey. He said a half of a stick of gum helped him with his cravings for cigarettes.
“The biggest thing was, ‘What was I going to do with my hands?’ " Flemke said. “After a week, I didn’t think about it. Once you get going, you say, ‘That’s one more day without cigarettes,’ and before you know it, years have passed.”
Three years ago Flemke had a internal defibrillator implanted to regulate his heartbeat. Last year, he had open heart surgery to replace a heart valve.
His advice to teens is quite simple – don’t ever start to smoke.
“I don’t know how smokers today can afford to smoke,” Flemke said. “Look at the vacation you could go on with the money saved from not smoking. They can raise cigarettes to $10 a pack as far as I’m concerned.”
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8227.
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