"My stubborn friend has this idea that it's OK to smoke cigarettes...she says that her neurologist told her that it was OK. I can't begin to understand how smoking can be acceptable to a brain that has been traumatized and is thus healing." She had the procedure in June
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I too am one of those "stubborn" people! I had radiosurgery in April and still smoke today, although I must say I am planning on quitting and have just picked up some meds to help me. To quit at the time of my radiosurgery was just too much for me, felt as though I had enough on my plate and quitting smoking was the last thing on my mind..
I switched to e-cigarettes from esmokeclub.com. They helped tremendously. I had a couple of slip-ups, but 99% of the time I smoke the e-cigs. Plus I can smoke anywhere, even when I am stuck in the hospital for days. :)
7 years ago I found out about my AVM and I'm a smoker,I still smoke.The reason my doctor didn't tell me to quit was because of the stress of withdraw and the effect it had on my blood pressure. I've had many embos angeos and gammma knife. I still smoke I've cut down a lot but I'm now AVM free.Is smoking good for you?? No but a lot of things are bad for us but we do them anyway.I think that is the least of your friends worries right now.Maybe in time your friend will quit.Your friend can't control their AVM but they can control what goes into their body.My life did a total 360 when I found out about my AVM and a lot of things were taken away and that was stressful and I felt like a child who wasn't allowed to make their own decisions and that was one thing that NOBODY could take away.Just a piece of advice your friend is dealing with a lot right now so if a cigarette makes them feel like a normal person for just a few minutes so be it.Just be there for them and let them be for the time being..