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Tuesday, December 24, 2002Virgie Meade struggles with emphysema and a pulmonary disorder. She needs pure oxygen to breathe. Now she says administrators at the Western Reserve Extended Care nursing home in Kirtland, about 15 miles east of Cleveland, are keeping her from the one thing she still enjoys -- smoking. Meade, who has lived at the nursing home since 1998, and other residents were banned from a TV room they used for smoking and have been ordered to smoke outside, in an area protected from inclement weather with sheets of plastic. That's not easy for Meade, who had a stroke seven years ago, lost a leg in her battle with bone cancer and uses a wheelchair. She has smoked for 37 years, since she was 20. She’s not going to let anyone deprive her of the right to smoke while wearing oxygen. She's hired a lawyer. Actually, I’ve got to admit, I feel sympathy for her. Smoking is probably the only enjoyable thing she has left in life. She’s already got all the illnesses that come with it. Stopping now isn’t going to reverse them. They should let her enjoy herself in comfort, somewhere away from other residents - and inside. posted by Sydney on 12/24/2002 12:13:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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