My neighbor's name was Elaine. I didn't know that until after her funeral. Elaine was 41 and had graduated at the top of her class at the university. I didn't know that, either. I did know that she had two nice boys, who were friends with my boys (and another that was older) and I knew that she smoked. I must admit that I don't go out of my way to make friends with smokers...

Just before Thanksgiving, Elaine's grandfather died, so she took her boys and drove back home, to his funeral.

During the funeral, Elaine collapsed and her family rushed her to the hospital, where she spent three days alert and talking to her boys. She even reassured them, "It's not like I'm going to die or anything."

No one thought that she was going to die...but she did.
She'd had an aneurysm.

I read about them and they are much more common in smokers.

Elaine seemed like a very nice person and she must have been, because her sons are inconsolable.

Please quit smoking today, especially if you have or ever plan to have children. And if you haven't started smoking please never do.