DEAR ABBY: Please tell me how to handle this. I have terrible winter asthma. During the holidays I go to visit my in-laws and my mother -- all chain smokers.
They know about my smoke allergy and they do "try," but being long-term smokers, they usually forget and wind up smoking in the next room or in front of me. I am tired of being the party pooper who says, "Please put that out." So, they don't invite us over to family gatherings unless it's Christmas. I go, and then seven to 10 days later, after I have compromised my immune system, I have terrible bronchitis. It lasted nearly three months last year.
This has gone on so long, I feel like they love their cigarettes more than me.
So here it is January, and I'm starting the new year sick and on inhalers and antibiotics. How can I get it across to my loving family to refrain from smoking in front of me or during my visits without so deeply offending them? -- SLEEPLESS IN OREGON
DEAR SLEEPLESS: You can't! Face it, your family (all smokers) are addicted to tobacco, and their addiction is greater than their consideration for you or your health problems.