A woman has shared her tragic loss in a bid to warn others about the dangers of vaping after her wife’s lungs “shut down”.
When Amanda Lee Hall first started vaping in an attempt to kick her smoking habit for good, she didn’t expect for her life to meet its ultimate demise just years later in 2021.
Before her untimely death, the 44-year-old found love with accounts payable specialist, Kristen Hensley, with the pair tying the knot in 2014, Jam Press reports.
Hall first began experiencing frequent worrying symptoms such as vomiting and weight loss linked to vaping in September 2019 and was initially diagnosed with bronchitis, before passing away on 4 February 2021.
With 1 in 20 Americans vaping, according to Single Care, a pharmaceutical and prescription service based in the US, Ms Hensley is now sharing her wife’s story to warn of the dangers of the popular habit.
“We lost the heart of our family and it’s a loss that we will never recover from,” Ms Hensley, from North Carolina, told NeedToKnow.Online.
“Since losing her, life has been miserable and I feel adrift – every day is a struggle just to function and her absence is felt to the core.
“Amanda wanted others to be aware of the dangers of vaping and the opportunity to share her story, even if it only helps one person, would be amazing.
“People are dying from this habit. With smoking, at least doctors know what the long-term effects are but this is new and unregulated.
“No one knows what it is really doing to people.”
When Hall’s dad became terminally ill and was placed on oxygen, she decided to give up smoking for good in 2013, believing vaping was a healthier option.
Prior to this, she had frequently smoked for around 22 years, starting at aged 14.
At first, she had no problems but over the next five years, began experiencing disturbing health complications, such as vomiting frequently, losing 4st 2lbs over the course of five months and experiencing cold-like symptoms.
In September 2019, she was rushed to hospital but was sent home with a diagnosis of bronchitis and antibiotics.
Four days later, medics then confirmed her lungs were shutting down, where doctors believed vaping was the cause of damage to her lungs.
She remained in hospital to receive high-flow oxygen but tragically, soon after, required a ventilator and was put in a medically-induced coma and later on life support.
Sadly, in February 2020, she suffered another set-back, where she was diagnosed with double pneumonia, before being admitted to hospital for the fourth and final time in December.
The horrific ordeal happened over just one-and-a-half years.
Speaking about the ordeal, Ms Hensley said: “I was so scared, especially as I had no idea how sick she was because she had been bravely acting like it was just a cold.
“I completely believed her lungs would heal from the vaping injury and she would be healthy again – but I was wrong.
“I was told there was no meaningful chance of improvement and that it was unlikely she would ever be able to survive without the ventilator, especially as her stats wouldn’t improve – where they told me to say my goodbyes.
“I was able to talk to her and hold her hand while she was dying, until she closed her eyes and took her last breath.”
Since Hall’s death, her family, including her sister, Angela, 48, are struggling to piece their lives back together.
As Kristen’s finances took a hit, with mounting hospital bills and going from two salaries to one, she started a GoFundMe, where she has raised $2,080 (USD), with an end goal of $5,000 (USD).
While it’s not officially on Hall’s medical records that the initial lung injury was due to vaping, the 44-year-old claims doctors advised this was the most likely cause.
Now, Ms Hensley hopes sharing her wife’s story will encourage others to stop vaping and prevent other families from going through this turmoil.
She added: “I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder [because of this] and I don’t sleep well due to nightmares or I wake myself up crying – it’s been very difficult.
“She was the first woman I went out with and I was terrified at first, but I had so much fun with her.
“She put me at ease, made me laugh and was just so adorable.
“Life isn’t the same without her, but my love for Amanda will always stay alive – she was my everything and so much more.
“I hope my wife’s story will help others who are trying to deter this deadly habit and hopefully avoid the same devastating fate we’ve all suffered.”
