Please don't smoke, please take offense

I see dozens and dozens of patients in the office on resident office days for getting tonsils out and or getting ventilation tubes put in their ears.  Yesterday I was not having a very cheerful day for some reason and I decided to be straight up with my patients parents.  Usually I can gauge between those receptive of constructive criticism and those who aren't.  Well, my gauge was off.  I told one dad that smoking outside with an asthmatic child with bad allergies still wasn't good enough and he and the rest of the family needed to eventually stop.  He felt it a priority that the kids see family instead of keeping them away from those environments.  I could see his point, but pointed out that in some states, smoking around a child is considered child abuse and it's a serious matter.  He didn't like what I had to say and told me to stop.  Well I did.  I felt bad that I had offended him, until I started asking him questions about his child's clinical status.  He had no clue how his kids was doing, what medications they were taking, nor even WHY they were actually doing in my office space.  Thankfully the mom (divorced couple) arrived with all the pertinent information and the children were properly diagnosed and treated.

Today I was hit with a breath of fresh air.  I saw a patient who had taken our advice to heart and quit smoking around the child three months ago.  Now, the child was devoid of allergic symptoms and doing great. 

It's amazing how a little selfishness can so largely affect those around you.