My mother who is 80 has been having a flemy cough after a short bout with a cold...no fever. My mother is a smoker...about 10 cigs a day. I took her to the doctor thinking she could have an upper respitory infection. The doctor wanted a chest xray which we went and got. She called today and said she had the starting of emphyzema and cloudy areas at the base of both lungs and she said she wanted another xray in 3 weeks. But wouldn't give her an antibiotic for the congestion and basically, said that all this was caused by smoking. I know that cloudy lungs can also mean an infection. I don't understand why she wouldn't try an antibiotic to try and clear up the congestion instead of scaring my mother and me to death in thinking it must be Lung Cancer. Also my mother is so upset now and said she will never have Kemo at her age. My mother and I can't wait another 3 weeks for answers especially when the doctor's attitude was so " matter-a-factly! Can you give me some answers?