My father was working at a processing industry of asbestos. When he was retired, his retirement took place ten years ago, he was a man of sinew who liked to take long walks into the woods nearby our village. One day, after his daily walk, he complained to us for chest pains. We were all scared. After a brief family meeting, we programmed a visit to the cardiologist. In our minds was the thought of an infarct and we were prepared for a by-pass surgery to his heart. No one could imagine what the doctor was about to tell us. My father had been through several tests and some days later the doctor told me, as I was attending medical school, his diagnosis: “Your father suffers from pericardial mesothelioma”. I was as silent as the grave. The words couldn’t get out of my mouth. I gathered myself and I told the news to my mother and my sister. I let the doctor to inform my father for his condition, as I couldn’t stop crying. I did some research and I found out that pericardial mesothelioma – a disease that affects the lining of the heart – is caused by the prior exposure to asbestos. That means that my father’s profession was responsible for this disease. So, what were we supposed to about his treatment and the company he was working for? I discussed with the doctor the options. We discussed all the necessary measures to relief my father’s symptoms, which were not only chest pain, but also heart palpitations and some more. The doctor did not want to perform surgery as the cancer was too large, so he started radiation, as it was easier for my father to handle. Even though the radiation treatment was in progress, many times my father had to admit to the hospital for removing the mesothelial fluid in order to be relieved from pain and pressure. Time was passing by but the tumor wasn’t shrinking with radiation. So, the doctor decided to proceed with chemotherapy. Unfortunately my father suffered from hair loss and extreme nausea. I couldn’t bear this situation any more. If only pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed earlier, he could have a chance to be operated and live more happy years. Since he was diagnosed with that awful disease, he spent most of his life into the hospital, suffering from pain. I understand that I couldn’t just magically disappear off the cancer. No one could. We all tried to be there for him. But the most amazing thing was that my father wasn’t thinking of himself, but of his family. He prepared us for his “departure” by saying: “I want to thank you all for your support and for everything you did for me. I know that if there was something more that could be done, you would do it. Take care of each other and love one another. I love you.” After one day he passed away.
Archive for November, 2009
My Father’s Pericardial Mesothelioma Diagnosis
November 14th, 2009Deadly Time bomb – Mesothelioma
November 13th, 2009We all heard of Absestos and the hideous implications it has in our health. Asbestosis is’a form of lung illness ( pneumoconiosis )’ which causes interstitial fibrosis or scarring of the lungs.
Asbestosis is progressive and, for the main part, irrevocable. Respiration impairment becomes worse with time, even if asbestos exposure has ceased. Asbestosis is mostly found in asbestos employees and not in the public. Asbestos cretes Mesothelioma, and Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which is affecting mesothelial tissue in the lungs, peritoneum or pericardium.
It is diagnosed in complicated stages usually, and it frequently takes substantial time to arrive at the right diagnosis, as the mean symptoms-to-diagnosis time reported is 122 days. The most often symptoms firs reported by sufferers are intestinal discomfort ( 35 ), anorexia, marked weight reduction, and ascites, less often night sweats and hypercoagulability. Mesothelioma ( carcinoma of the mesothelium ) is an illness in which cells of the mesothelium become unnatural and divide without control or order. They can attack and damage nearby tissues and organs.
The frightful part about this ilness, is that Mesothelioma has a much longer dormancy period compared to lung cancer ( 40 years vs 15-20 years ), and mesothelioma is thus sure to be found among employees who were first exposed to asbestos at a young age. Mesothelioma is always deadly. Mesothelioma has also been discovered in people that were exposed to asbestos only once many years prior.
The sole known reason for mesothelioma is asbestos. Mesothelioma has a much longer latency period compared to lung cancer ( forty years vs 15-20 years ), and Mesothelioma is thus much more likely to be found among workers who were first exposed to asbestos at a young age.
Exposure to asbestos has also been related to an increased occurrence of esophageal, kidney, laryngeal, pharyngeal, and buccal hole cancers. As with other known chronic occupational illnesses, disease related to asbestos typically appears about 20 years following the 1st occurrence of exposure : There are no known acute effects associated with asbestos exposure. This fall in lung function often is accompanied by indications that include pains in the chest , coughing, sneezing, and pulmonary congestion. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke ( ETS ) is a big reason for lung cancers in folks who themselves don’t use tobacco.
Many people suffering from mesothelioma look to special Mesothelioma lawyers to help them get money not only as compensation, but to help with the high costs of medical and long term care required.
What exactly is Mesothelioma?
November 10th, 2009I made up my mind to create this article for all of the folks out there, spending all day scouring the keywords’what is mesothelioma and what issues does mesothelioma cause’ on Google. Many folks still don’t know what’s mesothelioma cancer or disease? Well this paper will tell you roughly some of the data about Mesothelioma cancer or disease. Mesothelium covers the external surfaces of the heart and lung. It also covers the inner surface of the chest wall and the inner surface of the sac that surrounds the heart called pericardium. In the lungs the mesothelium is known as pleura, in the heart it is known as pericardium, and in the intestinal hole it takes the name of peritoneum. Its primary role is to guard these organs by manufacturing a lubricating liquid that allows for movement. While mesothelioma can affect any of the mesothelial tissue in the body, it is most frequently seen in the pleural or peritoneal mesothelium.
Unfortunately, many patients aren’t identified with mesothelioma until symptoms are present, and symptoms aren’t generally present till the cancer is in its complicated stages.
It is made of two layers of cells : One layer straight away surrounds the organ, the other forms a sac around it. It ( carcinoma of the mesothelium ) is an illness in the cells of the mesothelium, which become abnormal and divide without any control and order. They can attack and damage nearby tissues and organs. Mesothelioma ( carcinoma of the mesothelium ) occurs when the cells of the mesothelium become unnatural and divide without control or order. Nearby tissues and organ can be influenced and the malignancy cells can also metastasize ( spread ) from their original site to other bits of the body. So what’s Asbestos? Well, asbestos fibers cause incisions and scarring on the mesothelium, at last leading to the formation of cancers.
The damaged cells secrete large quantities of a clear liquid that presses on the lungs and other organs, causing harsh pain. The tissue formed by these cells is named mesothelium.There are 3 main kinds of evil mesothelioma : epithelial, sarcomatoid and mixed. The epithelial type is the commonest. Mesothelioma is a terrifying illness where a selected sort of cell ( the mesothelium ) divides without control.This division of cells can end up in mesothelioma.
Now, not everything is bad news. Benign mesothelioma may happen wherever there’s mesothelium. It is local and doesn’t spread to nearby tissues. Cancer that happens in the mesothelium tissue is named mesothelioma. Malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers the majority of the body’s interior organs. The commonest site is the pleura ( outer liner of the lungs and chest hole ), but mesothelioma could also happen in the peritoneum or the pericardium.
In a few cases, this period has been over forty years. The mesothelium that protects the chest and lungs is named the pleura and the mesothelium that surrounds the abdomen is known as the peritoneum.