Life Before Mesothelioma
Daddy was an electrician with a large company that serviced the needs of government facilities. He would always tell us stories about how he had to crawl and cram his way through the walls and bellies of these great buildings to make sure their electrical service was working. He did everything from running wires to setting up modernized electrical systems. We often were regaled with his heroism for going where no other electrician would to get the job done.
All too often, Daddy came home covered from head to foot in heavy plaster powder and dust from having gone into those areas. He would usually remove his outer layer of clothing in the back yard before coming in the house. Sometimes he would have to wash his hair outside because the dust was so thick in it. Mom really appreciated this because it meant it was one less mess for her to clean up. Daddy was a light smoker for a number of years.
He typically did it when he felt under stress, but never became a chain smoker. After about 15 years of smoking he quit gradually. He was in better health than ever when he retired from his post with the electric service and was looking forward to spending more time with Mom since we had all moved out of the house, the mortgage was paid off and they had some money saved up.
Just before his 62nd birthday Daddy started having health problems. He said he was having trouble breathing or felt out of breath from doing little or nothing. There was some pressure in his chest and he had little appetite which caused a visible decline in his weight. A short doctor’s visit cleared up all questions we had about what was wrong with Daddy.
Exposure to Asbestos
During his years as an electrician in these old government buildings, it was almost assured that he had been exposed to asbestos many times and in large amounts. He was never given masks or protective clothing when he entered the inside of these buildings and there was often no alternative to breathing in the dust that filled the tiny spaces.
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
In early diagnoses, Daddy was found to have tumor on his pericardium. The tumors were biopsied and it was quickly found that he had pericardial mesothelioma. The disease was found early enough that it was operable but he was still given just 2 years to live. We were told that this was a pretty good prognosis and that many people find out only a few weeks to a few months before the cancer completely takes over. We knew that any treatment taken into consideration would be aggressive and could put Daddy into a worse condition than he was already in.
|
