I was even able to earn enough money to pay for my children’s college educations straight out of my pocket. I had enough forethought to set up a retirement fund and decided to close my shop after 40 years of business with a hefty sum in the bank. With my children grown and well established in their own lives, I sold the family home and bought a condo that my wife and I could use when we were not traveling the world, my greatest dream.
Exposure
Asbestos was well known to boiler men because many of the components of boilers on the ships were made with asbestos and the boilers were typically lined with the substance. Some of the components included refractory block insulation, roving material and gaskets. I did routine maintenance and sizeable repairs to the boilers and the equipment in the area.
There were many times when a broken piece of equipment would have asbestos dust coming out of it and no one thought much of breathing in the dust. Anytime there were overhauls made to the ships the crew present noted the immense amount of asbestos dust but were never warned that it was a potential health risk. There was never any protective clothing or masks used and ventilation in the belly of a ship was poor at best.
Diagnosis
Soon after my 68th birthday I began experiencing stomach trouble. I often chalked it up to eating rich food or exposure to new things during travels. My wife suggested that I be checked out by my physician during a stay in our condo when the pain began to intensify. I was also suffering from changes in my bowel habits and severe weight loss. The initial diagnosis was a gastro-intestinal tract illness and the doctor sought to diagnose the problem there.
They had little luck finding any problem and the areas affected by symptoms showed no trouble. The doctor then ordered an abdominal ultrasound that showed evidence of ‘shadow’ around some parts of my internal organs. Nothing was clear about what they were seeing so the doctor ordered tests in the area which included a biopsy of the cells in the region to rule out cancer. Unfortunately, cancer was not ruled out and I was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma following the results of the biopsy.
Treatment
With my wife and children at my side, I entered a cancer treatment center that was surprisingly near the condo. We had never noticed the unassuming structure before but it became the focal point of our lives. The team of medical professionals assigned to me explained every step that they were taking in the treatment; what the procedures were, how they would affect the cancer and how they would affect my body. The family was involved in the entire process.
It was determined that the cancer was spread to far to try any treatments that would attempt to eradicate the cancer. Their only option was to contain it and keep me comfortable, it was a terminal case. I was given chemotherapy to slow the rate of reproduction and spread of the cancerous cells but the prognosis was that I had fewer than six months to live. |
