Mesothelioma Survivors: John Smith, Age 64

I was always taught by my parents that to live a successful life, I should be an honest, hard-working and compassionate person.I lived each and every day of my life like this.

I began working in the manufacturing plant of a large auto company once I was finished with school. I married my wife 40 years ago and always provided for her and my four kids. We lived a good life, were never wealthy, but comfortable and happy.

I worked long hours, 10 to 12 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week, so that my wife could stay at home and raise our children. I was an honest man who worked his way up to plant manager. I was fair to my workers, and worked side-by-side with them in each area of the plant. We were dedicated to our company and gave them the best years of our lives.

And we were happy to do it.

Now, decades later, I am being re-paid in a way I never expected…

It was almost six weeks ago now that I found out I have a very deadly form of cancer called mesothelioma. This has become the worst word in the English language to me and my family. We were devastated to hear the cruel diagnosis after a short period of time when I was having some trouble breathing. It never crossed our minds that I was breathing in deadly asbestos fibers at the workplace where I gave so much of my life, 50 hours or more a week for years.

Each breath I took while at work was contributing to my early death sentence.

I felt so betrayed.

So, I have now begun my dreaded journey to treat a disease that is said to be incurable. I have already had a pneumonectomy, which consisted of an operation to remove the lung that was infected. The recovery has been tough, but with the support of my family, I am getting through it.

The other treatments that I am facing are radiation and chemotherapy. I know that the side effects of these are said to be most unpleasant, but at this point, there really aren’t too many options. I continue to hope for a miracle and try not to let bitterness and anger fester over how this disease began in my body.

I find myself thinking of which day of work it was that I finally took in one too many deadly breaths that pushed my body into a deadly spiral towards this horrible disease. I try to fight these feelings, but sometime I just can’t help the thought of what was done to my body in the quest for profits and a better life for others.

I feel so betrayed. But, at least I am alive… That is more than can be said for many others in my position. I have the love and support of my caring wife and family, and the help of friends and associates. Each day is a struggle, but we are getting on.

And we will; until the very end.

Mesothelioma Survivors: Jane Doe, Age 58

The day started out like any other day. I was planning on going out to lunch with two of my long-time friends and then spending the afternoon with my daughter and my three beautiful grandchildren.

I noticed what a beautiful sunny day it was as I drove to my primary care doctor to discuss a reoccurring cough that I had had for the past few months. Previous doctor’s visits had not resulted in any diagnosis; but when my doctor’s office called the previous day, they said I should go in to the office to discuss the next step.

When I left the office only 45 minutes later, I realized my life was changed forever. I had been given the devastating news that I had mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer that is currently untreatable.

Looking back on that day, I was in shock. I don’t remember driving home, or how my friends knew enough to come over.

How could this be happening to me?

I have always been a healthy, active woman. Other than losing my husband to lung cancer 4 years ago, I have always had a pretty blessed life. Telling my kids was the hardest part. Knowing that I wouldn’t be around to watch my precious grandchildren grow up, or to see my youngest son get married, was unbearable.

I was about to begin the last chapter of my life... A chapter that no one could ever be prepared to face.

After living in a state of shock, anger, and then followed by severe depression for a few weeks, I began to ‘come out of the fog’. I realized that yes, my life was going to be much shorter than I had anticipated, but I was still alive. I began to seek out support groups for people with terminal illness. This was a tremendous help for me.

It didn’t make having mesothelioma any easier. That part still felt as if I was living a nightmare. What the support group did do was to help me feel like I am not the only person to go through such a horrible experience.

By sharing our stories and our sources of comfort and hope, I felt a sense of being more at peace with things.

One question that I can’t get out of my head is how?

I have always been healthy, active, never smoked…
Where did this horrible disease come from?

It has been concluded that the cause of my disease was 25 years of my husband working as a carpenter and coming home with dust-filled clothes. I always assumed it was drywall dust; in-fact, it was asbestos…

Being the home-maker I was, I routinely did laundry for the family several times a week. Apparently this simple, mundane task that seemed so harmless for all those years, was like breathing in deadly air in the mistaken ‘safety’ of my own home.

The hardest part of this whole illness isn’t all of the pain and suffering that quickly comes along, nor is it the endless doctors appointments, and losing your sense of independence. The worst part of mesothelioma is how quickly the disease progresses and how little time that leaves you with family and loved ones.

I just can’t imagine not being here with them on holidays, and for all of the daily nuances of life. I still struggle with this each and every day, and try to be thankful for every minute I am on this earth with the people I love.

I have some comfort in knowing that when my time comes, I will be able to be with my husband once again, hopefully watching over my family like a guardian angel, to make sure they are never working in an environment that years later could kill them or their own family.

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