Make the Holiday Special for Mesothelioma Patients

Holiday Season Is a Time of Hope for Mesothelioma Community

With the holiday season upon us, it is a bittersweet time for many people in the mesothelioma community. Having lived as a part of this community for almost three years now, I have experienced every holiday with my Dad having this disease and every holiday without my father since his passing in October 2013.

I remember the difference in my Dad between Christmas 2011 and Christmas 2012. In 2011, he was very sick, but had not yet been diagnosed. We were in a state of flux, waiting to hear what the next steps would be to help him. He was having a lot of trouble breathing, losing weight quickly, and was completely exhausted all the time. The sparkle in his eyes that was sort of his trademark wasn’t there anymore, and his happy-go-lucky attitude had given way to doing his best to make it through another day.

As we opened our gifts and shared our time with family, I remember wondering to myself if this might be the last Christmas I would have with him. Even not knowing what was wrong, I knew that he was just going through the motions to try to keep everyone happy; that was not him at all. The following month, Dad was diagnosed and we were sent on a whirlwind ride throughout 2012.

Christmas that year was completely different. Dad was back to being himself again. He felt great, even taking some time to ride his new exercise bike that was given to him for a gift. He was Mr. Social, taking charge of getting the table ready for dinner, laughing and talking with everyone, and enjoying every single second. It was as though he had a new lease on life. I never expected that this would, in fact, be his last Christmas. Even so, it was a beautiful one that I will treasure forever.

No matter what the situation, dealing with an illness for yourself or your loved ones is difficult. The holidays seem to make it even harder for some reason. Last year, our first Christmas without Dad, was bittersweet. We did our best to carry on our traditions just like he would have wanted. It was his favorite time of the year, and we knew that the best way to honor his memory was to smile through the pain and enjoy the time we had with those who were here.

This time of year is a time of hope. Hold onto that hope and believe that miracles do happen every day; many times, we just don’t see them until later! Make every moment count and enjoy this season with your loved ones. God bless you and your families!

Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.

What are Some of the Preoperative Tests for Mesothelioma Patients?

Many mesothelioma patients have surgery to remove tumors, parts of tumors, or parts of organs that have been affected by the disease. Before any surgery, however, there are necessary tests to determine if the disease has spread, whether it has advanced to another stage, and the size of the tumor being targeted.

Accurate staging is important for deciding on mesothelioma treatment.

Advanced Diagnostic Tools Let Physicians See Organ Damage from Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma, which invades the linings around the lungs, is the most common form of mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, which is rarer, invades the linings around the heart.

Surgeons will often perform mediastinoscopy on patients with these kinds of mesothelioma. This is a minimally invasive procedure where a small incision is made in the chest so that a scope can be inserted to look in the area around the lungs or heart. A needle can be used to remove tissue and fluids for testing to help determine the disease stage.

Pericardioscopy is another minimally invasive surgery used to determine the extent that the heart linings have been damaged. A surgeon makes a small cut in the skin over the heart and places a small tube with a camera inside. Cell samples are often removed during pericardioscopy.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a newer treatment that doesn’t require an incision. Instead, a physician places a bronchoscope, with a special endoscope attached to it that is outfitted with an ultrasound processor and fine-gauge aspiration needle, down the patient’s throat and through the trachea. EBUS lets physicians see more of the airways, lungs, and smaller lymph nodes than they would through mediastinoscopy. Views are clearer and illuminate areas missed in the mediastinoscopy.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) might be used on patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the linings of abdominal organs. During EUS, a tube with an endoscope is placed down the throat or through the rectum to view the digestive tract. A transducer on the tip of the endoscope provides higher-quality images than those obtained through traditional ultrasound. It can also get closer to the affected organs and provide more detail on lymph node activity.

What Do These Tests Show?

Physicians order these tests to get closer views and details about organ damage and changes in lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes are small glands found throughout the body that are a key part of the immune system. The largest lymph nodes are located in the neck, around the groin, and in the armpits. Smaller ones are found throughout the body.They send lymph fluids around the body to trap bacteria, viruses, and other threats and send lymphocytes—special white blood cells—to destroy them. They also carry nutrients to different parts of the body and help remove waste.

When lymph nodes are overwhelmed by disease, infection, or an injury, they become swollen in the affected area. This swelling is an important sign that a disease may have taken hold or spread.

Mesothelioma attacks the linings that protect organs, specifically, mesothelial cells on the inside of these linings. These cells provide lubricating fluids that let these organs move and function smoothly. Asbestos fibers that are inhaled or swallowed attach to these linings and damage the mesothelial cells.

Nurse Explains Cancer Staging | Mesothelioma Help

Learn About Mesothelioma During Lung Cancer Awareness Month

For many people, November means apple cider, pumpkin pie, and Thanksgiving. In the health and medical fields, November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which emphasizes education and awareness of all things about lung cancer and other cancers affecting the respiratory system – such as mesothelioma.

The Ebola crisis that made headlines this October shows how easy it is to misunderstand or, worse, twist information about disease and health. Teaching the facts about mesothelioma, its symptoms, and its causes can help patients, family members, and friends better understand the disease and help advocate for the community.

Let’s Get the Facts Straight About Mesothelioma

In the spirit of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, here are some basic facts about mesothelioma that patients, family members, and friends can share with others.

Mesothelioma is not contagious. No one can “catch” it.
Some people that have mesothelioma blog about it and are okay if you ask them questions.
The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a mineral with long, thin fibers that were inhaled or swallowed by people who worked around it. Other people who lived with those who worked with asbestos and carried fibers home on their clothing also breathed them in and can develop the cancer.
More than one-third of U.S. mesothelioma patients were exposed to asbestos during military service.
There are treatments for mesothelioma and others are being tested in medical trials in the U.S. and around the world, but there is no cure.
Although there are many bans on using asbestos, it is still allowed in some industries and products such as car brakes. It is still found in many older homes and buildings. Asbestos is not banned in the U.S.
Asbestos is not dangerous until it breaks, flakes, or is somehow disturbed. For that reason, people who renovate old homes or replace old pipes, wiring, insulation, etc., should contact certified asbestos contractors if asbestos is present.
Mesothelioma often takes years, even decades, to develop in a person.

Know the Symptoms for Mesothelioma

Everyone has some of these symptoms once in a while, but when they don’t go away, they should be reviewed by a doctor. The sooner mesothelioma is diagnosed, the more tools patients and doctors have to fight it. Common symptoms for mesothelioma include:

Pain in the lower back or sides of the chest
Shortness of breath
Constant coughing
Unexplained weight loss
Loss of appetite
Night sweats

Before the 1980s, people who worked in these jobs may have been routinely exposed to asbestos:

Navy and Merchant Marine shipbuilders
Construction workers: plumbers, lathers, pipefitters, welders, electricians, and drywall installers
Paper mill workers
Airplane and auto mechanics
Firefighters

President Declared November as National Family Caregivers Month

“Each day, courageous individuals step forward to help care for family members in need, their quiet acts of selflessness and sacrifice telling a story of love and devotion. Across our country, parents and children, siblings and spouses, friends and neighbors heroically give of themselves to support those in their lives affected by illness, injury, or disability. During National Family Caregivers Month, we salute the people who play difficult and exhausting roles, and we recommit to lifting up these Americans as they care for their loved ones while protecting their dignity and individuality.

In the United States, more than 60 million caregivers provide invaluable strength and assistance to their family members, and as the number of older Americans rises, so will the number of caregivers. Many of these dedicated people work full time and raise children of their own while also caring for the needs of their loved ones. Caregivers support the independence of their family members and enable them to more fully participate in their communities, and as a Nation, we have an obligation to empower these selfless individuals.” ~ Presidential Proclamation — National Family Caregivers Month, 2014

The reality is without family caregivers, we would not be able to care for the sick. All of us at some point in our lives, for some period of time will have the opportunity to take care of someone. We are them.

[expert_info author=”Rashida Jones”]“I know that in life there will be sickness, devastation, disappointments, heartache- it’s a given. What’s not a given is the way you choose to get through it all. If you look hard enough, you can always find the bright side.” [/expert_info]

As I look back on some of the family caregivers I have encountered over the years, some of the faces and names, and their stories, come to mind. The newly married wife of a young mesothelioma patient, how supportive and loving she was and how well he did. The next time I saw them he had gained twenty pounds, looked and felt wonderful; she had aged, and lost ten pounds, but her smile could not have been brighter!

There was an elderly couple who had been together for a long time, she had mesothelioma and he doted on her, took notes, and was happy to do anything he could for her.

A middle aged couple, married for twenty years with no children – she had mesothelioma, she was the light of his life. He would travel half way across the country to work in order to keep their medical insurance, so that she would have the care she wanted at the institution she wanted.

The stories will never make the headlines, but they are more important than any celebrity, or business deal, or latest fad to sweep the nation. They are happening every day, look around and be thankful: we have them among us.

Family caregivers are the bright side!

There is No Good Time for Mesothelioma

John Lennon is quoted as saying, “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” No matter how precisely you have things planned out in your mind, God’s plan takes over. Perhaps the quote, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans” is more fitting here. I guess that in reality, you have to let go of any control you think you might have and look at the life around you happening right now.

No matter what, there is no “good time” to get mesothelioma. It doesn’t matter what’s happening in your life at the moment, everything changes so that you can take care of yourself or your loved one. Vacations are cancelled, work schedules shift, plans with friends are the last thing on your mind. It has to be that way because health priorities take over.

Oftentimes, when someone is faced with adversity of any kind, they wonder “why now?” The answer to this question will always elude us. We have no way of knowing why things happen the way that they do. We just have to do our best to accept the challenges ahead of us and realize what is really important in life.

During my father’s fight with mesothelioma, he always told us not to change our plans and to have fun doing whatever would make us happiest. The truth is, the thing that we were the happiest doing was spending time with him. No matter if that meant going out and doing things when he was feeling his best, or taking care of him at his worst, being together was so special to us that it didn’t matter. There was no place we would have rather been than by his side.

Try not to get discouraged if you’re having trouble juggling personal obligations and interests with taking care of your loved one. Pray about it and it will all come together. Also, if you’re the patient, remember that your family loves you and only wants the best for you. They want to be there for you anyway that they can.

Life is a balancing act; luckily, we don’t have to go through it alone. God bless you.

Month: November 2014