Month: October 2015

Heading to the Mountains Allowed Dad to Escape Mesothelioma

• Joseph Belluck
• Faces of Mesothelioma, Family, Mesothelioma

I say it all the time, my Dad was so much more than a disease. He should be defined for being an incredible husband, father, brother, and friend. He should be remembered for his character and sense of humor, not as someone who had mesothelioma. Dad never wanted the burden of being ill for himself or anyone else; he wanted to be Donnie, not Donnie who had cancer.

Mesothelioma did not change who my father was. It changed his ability physically, but his personality and values remained unchanged. Most of the time, he just wanted to be away from everything that reminded him of his cancer.

Dad loved spending time in the mountains, and this is where he would go when he wanted to get away from it all. We would take rides, go out for dinner, and stop at scenic overlooks to just take some time to relax. He loved playing bluegrass music with his band; it seemed like when he was on stage, he could let go and just be himself, smiling and singing.

Spending time at home with his family was always high on his priority list. He loved getting lost in old stories and making new memories. But he wasn’t afraid to say that he didn’t want to talk about mesothelioma anymore if it were brought up in conversation. Dad was determined not to let this disease run his life. Life is so much more than one setback, it is the sum of all that you are. Dad’s sum total was a beautiful life and he is loved and missed every single day.

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

Nurse Sees Diversions As A Good Way to Cope With Mesothelioma

• Lisa Hyde-Barrett
• Nurse's Corner

When I decide to write a blog it is usually based on an interaction that I have had, or something I’ve seen that I thought was different, or just something that will help others on their journey with mesothelioma.

I recently took care of someone who was in recovery after surgery for his mesothelioma. Despite the size of his tumor and length of his surgery, he was doing remarkably well. He had a supportive family who were in and out throughout the shift I spent with him. But the one thing I think that surprised me, was that he was involved with starting up a business. This business had been a thought, a dream, before he got sick – but now it was becoming a reality. He and his wife had decided to stick with the plan and go for it. 

As I cared for him, it was clear that his health was his and his wife’s  priority, but this business gave them something else to think about. It provided a healthy diversion during which he was not the patient and she was not the caregiver. It is important to focus on your health, but it is also good to have a diversion.

Diversions or hobbies can help you pass the time during recovery, and keep you from worrying about every single pain, and decision that is being made. Not everyone is going to start  a business, but having seen firsthand the important role it was playing in this patient’s successful recovery, I started thinking about other things that could help other patients.

Everyone’s lives are different and the options are just as different. Maybe a wedding is coming up in the family, a new baby, or just the desire to learn something new – like social media. You could tell the story of your journey, your life before mesothelioma. People are very interested in hearing how people are dealing with their illness and recovery. No one better than you can tell what is like. If you are not into that, possibly you can find a class that interests you. Something low key, like knitting, or an online class about something you have always been interested in, maybe even take the time to learn a foreign language.

Diversions are not about passing the time.  An unknown author once said, “Recreation’s purpose is not to kill time, but to make time live; not to keep people occupied, but to keep them refreshed; not to offer an escape from life, but to provide a discovery of life.”  Everyone’s journey is unique – as are their coping skills.

Mesothelioma might offer you the chance to do something you have always dreamed of doing.

Ask Jennifer: How to Manage Mesothelioma’s Financial Burden?

• Joseph Belluck
• Faces of Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma

Health care is expensive; being treated for mesothelioma is daunting enough without having to consider the financial strain. A lot of meso patients travel for treatment, adding additional expenses to the already large number looming overhead. Sometimes, I fear that the cost may impact someone’s decision to receive the best care available.

When my Dad was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, we started on a journey in many ways. One of these journeys was traveling to New York City, eventually making it our second home. Hotel employees knew us by name, servers at restaurants we frequented would talk about seeing friends of ours who had just been there – who were also in NYC for treatment. Life in NYC is expensive as anyone can imagine, but the cost was well worth the benefit for my father.

Starting our trips to NYC, we weren’t sure how we would handle it. Hotel accommodations and meals were a great expense and we were grateful for the gifts and donations that generous family members and friends provided. When Dad needed to stay in the city for six weeks, we were blessed to find that Dad met the criteria to stay at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge; they provided a wonderful place for Mom and Dad at no charge.

Figuring out everything that goes along with a mesothelioma diagnosis can be a huge task, but there are people who can help you. Contact the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation; they were an unbelievable help to my family. They can provide you with information that can change things for the better.

When considering the cost of cancer care, don’t count out any treatment because of monetary implications. It is well worth researching aid and help that you may be able to receive. After all, you or your loved one’s health is worth more than any dollar amount!

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