The Scariest Moment: Mesothelioma

I hope you all are are having a wonderful day. I am enjoying the rain and anticipating a warm, cozy Thanksgiving with my family.

A couple days ago a fellow momma asked me if I would share her story with you all.

Please read. Please share.

I had no idea what Mesothelioma was until I met Heather.

Mesothelioma-The Scariest Moment

by Heather

I have had a lot of scary moments in my life, but nothing compares to the fear I felt when the doctor told me these three words: “you have cancer.” About 3 ½ months before hearing those awful words, I was the happiest person in the world because I had just had a baby. It seemed like in only a split second, I went from being happy to feeling miserable because I had just gotten diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma cancer, a disease that is directly linked to asbestos exposure.

People are so shocked when I tell them how I got my cancer. They automatically think that asbestos is banned, and then they wonder how I got it because I did not work in asbestos related areas. They look confused when I tell them that it is not banned and that I was exposed to asbestos by my father. My father would bring home asbestos every night. He worked in asbestos related areas because he worked in construction. He would handle drywall, mudding, and sanding. Throughout his handling of these things, he was in contact with asbestos. The asbestos fibers were found in the white dust that covered his clothes when he came home every night.

Since I was only 36 years old, I looked a lot different from the typical patient who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Most people who were diagnosed with mesothelioma made a living by doing plumbing jobs, heating jobs, electrical jobs, mechanical jobs, and jobs on ships. These were all areas that had high asbestos exposure. The wives of these people were diagnosed next. They would handle the clothes with all of the asbestos fibers still on them.

I do not look much different than the patients of today. Like me, they are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. We all are similar because we were exposed to asbestos the same way; we were exposed by our fathers. When our fathers came home from work, we would run to get a hug. We would follow them and hang with them as they insulated the pipes at the house. We would even put on their asbestos laden clothes to keep ours clean. We are also similar because mesothelioma caused our lives to come to a standstill. We were just getting married, having kids, and beginning new careers when mesothelioma entered our lives. Thankfully, treatment
advances have allowed all mesothelioma patients to increase their chances of surviving this disease.

Cancer is a horrible disease, and knowing that you have it makes it even worse. Like many other mesothelioma patients, I continue to have hope. Through the mesothelioma community, we are able to talk with one another, cry with one another, and celebrate the victories as we conquer this disease.

I share my story to make others aware. If my story helps people and brings more awareness to this disease, then I know I am doing the right thing.