Author: Lisa Hyde-Barrett
Mesothelioma Nurse Encourages Others to Reach Out After a Tragedy
Isolation is a problem in the society we live in – we are all busy and we lose touch with each other. Being buried in our day to day lives is overwhelming, and at times, too much. Loss and grief can overtake us.
Last month a tragedy occurred at Brigham and Women’s Hospital when a man killed a young, brilliant, father and surgeon. How can something like this happen?
By all reports the shooter’s family was just as shocked as everyone else – something that was totally out of character for him. Grief seemed to have played a part in this senseless tragedy. Dr Michael Davidson had operated on the shooter’s mother in the late fall. She was being transferred to a rehab facility when she became ill and was admitted to another hospital where she then died.
What drove the man to blame the doctor who had tried to help his mother to kill him and then himself? We will never know what happened in his mind to lead to the events of that cold January morning, but the effects of this act have shattered a young family and left a toll on all that knew the 44-year-old doctor.
When diagnosed with mesothelioma, you and your family have to confront what none of us want to- the fact that we are all mortal. The people who have dedicated their professional lives to finding a cure, advancing treatment and studying are here to help. Although treatment does not always go the way we want, it is not someone’s fault when it fails.
Look around at your family and friends. Reach out to someone who you think might be having a hard time. Sometimes people just need someone to listen to them.
A young family is now without their beloved husband, father. His children will grow up without him. A senseless and tragic loss.
Could Your Fatigue Be An Early Warning Sign of Mesothelioma?
One of the first things that Mrs. T noticed was that she was tired. She was not used to being tired, she had a busy life, family, work. At first she thought she was just over doing it- burning the candle at both ends- working too hard. After all, she was getting older. Mrs. T is a 65 year old wife and mother of three grown children. She had always had a lot of energy so when she started to feel tired she didn’t pay much attention to it.
Being tired can be a sign of a hectic a lifestyle, or it can be a sign of a serious health problem. One of the common signs of mesothelioma is fatigue. It is difficult when you are feeling “just tired” to pay a lot of attention to it. Experts suggest that if you are tired all the time that you make some lifestyle changes and then monitor how you feel. Eat more wholesome foods, drink more fluids, get more sleep, cut back on caffeine and alcohol, and give it two to three weeks. After this time, if you are still feeling inexplicably tired, consult your doctor. Sometimes subtle things like being tired are warning signs.
Mrs. T also started having shortness of breath and didn’t feel right. She went to her primary care physician, and after testing to rule out common causes, she was diagnosed with early stage mesothelioma. In retrospect, Mrs. T remembers just “feeling tired all the time.” Luckily for Mrs. T, she did not ignore how she felt and went to her doctor who ran the appropriate tests.
Diagnosing mesothelioma can be a clinical challenge as the symptoms can be vague and often follows the diagnosis of pneumonia or a recurrent issue. The most common symptoms of mesothelioma can be chest pain, painful cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and weight loss. All of these symptoms are much more common in other conditions. Diagnosis can be a challenge.
If you have been feeling tired for an extended period of time don’t ignore it. Pay attention and visit a medical professional – it could help to save your life.
If you have any questions about any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].
Register for a Conference This Spring for Mesothelioma Support
Mesothelioma patients and their families often need support. Sometimes it is found in the small community of other mesothelioma patients, other times leaning on your own family and friends is all that is needed.
But this spring, mesothelioma patients and their families have two opportunities to learn, draw support, and empower each other at conferences from two of the leading organizations and brings breakthroughs and hope to the mesothelioma community. Both of these conferences are excellent ways to meet other people on the journey of mesothelioma, to increase your knowledge of the disease, and to listen to experts in the field.
2015 International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma
March 2-4 • Bethesda, MD
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and The National Cancer Institute
For more information and to register, visit curemeso.org.
11th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
April 17-19 • Washington, DC
“More than 30 renowned experts and asbestos victims from ten countries will present the latest advancements in disease prevention, global advocacy, and treatment for mesothelioma and other asbestos-caused diseases. Patients and families will also look back at our accomplishments over the past eleven years and ban together in hope for a future free from asbestos disease.”
For more information and to register, visit asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.
Wherever you might be in your journey with mesothelioma, it helps to have support and to know you are not alone. These learning opportunities offer all of us a chance to empower ourselves with the latest knowledge and to maybe think of our journey in a different way.
The AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center is Not Your Average Free Resource
I recently visited the Hope Lodge in Boston. I had been there once before to visit a mesothelioma patient. I have raved about this place since the day I stepped into it, so now I would like to give you some information about the free facility.
The formal name is the AstraZenaca Hope Lodge Center, and it is offered through the American Cancer Society. (Photo Credit: ACS). There are a few restrictions before you can become a resident – you have to be forty miles from home, and you have to be actively seeking cancer treatment on an outpatient basis. There may be other requirements. You are allowed to have a caregiver stay with you.
Boston’s Hope Lodge has 40 private suites available to the patients and their caregivers. The accommodations include a bedroom, private bath with shower, and a sitting room. This particular lodge, which opened its doors in November 2008, has provided over 14,000 nights of free lodging to cancer patients. A typical patient spends about six weeks here which accounts for close to $7,000 in savings.
There are approximately 31 Hope Lodges throughout the United States. To date, they have had guests from 48 states and 1,500 countries. This was the second time I had been there and what a great feeling it left inside me! I know about and have seen a lot of free resources, but this is by far one of the best services extended to cancer patients. There is also transportation provided to local appointments, whether it be chemotherapy or radiation treatments or a doctor’s appointment.
The feeling of community and support at the Hope Lodge is unbelievable. If you are traveling for cancer care, the Hope Lodge may be a housing option for you. If you are interested or just need more information, contact the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345.
Jennifer Gelsick’s father, Don Smitley, stayed in the Hope Lodge of New York City while undergoing mesothelioma treatments at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Read about her family’s experience on “Faces of Mesothelioma.”
As always, if you have any questions about any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected].
Nurse Inspired by Stuart Scott’s Strength in Facing Mesothelioma
The mesothelioma community is small, but we all are a part of a bigger group of people and families affected by cancer. This month, a popular ESPN anchor, Stuart Scott, died of cancer. The way he fought his disease inspired his fans and everyone around him. Although his battle was on a very public stage, every day others that have cancer are inspiring their families, caregivers, and medical community with their courage and grace. There are many messages that we can all take from Scott’s battle with cancer. Living with cancer and not giving up, and continuing to live as you want; but when you die, you beat the cancer by the way you lived is the message Scott wanted to be remembered by.
Last August, Stuart Scott was presented with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award. The presentation of the award started 21 years ago – the year Scott started working at ESPN. Jimmy Valvano, a former college basketball coach, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 46. Before he died he started the V Foundation for Cancer Research, along with ESPN, with the dream of eradicating cancer. The V Foundation has awarded more than $130 million to more than 120 facilities nationwide and proudly awards 100% of its cash donations to cancer research. In 1993, Valvano gave a speech at the ESPY awards that has become famous – “Don’t Give Up. . . Don’t Ever Give Up!” Both Scott’s and Valvano’s speeches can be seen on the JimmyV.org web site.
Stuart Scott was a proud University of North Carolina alumnus. On Monday night, January 5, I had the pleasure of attending a men’s college basketball game at UNC. The 21,000 that packed the gym that cool Monday evening, watched a great game of basketball, but also witnessed a memorable tribute to “Stu.” College students identified with his ‘coolness’ and were deeply inspired by him. The way he lived and how he lived was on the public stage.
We don’t all appear on TV or have careers that make us famous- but all of us, and our families, are faced with the same challenges as far as how we choose to live with cancer. Fighting cancer is not done alone – your team, your coaches are working hard to continue the fight. As Stuart Scott, and Jimmy Valvano inspire all of us, look around and you will see the same courage and determination with mesothelioma patients, and other people dealing with cancer.
Know more about Mesothelioma and how you can deal with it.
Free Mesothelioma Patient & Treatment Guide
We’d like to offer you our in-depth guide, “A Patient’s Guide to Mesothelioma,” absolutely free of charge.
It contains a wealth of information and resources to help you better understand the condition, choose (and afford) appropriate treatment, and exercise your legal right to compensation.
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