Flexibility Plays an Important Role in the Mesothelioma Journey

• Lisa Hyde-Barrett
• Advocacy, Cancer, Family, For Your Family, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The quality of flexibility is best described as the ability to bend without breaking. Facing challenges either physical or mental throughout life and the ability to adapt to the unexpected requires flexibility.

Everyone’s journey in life and facing death is different. Guiding these uncharted experiences can be very difficult for both the person facing their mortality and the family and loved ones trying to help.

When facing end-of-life patients and families often have different perspectives. The perspectives that they have at the beginning of the journey often change as the journey continues.

Recently a patient was facing the end of his life. He had battled his disease for several years and was ready to stop. His family was supportive of his decision and wanted to follow his wishes. The plan was hospice at home with family members taking turns caring for them. The family was able to see that his wishes were honored but it required flexibility. This sounds logical but when emotions and relationships are involved it is not always easy to navigate.

People plan and expect things to go by plan. Everybody has their own scenarios and plans about what they would like their death to look like. Sometimes these plans need to be adjusted. Like birth when the expectant parents have the birthing plan in place, every scenario is planned for. The unexpected happens and the plan needs to be adjusted. Flexibility plays an important part in that.

Malignant mesothelioma is a disease that challenges people every day beginning at diagnosis. It is a rare disease that charts its course from individual to individual.

When facing the end of life for any disease the plan may have to be adjusted. Any disease or end-of-life issue is never neatly packaged and there are no instructions on how to respond and which way to handle decisions and circumstances that are out of their control.

Remain flexible and adjust your expectations throughout your journey. Treasure every moment of this life. Planning is important but the ability to be flexible and adjust to life-ending moments as we respect the wishes of our loved ones is a success. Although the outcome may not be what you were hoping for and the timing may not be long enough, facing our mortality and those of our loved ones is an important part of life.