10...Mesothelioma Survivor Stories

At 42, I never thought that I would be facing a terminal illness, especially one relating to the lungs. I've never smoked and have lead a relatively healthy life. I have two beautiful daughters who will be heading to college soon - and I may not be alive to see their graduation.I was actually thinking of my oldest daughter's upcoming prom as I drove to my primary care doctor to discuss a reoccurring cough that I had had for the past few months. Three other visits had not resulted in any diagnosis; but when my doctor’s office called the previous day, they said I should go in to the office to discuss the next step.As I left the office in a daze an hour later, I realized my life was changed forever. I had been given the devastating news that I had mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer that is currently untreatable. I was in shock to learn a few weeks later that my disease was a result of doing my husband's laundry when he returned from work each day as a carpenter. Facing huge medical expenses and a limited time with my family, I don't know where to turn...-KathleenAge 42 Hope for Victims of Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is as grave a situation as any imaginable, for diagnosis usually precedes a long and painful death. New technology for treating mesothelioma provides the most hope for the victims of this condition, but due to the skyrocketing cost of medical care in America, most of these advanced treatments are out of reach for all but the wealthiest of people. Nevertheless, treatments like angiogenesis, gene therapy, and photodynamic therapy provide the most hope for victims of mesothelioma who have failed to respond to conventional treatments.Mesothelioma diagnosis is not the end Hope is crucial for victims of mesothelioma because hope gives strength, and fighting an affliction as insidious and pervasive as mesothelioma requires an incredible amount of strength. Many people draw strength from their families, or in their spiritual convictions, and others take stock of a life of accomplishments and resolve themselves to persevere in their struggle. As long as those unfortunate victims still have hope, then their struggle against mesothelioma is never in vain.New hope for victims of mesothelioma comes from treatment derived from the most unlikely places. Celebrex, a COX-2 inhibitor has been shown to halt the growth of mesothelioma cells in a Petri dish in a recent study conducted by Dr. Alfonso Catalano at the University of Marche in Italy. Lab animals also showed significant improvement, as the survival rate of with mice with mesothelioma improved from 45 days to 62 days, and in a few cases over 120 days. It is now believed that human tests are in the immediate future, as malignant mesothelioma remains one of the deadliest and hardest to treat cancers.Never give up your most precious asset: hope Even the best medical treatments are worthless if the patient does not commit to surviving through the pain and adversity of the procedures. It is true that mesothelioma treatment can involve unpleasant surgery, radiation, and chemotherapies, but when hope is lost, everything is. The belief that mesothelioma, like an obstacle, can be surmounted and conquered is sometimes more effective than the latest medical breakthrough, and such fortitude in the face of adversity often inspires those around you, even if they are not afflicted with such a condition.Do not let mesothelioma make a victim out of you Hope can also take the form of justice. Justice against the asbestos companies that chose to ignore or conceal the risks their product would inflict on innocent people. Justice that will prevent them from hurting anyone else like you have been hurt, and justice to know that you will not have suffered in vain. If you want to strike back at those that caused you so much undeserved pain and misery, you are not alone.