Mesothelioma Cancer Awareness

A message from our friends at http://www.asbestos.com/


Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer. One of the primary mesothelioma causes is asbestos exposure. The cancer develops in the mesothelium, a protective membrane that lines three body cavities: the thoracic cavity (pleura), abdominal cavity (peritoneum) and the heart sac (pericardium).

A mesothelioma patient’s prognosis, or the probable course and outcome of a disease’s influence on the body, is influenced by numerous factors. Since a mesothelioma diagnosis often occurs once the cancer has progressed to later stages of development, prognosis is typically poor. However if a patient is diagnosed before the cancer has spread or elects to undergo treatment to combat the cancer, their prognosis may improve.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring toxic mineral that was commonly used throughout the 20th century in thousands of products and many industries. Asbestos is naturally resistant to heat and fire, making it ideal for use in insulation. The mineral was often used in insulation and the fine, flexible fibers were frequently mixed with cement and woven into fabrics. Exposure to asbestos can result in the development of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.







Thursday, April 9, 2009

The nasty medicine that scares hair away and other horror stories...

Brian has been calling around other hospitals, talking to breast specialists and looking for a second opinion all morning. It seems we're on the right path, so I'll start my chemo tomorrow. We'll probably see other specialists before it's time for my surgery.

I'm debating whether I should get a haircut or not. Many people who have cancer say it's easier to deal with the hair loss, if your hair is already short. I don't know. I think I want to keep my hair and bid them farewell as they go, LOL!!

Today I was explaining to Natalie that I will start taking this really nasty medicine and that my hair will not like it at all! So all the hair, all over my body, will want to escape. For as long as I take the medicine, my hair will not want to have anything to do with me and they'll stay away. When I'm done taking my medicine, they'll come back again. She thought it was pretty funny(I think it was the sound effects I made like "heeelp, I'm outta here", that did it.) Then the 2 of us started looking for hats and scarves on the Internet. She was very happy to help me choose the right ones. She's so cute!

I hope the kids won't worry too much when they see me being sick after each treatment. I try to talk about it with them, and answer all their questions. I try to make it sound that it's not such a big deal. From their reaction so far I think I've done a good job and they're going to be OK. They know what to expect, so I'm hoping it's not going to be such a big shock to them. I joke a lot about it, so David and Darian following my lead I guess, offered to give me an afro wig they bought for Halloween! I guess everybody's spirits are still high! :-)

Well, that's all for now. I'll keep you posted as more things come up.

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