Receiving a Diagnosis of Stage IV Mesothelioma
Every day I write about cancer, particularly about mesothelioma, incurable and often not diagnosed until advanced to Stage IV. Because of this, I am keenly aware of the statistics of survival with such a diagnosis. Other people who are unfamiliar with cancer may not be aware when they or a loved one receives a Stage IV diagnosis. The outlook and prognosis is quite poor and survival times are usually less than a year.
Last week, a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in multiple sites. While different than mesothelioma, any diagnosis of stage IV with tumors having spread throughout the body has the same prognosis. My friend, Morgan, is forty years old with a ten year old boy. As is common for those receiving a diagnosis of cancer, she and her partner are still in the stage of shock, with waves of denial, anger and sadness occasionally coming up.
The first weeks after diagnosis often involve investigation, overwhelm, disbelief, shock, anger, and deep grief. As the severity of what it means to have Stage IV cancer becomes better understood, different reactions come up for the patient as well as family members and loved ones. It’s vitally important to get as much support and love during this time as possible. Equally important is to find out about possible treatments and that everyone involved takes good care of themselves physically, getting plenty of sleep and good nourishment.
For my friend, I arranged to have a healing circle, gathering all her closest friends together. We prayed and sang together, each one of us bringing our own form of healing. We laughed and cried, and then shared food that is specifically recommended for keeping the body healthy and boosting the immune system.
Due to my knowledge of cancer, and particularly mesothelioma, I remain skeptical yet hopeful that our efforts will create a miracle for her and cure her cancer. Regardless of the results, she and all of us feel the community of support and sharing of resources.
We also are using an online service to keep everyone informed and connected that helps to provide information so that my friend does not have to be overwhelmed with everyone’s questions and need for updates or wanting to help. The site is called carepages.com and is quite user friendly.
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, create your own community of support in whatever way fits for you. Take advantage of resources, such as your health care team and also the National Cancer Institute, to find out the latest medical research regarding treatments. Find out about nutrition, other alternative treatment methods, and palliative and hospice care resources in your local area.
If your diagnosis is mesothelioma, contact us at 1-800-440-4262 for more information about how to receive financial compensation from mesothelioma lawyers who only specialize in asbestos lawsuits and visit Helping Mesothelioma Patients for other related and helpful resources.
