Watch For Symptoms of Mesothelioma
If you or someone you know has a history of exposure to asbestos and is experiencing any symptoms of mesothelioma, I urge you to seek out an oncologist who specializes in asbestos related diseases immediately. Do not wait.
It’s easy to be in denial, or to be stubborn, to ignore symptoms of something being wrong physically. When the body starts to give out signs that something might be wrong, we justify, minimize, or acknowledge but don’t pay attention. The thoughts in our head can either make it so the symptoms we are experiencing are either made out to be nothing, or we catastrophize them and think it may mean we are dying. Either way, we don’t seek medical attention. We wait. Sometimes that waiting costs a life or takes away months and years of a life that could have been lived well.
I know this denial, this resistance to seek help. Yesterday I was climbing a very tall ladder to try to get something down from a platform about twenty feet up. I was alone, and just as I was taking the first step off the ladder, it slipped out from under my feet, I lost balance, and with nothing to grab onto, fell backwards. My body hit the ladder and I remember my head bouncing on the hard floor, and vaguely recall pain. I began to whimper actually, as I lay on the ground. The pain in my head was immense. The first student entered the room, and saw me on the ground, trembling and with tears rolling down my face.
I knew I had suffered a concussion, but I had things to do and places to be. I was to be the matron of honor for one of the girls I had been working with for over two years, one of whom I considered to be like my daughter. I could not disappoint her, and nothing was going to keep me from showing up for her. I desperately wanted to sleep, but everyone told me that I couldn’t – that I had to stay awake, and made sure I did. After about an hour, I left the class, called a friend to see if he could drive me to the wedding and dressed for the church ceremony.
I made it through the wedding, passed out once, but stayed awake. I showed up and did my part beautifully. I began to think about how lucky I was to not have hit my head on the ladder and only on the floor. I ignored the pain, the nausea and the losing consciousness.
Looking back, I see I was in shock. I also am really stubborn and didn’t want to go to a hospital, didn’t want doctors checking me out. I am lucky that today I only have aches and pains, a very sore neck, and a slight headache. I’m lucky that I can think clearly and function and that my reluctance to seek medical attention did not have severe consequences.
In the morning, I began to think about all the articles I have written about mesothelioma. I realized that I needed to write and urge anyone who has been exposed to asbestos to watch out for symptoms and seek help immediately. Be aware, that symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until up to forty or even fifty years after exposure to asbestos. Symptoms can appear to look like other common diseases, but if you know you have been at risk or have been exposed to asbestos, you should consult with an oncologist right away. Early diagnosis is key to ensuring better quality of life and improving chances of treatment being effective.
The symptoms of mesothelioma could include:
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the chest
- Accumulation of fluid in the lungs
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Bowel obstruction
- Blood clotting and anemia
- Trouble swallowing, pain in the neck or face
The symptoms of mesothelioma can vary, and can appear to be similar to other less serious conditions, causing one to put off seeking medical attention. However, it is really important to see a doctor, and preferably a physician familiar with occupational diseases, if you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms.
I am asking you to take suggestions that I did not follow myself yesterday after my fall. I realize that I should have had myself checked out. That, really, I could have suffered a fall that led to fluid building on the brain and that I wouldn’t be sitting here able to write this today. It’s why I’m writing to you. Because if you get help earlier on, you have the greatest chance of being able to be diagnosed correctly and at more beginning stages of mesothelioma. If diagnosed early, your chances of being able to enjoy more of your life are greatly increased. Your options are increased. You will have more quality of life and more time to enjoy those you love.
Be smarter than I was. Seek help if you are having any symptoms of mesothelioma. If you want more information on where to go for help, call us at 1-800-440-4262 or visit Helping Mesothelioma Patients. As experienced mesothelioma attorneys who only specialize in asbestos lawsuits, we will be able to connect you with the resources you need.
