About the Author

Margaret Dunn
Hello everyone! I am a Headhunter/website builder/and aspiring internet marketer. "Headhunting" is what I've been doing for the past 20+ years. (Visit
Job Search 101) I've been a website builder/internet markete
Mesothelioma symptoms can be very frightening. Mesothelioma is a very widely discussed topic on the internet today for a variety of reasons. The first is that many individuals who have been diagnosed with this disease want to know more about it. The second is that it is a topic of discussion when it comes to internet marketing and the value of mesothelioma as a high paying keyword. I was curious about what mesothelioma was and decided to investigate. Here is what I found. It is a simple explanation that I hope will attempt to define mesothelioma symptoms in this blog soas to be helpful to those who are looking for an explanation of what this disease is.
What I found in my research is that Mesothelioma is a form of cancer where many potential deaths could have been prevented if the proper precautions had been taken and the truth had been told to workers who were exposed to a deadly mineral called asbestos. This cancer is relatively new in that it takes years before the mesothelioma symptoms become noticable and many workers become afflicted with the disease. This deadly mineral was widely used over the past 60 years or so and even though companies knew the product could be deadly, they continued to expose their workers and their worker's families to the dangers. Greed and ignorance are the main causes of this terrible disease.
Asbestos was widely used in many products. Asbestos became a silent killer to those who were exposed to it by working around it, producing products with asbestos in them, and bringing home the dust particles on their clothing to in turn expose family members to it. Now mesothelioma is one of the most deadly diseases that exist today.
Mesothelioma affects the mesothelial cells that make up the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the outer lining that protects the body’s major organs such as the heart, stomach and lungs. The lungs and surrounding tissues are the most common areas of attack for the disease, although there are several different classifications of the disease. Overall, patients oftentimes have symptoms simlilar to that of lung cancer in that they have trouble breathing, have shortness of breath, an annoying cough, difficulty swallowing, weight loss, fever, nausea, vomiting and in some cases bowel obstruction.
The prognosis is not good for anyone with the disease. From the time of diagnosis, the average survival rate is less than 24 months. There are over 3,000 inflicted with this disease in the US each year.
Even today, care must be taken as remnants of asbestos are everywhere. Most recently, one of our family members was helping to tear down an old mobile home. Asbestos was flying everywere. The danger to them is minimal as they were only exposed for a very short time. Consider those though who helped to build those mobile homes. They were exposed to the danger of asbestos over a period of time and now may be suffering the consequences.
If you know that you or your family have been exposed to asbestos, you must see a doctor as soon as possible. Most mesothelioma cases aren't discovered right away because the symptoms are so much like many other diseases. That is why it is so important to inform your doctor if you have been exposed to asbestos. That way they can do the right tests the first time around to determine just how far advanced the mesothelioma is.
Once the diagnosis is made, the only thing to do is to get under the regular care of a pulmonary doctor or lung specialist immediately to treat the symptoms and make life more comfortable for the patient. The main treatments that are being used today are radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. Unfortunately, there are no treatments that are known to stop the progression of the disease at this time but more and more studies are being conducted especially by the National Institute of Cancer.
Although there are treatments for mesothelioma, they do not have a high success rate particularly on patients in whom the cancer is in its later stages. The sooner the mesothelioma is diagnosed and treated, the more chance of success, which is why it is important to get as fast a diagnosis as possible.
My heart goes out to anyone who is diagnosed with this disease. But I would encourage anyone, outside of the normal physical route that a patient with mesothelioma would take, to consider the spiritual side of his/her life. It is a time to become closer to God and draw strength from His love. He didn't cause the cancer. Asbestos did and the neglect of many companies who knew of the danger but were more concerned with the profit they might make from their products. There is nothing you can do about what they have done outside of contacting lawyers to protect your family. But you have to face the fact that there is a life after death and considering your relationship to God should be your top priority.
Visit a local church. Find a minister who will tell you the truth and lead you to an understanding of who you are before a Holy God. Mesothelioma may cause the physical end of your life eventually, but it need not be the spiritual end for you and your family. It can be the beginning of a hopeful relationship that, when the end does come, you will have peace with God knowing you will be spending eternity in a much better place.
Here is a great site that you can visit (don't delay) that will explain more about what your next steps need to be to get that peace that you so desperately need at this time. There can be hope if you give God a chance. Click here
Published by Margaret Dunn on September 24, 2006 10:11 PM