What is Pleural Mesothelioma?
Pleural Mesothelioma or malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancer in the layer of the lungs that can spread to the lungs. The spread of the tumor over the pleura results in pleural thickening. This hinders the reflexivity of the pleura and encases the lungs in an increasing restrictive belt. With the lungs thus restricted, they get constricted in no time and a person is always out of breath.
Pleural mesothelioma can be:
* Diffuse and malignant (carcinogenic)
* Localized and benign (non-cancerous)
Benign pleural mesothelioma can be removed surgically, but the malignant tumors are the real terror heads.
Most common among other mesothelioma cases, Pleural Mesothelioma is caused due to exposure to blue asbestos for a longer period of time, say 20 years, in which time the disease incubates only to show its fearful countenance via certain symptoms.
The symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma
The symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma include difficulty in breathing, difficulty in sleeping, pain in the chest and abdominal regions, blood vomits, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, lower back pains, persistent coughing, hoarseness of voice, sensory loss and difficulty in swallowing.
Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma
The first step is to go through a chest X-ray or a CT scan (computed chest tomograph), which will reveal a pleural thickening and an effusion. This is followed by a bronchoscopy. However, it should always be left to a medical practitioner for a better understanding of the respective cases. Another method is a biopsy, which can be a needle biopsy, an open biopsy, or a thoracoscopy, where a mini camera is inserted inside the body and with that a tissue sample is attained for further diagnosis.
Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma
Treatment is directly proportional to the time of the revelation of the disease, i.e., at an early stage the tumor can be removed through surgery.
A pioneering mesothelioma treatment option is immunotherapy, e.g., intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a useful mesothelioma treatment in which an effort is made to intensify the immune response.
Radiation treatment and chemotherapy is probably then the answer to the malignant pleural mesothelioma, but this can aid the pain management only; there's no escaping death with Pleural Mesothelioma.
Side effects of Treatment
The side effects and penalty of mesothelioma lung cancer treatment are more than its treatment, which is damaged healthy tissues, a state of absolute fatigue ness; excessive radiation causes the skin to become red, dry and itchy.
Other side effects of radiotherapy are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, urinary discomfort and a sudden reduction in the number of white blood corpuscles.
The average life span of a person with Pleural Mesothelioma is up to 6 months to a year and the maximum can reach up to 5 years - the magnesium-silicate mineral fibers take its toll that's more than painful.
Other factors that may accelerate the possibility of pleural mesothelioma are chronic lung infections, tuberculous pleuritis, radiation (Thorotrast), exposure to the simian virus 40 (SV40) or mineral fibers (Zeolite) and tobacco smoking to a certain extent.
Pleural Mesothelioma does not give a person the avenue for fair play. Though the existence depends much on the various stages of the disease, it is an ultimate killing menace that sucks out the life of the common man.
by: Liz Allen
What is the Government doing about mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is one of the biggest killers in the UK, and statistics are set to peak over the next 10 to 15 years as the disease has a long incubation period. Swept under the carpet for years, the problem of the 'Silent Killer' (as the disease has become known) has recently received much higher public exposure with the successful conclusion of a court case centred on which insurance policy providers were liable to pay out in the event of a victim developing the disease - the insurers covering the company at the time of exposure or the insurers involved at the time of diagnosis. The 'trigger case' lasted for nine weeks in 2008, and was regarded by specialist lawyers (solicitors) representing the families of mesothelioma victims as a landmark in how the courts would regard claims brought against former employers for injuries or illness as a direct result of exposure to asbestos.
The profile for this preventable industrial disease has been raised further by the decision to make February 27th 2008 as Action Mesothelioma Day. The day was marked by events throughout the UK with the purpose of raising awareness in the media and with the public of the disease. An international conference discussed advances in the treatment of mesothelioma. John Edwards, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon and chair of the British Mesothelioma Interest Group, who addressed the conference said: "Researchers are desperate for funds to develop life saving treatments. Mesothelioma is far and away the least researched of the top twenty cancers in the UK. Funding for a UK National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases is a priority. Such a virtual institution would encourage collaboration and stimulate research to generate future treatments to prolong and save lives."
The Government has recognized that the ongoing problem of mesothelioma is one that has not subsided over time. Although the use of asbestos as a building material has been banned for over 20 years, there are still thousands of public buildings - in particular schools - that still have asbestos as part of their main structures. Although the asbestos has been coated with a protective layer of silicon to prevent dust escaping into the atmosphere, any damage to this layer could result in deadly dust being released. Those involved in the ongoing battle against the disease also fear that plumbers, electricians and other maintenance workers are at risk from exposure as they work on older properties that still contain asbestos.
Unite and other trade unions, health professionals, mesothelioma patients' asbestos support groups and Michael Clapham MP, chair All Party Asbestos sub committee, are leading the proposal for the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases. The development group has wide support and has met the Prime Minister's special advisor on health in Downing Street, the national director for cancer and the minister for health with responsibility for cancer. The meeting was seen as a step forward by all parties indicating that the government takes the problem of mesothelioma seriously. The campaign is calling on the government to provide funding for a National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease to keep the UK in line with other western countries. The Australian government has already provided $6.2 million to fund a National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease. British sufferers and support groups are asking the government to match this funding , around £5 to 10 million, to provide a similar centre in the UK.
As the profile of this industrial disease is raised, the hope amongst specialist solicitors representing families of the victims of mesothelioma is that the long battle for compensation that many families face will become easier, ensuring that victims receive the compensation they deserve.
by: Nick Jervis
To provide hope and life-saving treatment to the thousands of people dying each year from asbestos-caused mesothelioma, federal governments of affected countries must make substantial investments into medical research.
Asbestos must be banned in the United States and in other developed countries to protect future generations from increased proliferation of this deadly disease.
Mesothelioma: A Terrible Killer
Mesothelioma is an extremely painful, almost always fatal cancer in which membrane cells (mesothelium) lining the chest or abdomen become malignant and multiply and divide without control. The resulting tumor thickens and hardens, crushing the lungs and suffocating the patient, invading the chest wall causing severe difficulty in breathing and sometimes invading other vital organs like the heart, aorta or the abdomen, leading to various forms of the cancer.
We are all at risk
Mesothelioma is the tragic legacy of the industrial and commercial use of asbestos.Advertised as “the miracle mineral” because of its excellent fireproofing, insulating, filling and bonding properties, asbestos was used virtually everywhere in industry,manufacturing and construction from the 1930s through the late 1970s, even as its carcinogenic and respiratory lethality was well known to medicine, industry and the government. At its peak usage, more than 3,000 industrial applications or products were listed as utilizing asbestos.
As a result, over 20 million American workers were exposed to this mineral and are at risk of developing mesothelioma today, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When the workers in the asbestos related industries brought the fibers home on their skin, hair and clothes, their families were also exposed to the dangerous mineral.
Asbestos was prevalent on Navy ships, and servicemen and shipyard workers were heavily exposed. A study at the Groton, Connecticut shipyard found that over one hundred thousand workers had been exposed to asbestos over the years at just this one shipyard.
Mesothelioma has a long incubation period before its symptoms start to show (ten to 50 years), and even low-dose, incidental exposures to asbestos are sufficient to cause the cancer. Thus, the prolific exposures of the past are leading to an epidemic of disease today. Minnesota Congressman Bruce Vento worked near an asbestos-insulated boiler in a Minneapolis brewery for two summers while putting himself through college. In October 2000, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, and died just ten months later.
According to the most recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2004, approximately2,700 Americans died from mesothelioma, and incidence still has not peaked.
Millions more Americans are being put at risk today, because of all of the asbestos that remains present in occupational settings; in buildings such as homes, offices and schools; and in a wide variety of products. Just one product, an insulation contaminated with a very dangerous form of asbestos, is estimated by the EPA to be in 30 million U.S.homes.
The EPA estimates that there are asbestos containing materials in most of the nation's approximately 107,000 primary and secondary schools and 733,000 public and commercial buildings. According to the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an “estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job.” The utility tunnels under our nation’s Capitol have hazardous levels of asbestos, and demonstrate just how pervasive the problem is.
In fact, asbestos still has not been banned. Every year, the hazards of asbestos increases as more of the carcinogen is introduced into our environment. Asbestos is still used in roofing and other building materials, and in many consumer products including vehicle brakes. As a result, everyday occurrences like going to work, simple remodeling projects, or the normal wear of roofing materials, tiles or brakes on a family vehicle are exposing Americans to the hazardous risk of mesothelioma.
Needed: A National Commitment to a Cure
Mesothelioma was identified in medical literature by the late 1940’s. However, for decades the need for research to develop effective treatments for mesothelioma patients was ignored, obscured by the legal, economic and political aspects of asbestos.
The National Cancer Institute’s annual investment in clinical mesothelioma research has been, on a per death basis, only a fraction of its investment in other cancers. For years,despite the disproportionate toll of the disease on Navy veterans and shipyard workers,the Department of Defense did not apply any of its vast biomedical research resources to mesothelioma.
As a result of the Meso Foundation’s advocacy efforts, in 2008mesothelioma investigators are for the first time eligible to compete for Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Grant funding. No mesothelioma grants have yet been awarded, however, this has led to advancements in the treatment of mesothelioma lagging far behind those of other cancers. According to the National Institutes of Health, the median survival of mesothelioma patients is only 14 months, with most patients dying within two years.
But there is hope. Since 1999, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has awarded over $5 million to spur mesothelioma research forward. Researchers are gaining valuable understandings of the tumor and potential treatment targets, and new clinical trials are opening. The field is ripe for federal partnership. Federal investment in the research needed to develop earlier detection and more effective treatment is essential to provide hope to the thousands of Americans who will become sick as a result of asbestos exposures that have already occurred or that will inevitably occur given the virtual ubiquity of asbestos in our environment.
The proliferation of asbestos and asbestos-disease must be stopped. Over 40 developed and industrialized countries have already banned asbestos; the United States should also protect its citizens by enacting an immediate asbestos ban.
by: Bello kamorudeen
Many people with mesothelioma are interested in trying complementary and alternative cancer treatments. If the cancer makes you feel as though you have little control over your health, alternative cancer treatments may offer some hope. But many alternative cancer treatments are unproved and dangerous.
Alternative cancer treatments will not cure mesothelioma, but they may help you cope with signs and symptoms caused by mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatments. Common signs and symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, difficulty sleeping, and stress may be lessened by alternative treatments.
Use alternative cancer treatments as a supplement to treatments you receive from your doctor — not as a substitute for medical care. While alternative cancer treatments, such as acupuncture, may reduce nausea or pain, they generally aren't powerful enough to replace medications from your doctor. Work closely with your doctor to determine the right balance between traditional medicines and alternative cancer treatments.
These 11 alternative cancer treatments have shown some promise in helping people with mesothelioma.
1-Acupuncture.
During acupuncture treatment, a practitioner inserts tiny needles into your skin at precise points. Studies show acupuncture may be helpful in relieving nausea caused by chemotherapy. Acupuncture may also help relieve pain in people with mesothelioma cancer.
Acupuncture is safe if it's performed by a licensed practitioner using sterile needles. Ask your doctor for names of trusted practitioners. Acupuncture isn't safe if you're taking blood thinners or if you have low blood counts, so check with your doctor first.
2-Aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy uses fragrant oils to provide a calming sensation. Oils, infused with scents such as lavender, can be applied to your skin during a massage or the oils can be added to bath water. Fragrant oils also can be heated to release their scents into the air. Aromatherapy may be helpful in relieving nausea, pain and stress.
Aromatherapy can be performed by a practitioner, or you can use aromatherapy on your own. Aromatherapy is safe, though oils applied to your skin can cause allergic reactions.
3-Biofeedback.
You use your mind to control various body functions, such as heart rate and blood flow, during biofeedback therapy. A biofeedback therapist uses an electronic device to monitor a specific body function, such as muscle tension or your heart rate. The device uses a beeping sound or a flashing light as cues, for instance to tell you that your heart rate is slowing down or your muscles are becoming more relaxed. Working with the biofeedback therapist, you learn to control these functions by paying attention to the cues.
Biofeedback may be helpful in relieving pain in people with cancer. Biofeedback is safe when you work with a certified biofeedback therapist. With practice, you can learn to do biofeedback on your own.
4-Exercise.
Exercise may help you manage signs and symptoms during and after cancer treatment. Gentle exercise such as walking or swimming may help relieve fatigue and stress and help you sleep better.
If you haven't already been exercising regularly, check with your doctor before you begin an exercise program. Start slowly, adding more exercise as you go. Aim to work your way up to at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
5-Hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a deep state of concentration. During a hypnotherapy session, a therapist may hypnotize you by talking in a gentle voice and helping your relax. He or she will then help you focus on goals, such as controlling your pain and reducing your stress.
Hypnosis may be helpful for people with cancer who are experiencing anxiety, pain and stress. It may also help prevent anticipatory nausea and vomiting that can occur if chemotherapy has made you sick in the past. When performed by a certified therapist, hypnosis is safe. But tell your therapist if you have a history of mental illness.
6-Massage therapy.
During a massage, your practitioner kneads your skin, muscles and tendons in an effort to relieve muscle tension and stress and promote relaxation. Several massage methods exist. Massage can be light and gentle, or it can be deep with more pressure. Studies have found massage can be helpful in relieving pain in people with cancer. It may also help relieve anxiety, fatigue and stress.
Massage can be safe if you work with an understanding massage therapist. Many cancer centers have massage therapists on staff, or your doctor can refer you to a massage therapist who regularly works with people who have cancer.
Don't have a massage if your blood counts are low. Ask the massage therapist to avoid massaging near surgical scars, radiation treatment areas or tumors. If you have cancer in your bones or other bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, ask the massage therapist to use light pressure, rather than deep massage.
7-Meditation.
Meditation is a state of deep concentration when you focus your mind on one image, sound or idea, such as a positive thought. When meditating, you might also do deep-breathing or relaxation exercises. Meditation may help people with cancer by relieving anxiety, pain and stress.
Meditation is generally safe. You can meditate on your own for a few minutes once or twice a day or you can take a class with an instructor.
8-Music therapy.
During music therapy sessions, you might listen to music, play instruments, sing songs or write lyrics. A trained music therapist may lead you through activities designed to meet your specific needs, or you may participate in music therapy in a group setting. Music therapy may help relieve pain and control nausea and vomiting.
Music therapy is safe and doesn't require any musical talent to participate. Many medical centers have certified music therapists on staff.
9-Relaxation techniques.
Relaxation techniques are ways of focusing your attention on calming your mind and relaxing your muscles. Relaxation techniques might include activities such as visualization exercises or progressive muscle relaxation. Relaxation techniques may be helpful in relieving anxiety and fatigue. They may also help people with cancer sleep better.
Relaxation techniques are safe. Typically a therapist leads you through these exercises and eventually you may be able to do them on your own.
10-Tai chi.
Tai chi is a form of exercise that incorporates gentle movements and deep-breathing. Tai chi can be led by an instructor, or you can learn tai chi on your own following books or videos. Practicing tai chi may help relieve stress. It may also be helpful if you're having difficulty sleeping at night.
Tai chi is generally safe. The slow movements of tai chi don't require great physical strength, and the exercises can be easily adapted to your own abilities. Still, talk to your doctor before beginning tai chi. Don't participate in any tai chi moves that cause pain.
11-Yoga.
Yoga combines stretching exercises with deep breathing. During a yoga session, you position your body in various poses that require bending, twisting and stretching. There are many types of yoga, each with its own variations. Yoga may provide some stress relief for people with cancer. Yoga has also been shown to improve sleep and reduce fatigue.
Before beginning a yoga class, ask your doctor to recommend an instructor who regularly works with people with health concerns, such as cancer. Avoid yoga poses that cause pain. A good instructor can give you alternate poses that are safe for you.
You may find some alternative treatments work well together. For instance, deep breathing during a massage may provide further stress relief.
by: Bello Kamorudeen
A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, exposing skin to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer. Smoking is a risk factor for cancers of the lung, mouth, larynx (voice box), bladder, kidney, and several other organs. Having a known risk factor, or even several risk factors, does not mean that you will get the disease. And some people who get the disease may not have had any known risk factors.
These are the well known risk factors for the development of mesothelioma cancer:
1-Asbestos :
The main risk factor for developing mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. In fact, most cases of mesothelioma have been linked to asbestos exposure in the workplace.
Asbestos refers to a family of fibrous minerals made of silicate. It is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in dust and rocks in certain parts of the United States and other parts of the world. There are 2 main forms of asbestos:
1-Serpentine (curly) fibers include chrysotile, the most widely used form of asbestos. 2-Amphiboles are thin, rod-like fibers. There are 5 main types -- crocidolite, amosite, anthrophylite, tremolite, and actinolyte.
Amphiboles (particularly crocidolite) are considered to be more likely to cause cancer. However, the more commonly used chrysotile fibers are also linked with mesothelioma.
When chrysotile fibers in the air are inhaled, they tend to stick to mucus in the throat, trachea (windpipe), or bronchi (large breathing tubes of the lungs) and are then cleared by being coughed up or swallowed. But the long, thin amphibole fibers are less readily cleared, and they may reach the ends of the small airways and penetrate into the pleural lining of the lung and chest wall. These fibers may then injure mesothelial cells of the pleura, and eventually cause mesothelioma.
Asbestos fibers can also damage cells of the lung and result in asbestosis (formation of scar tissue in the lung) and/or lung cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma, which forms in the abdomen, may result from coughing up and swallowing inhaled asbestos fibers. Because of its heat and fire resistant properties, asbestos was once used in many products such as insulation, floor tiles, door gaskets, soundproofing, roofing, patching compounds, fireproof gloves, ironing board covers, and brake pads. The link between asbestos and mesothelioma has become well known, so its use in the United States has decreased dramatically. Most use stopped after 1989, but it is still used in some products.
People at risk for workplace asbestos exposure include some miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers and installers, railroad and automotive workers, ship builders, gas mask manufacturers, and construction workers. Family members of people exposed to asbestos at work also have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma because asbestos fibers can be carried home on the clothes of the workers. The incidence rate for mesothelioma in men appears to be dropping, probably because there is now much less direct exposure to asbestos in industrial workplaces.
Asbestos was also used in the insulation of many older homes, as well as commercial and public buildings around the country, including some schools.
The risk of developing mesothelioma is related to how much asbestos a person was exposed to and how long this exposure lasted. People exposed at an early age, for a long period of time, and at higher levels are more likely to develop this cancer.
Mesothelioma take a long time to develop. The time between first exposure to asbestos and diagnosis of mesothelioma is usually between 20 and 50 years. Unfortunately, the risk of mesothelioma does not drop with time after exposure to asbestos. The risk appears to be lifelong and undiminished.
2-Zeolites
Zeolites are silicate minerals that are chemically related to asbestos. An example is erionite, which is common in the soil in parts of Turkey. High mesothelioma rates in these areas are believed to be due to exposure to this mineral.
3-Radiation
There have been a few published reports of mesotheliomas that developed following exposure to high doses of radiation to the chest or abdomen or after injections of thorium dioxide (Thorotrast). This material was used by doctors for certain x-ray tests until the 1950s. Thorotrast was found to cause cancers, so it has not been used for many years.
4-SV40 virus Some studies have raised the possibility that infection with simian virus 40 (SV40) might increase the risk of developing mesothelioma. Some injectable polio vaccines given between 1955 and 1963 were contaminated with SV40. As many as 30 million people in the United States may have been exposed to the virus. But up till now there is no conclusive evidence of increased cases of mesothelioma amongst people that have received this contaminated vaccine.
by: Bello Kamorudeen
If you are a caregiver for someone with mesothelioma, you already know, or are learning quickly, how drastically your routines must change. Fortunately, there are seemingly endless sources of support for you as the caregiver, as well as for your loved one with this diagnosis.
Start with an Internet search to learn about mesothelioma (the disease, causes, treatments, care giving, support, options–everything you can find) and print out as much as you can. You won’t be able to remember it all. Make a file and organize it into categories so that you can easily find what you need when you need to know it. Then devise a plan to investigate each aspect of your care giving in an orderly manner. If you jump around from topic to topic, you’ll surely get confused, forget things and become overwhelmed. Make notes and file them with your topics.
Also, be aware that there are many sites that offer unreliable or biased information, so consider your sources carefully. One place to start might be the American Cancer Society where you can learn many facts about malignant mesothelioma and what you and your loved one will be dealing with. This will help you in giving support and caring for emotional and physical needs. As you meet with the medical team members, they can help you devise a care plan that includes caring for your own needs, as well.
You will need to find out what resources are available to you in your area, and which are covered by insurance, which by volunteers, which by support groups or local services. Meal delivery services for seniors and the disabled is one such service that could relieve you of meal preparation at least once a day. Remember that you will not only be taking care of both of your needs, but may have to carry out many requests to make your patient more comfortable. Requests such as bringing something to drink or snack on, something to read or do, change a TV channel and other small adjustments might begin to overwhelm you. Let your patient do as much for himself as possible.
Some of the things you’ll have to learn that are specific to your role as caregiver include:
• How to coordinate your care plan with your patient’s medical team’s plans. Decide who will take the patient to his or her appointments. List all questions ahead of time and make sure you are satisfied with the answers. Report all symptoms
• The specific type and location of mesothelioma your patient has and how it will affect him or her. This includes stages and treatments associated with different stages, and other options, such as clinical trials, and how each of these will affect both of you physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially and financially.
• Nutrition for mesothelioma patients. Your team will probably include a nutritionist who can advise you both of dietary needs at different stages of treatment, and ways to streamline meal preparation and shopping to reduce your work.
• Medications and supplements
• How to assist with activities of daily living, such as bathing, hygiene, dressing, mobilizing, changing a bed with someone in it, and especially assisting someone who is weak or in pain.
• Emotional support and understanding the emotions a patient and caregivers will experience. These can include frustration, anger, depression, hopelessness, euphoria, annoyance, exasperation, denial and many more that you are not accustomed to dealing with at this new level. Learn how to listen, don’t contradict or judge, and never disagree with your patient’s description of his or her emotions. Emotions are neither right nor wrong–they just are, and if your patient is feeling any particular emotion, that is the fact, though you might wish it were not. If your loved one is not ready to talk, wait until they are. They are losing control of almost everything in their life. Allow them to control what they need to express.
• Caring for your patient after treatment, which could be surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, fluid drainage, or other less imposing treatments. Each type of treatment will require specific types of care.
• Caring for yourself is as important to your patient as it is to you, so include yourself in the care plan. If you burn out or injure yourself, your loved one has lost his or her primary caretaker. Know your limitations and seek help where you might otherwise push yourself.
Rest will be one of your greatest needs. Are respite services available in your area? These services provide people to cover for you for a day or two while you physically leave and take respite somewhere else.
Maintain your routines, hobbies, interests, social life, outside activities as much as possible.
Your loved one is not the only one suffering emotional pain. You will be, as well. Caring for another person 24 hours a day, seven days a week would wear anyone out. If you have someone who can relieve you one or two days a week, take advantage of the opportunity to refresh yourself.
Ignore those who are critical of your caretaking unless you and your patient agree that a change would be an improvement. If the two of you are satisfied, and your caretaking is going well, realize that there is just so much you can do. If others insist that more can be done, and you and the patient are open to this, suggest that they provide the missing care as you would welcome all the help you can get.
• Delegation and available support. List individuals and groups. What can they best offer in the way of help or assistance? Can you rely on them for regular help? Do you have alternate sources of help? Get them to commit to a schedule and to specific ways of helping so that you can plan and organize. If you have family, friends, or volunteer organizations, or if your patient qualifies for in-home care services, you can delegate many of your tasks. These can be anything from running errands, to light housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing and other assistance with personal hygiene (for the patient, not you.) You might delegate bill paying, shopping, laundry, or any number of duties that would free up your time and energy for caretaking.
• Are everyone’s affairs in order, including yours? Advance directives. Wills. Bills. Taxes. Licenses. Important papers. Important contact information. Does a trusted person know where these papers are?
• What if something happens to you? Do you have a backup plan to care for your patient? Does a reliable person know of your plan, and are they ready to carry it out, if necessary?
• Legal matters. You will want to seek counsel from an attorney with experience in mesothelioma cases. If you are eligible for compensation, you will have to file for this within time limits set by statutes of limitations. If you are entitled to compensation, this will provide financial assistance for medical bills, caregivers and other expenses, as well as other losses, such as income and more.
by: Evan Langsted
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