How old were you when you heard of mesothelioma? For some, it might be in our adulthood, but some learn about it at a much younger age. It has affected all of us in different ways. Suzy F. was no exception. She was just a child when she learned about mesothelioma cancer.
She tells her story of how the mesothelioma has affected his family. And how his family is to stay involved in the community. His last name is withheld on privacy
My grandfather was an amazing man. He was a veteran of World War II who served his time in the Navy on a ship in the Philippines. It was an old Italian fashion who first put his family and everything else second. He was a Yankees fan and pure hard and he enjoyed playing golf and cards on the weekends. In the 1930s, he worked in a local factory where they mixed asbestos to manufacture joints. He was also exposed to asbestos while he was in the Navy and while working at another factory after the war.
I'm not sure of the year that my grandfather was diagnosed with mesothelioma, but he went through chemo, radiation, and various plans that they hoped to stop the cancer. They managed to slow the cancer, but unfortunately, as everyone who knows mesothelioma knows; nothing could be done to heal it. Doctors originally gave him six months to live, but he eventually exceed that of recent years.
On Father's Day, June 15, 03, he began to quickly decline to the point where he could not even manage to live in his own home with his girlfriend of 15 years. My grandfather was a very strong and independent man. To get him to admit that he could not fight against this disease on its own was a huge thing. My father was the only decision that would entirely devoted son and moved him into our home. My mother is a nurse and everyone thought it would be easier for my grandfather to get the care around the clock in our house.
I come from a big Italian family, and every day there were different parents at home, some spend the night, some stay for days. My sister and I were 11 and 9 at the time and go to school every day praying that Grandpa would always be there when we returned. It was hard on the whole family because some days like Father's Day this year, Grandpa was watching the Yankees game and eat hot dogs with his grandchildren, other days he slept all day and would only nod when we spoke to him. About two days before his death, my grandfather had gotten to the point that it was so bad and was so tired that he was unresponsive. Two days later, June 23, 03, he went into heart failure. A visiting nurse came home around 17 hours that day and said he had only about 24 hours to live. An hour and 50 minutes later I woke briefly grandfather opened his eyes, looked around his room to his family, and took his last breath. He died at 18:50 on June 23, 03.
Since then, my family has been involved in various fundraising activities for charities cancer. Last December, my father was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Although not related to exposure to asbestos, it hit home for my sisters and I that we needed to get more involved in fundraising for cancer research. So this next Saturday 23 June, nine years since my grandfather passed, my family and I will be attending our local Relay for Life. I would humbly ask everyone who can afford it to donate. Even small amounts will impact!
My family and I believe it is our duty to do our utmost. We believe that if a cancer patient can be treated this kind of pain, so we can all spend a few hours walking, or donate a few dollars to help stop cancer !! Thank you all for your time and God bless !!
Suzanne
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