Will L. spends much time to worry about the health of his father. He often wonders how things might be different if his father had never left Ecuador 45 years ago to create a better life for his family.
He also wonders how something so good turned out so bad. How is the American dream became an American nightmare?
malignant pleural mesothelioma has changed his views on many things.
"If my father had stayed in Ecuador, raised a family there, this would have happened to him, and me and my brothers sad," said Will from his home in New Jersey. "But he will not let us talk like that about him. There is no bitterness. It would in the same way again. He is proud that his children grew up in the United States. "
His father, Antonio L., who celebrated his 73rd birthday last month, is a survivor of mesothelioma six years in May, a milestone that makes him a rarity, but also sounds an alarm pleural Not many patients live long
"My father always said.." this was the land of opportunity, "said Will. "He taught us to never live with regret. Maybe the reason it lasted. Doctors are not sure why, exactly. But it starts showing on him now. It takes its toll. He knows what is there, but we want to stay strong. "Will and name Antonio is retained on privacy.
Antonio was 28, 11 of 13 children in a poor family in Ecuador, when he saved enough money in 1969 to a way plane ticket to New York, where he landed only ?? with only hopes and dreams in the small bag he was carrying
. He met, fortunately, a Spanish speaking person on the trip who knew someone who knew someone who was an assistant manager in a manufacturing plant nearby in New Jersey. When he landed, he has the name and the address he was given. It was his ticket to a future.
Job was the key
Within days, he had landed that factory work, where he remained for 35 years, which makes corrugated cardboard, often volunteer for extra shifts which included cleaning the snow like that asbestos dust was everywhere.
Antonio briefly returned to Ecuador after two years in New Jersey, with fancy clothes on his back and money in his pocket, returning to his childhood sweetheart sweep his feet . They married and came back together, waiting to raise a family and live happily ever after.
In the 70 early, nobody works at the plant achieved the degree of toxicity of asbestos was, it caused a variety of long long respiratory problems, including mesothelioma cancer. He did not know until his diagnosis almost 40 years later, long after he became a US citizen.
"Although it is sad for the disease, he wants us to know that he has done for us. This work is enabling us to do what we've done in life. In his mind, he sees it as a sacrifice of a father has for his family, "said Will. "He was proud of his work."
Antonio and his family prospered in the region of New York-New Jersey, the opportunity to return to visit his many brothers and sisters in Ecuador. He even bought a second home there, planning a happy and healthy retirement near where he was born. But cancer, and damage caused, changed everything.
Pension plans were changed
"This is probably what bothers him the most, he will not be able to spend his retirement years in Ecuador where he wanted" said will. "he worked his whole life for this, but now it will not happen because of this disease."
when Antonio was diagnosed in May 08, the cancer had already spread, eliminating the possibility of potentially- curative surgery. He made several rounds of chemotherapy, which temporarily stunted growth in his chest every time, work surprisingly well.
He believes that a positive attitude a breadwinner and a visualization technique he read were imperative in his fight. he imagined chemotherapy to attack the cancer. he often visualized doing things he loved to do in the past, even when chemotherapy been struck his feet and shooting pains in his chest returned.
"What he did, come to the United States on its own for a long time, leaving everything behind, which really took a lot of courage," said Will. "I do not know if I could do something like that. Not sure many people could. I have always admired him for that. "
Will, who has a young family and a job of her own, often tending to his father and his mother, who still live nearby. Will is the one who found Asbestos.com and services that it provides patients with mesothelioma, including literature and guidance in Spanish that his father could read and understand.
Depending on how it tolerates its current cycle of chemotherapy, Antonio and his wife hope to Travel to Ecuador last time in July, returning home to see everyone again. will is hoping and praying that it will happen.
"I really think that what drives him to continue now, hoping to travel more, "said Will." I think see himself back in Ecuador, surrounded by his family once again, is what drives him now. I know he will not give that up. "
