My husband, Brian, was 52 when he received a death sentence.
It was not because he committed a crime. On the contrary :. CSR Limited, a mining company of ruthless asbestos located in Wittenoom, Western Australia, wronged him when he infected him with the deadly mineral, which led him to develop mesothelioma - an incurable cancer
the company operated in this area between 1943 and 1966. Brian and his family were among the 20,000 men, women and children who have lived or worked in the remote city during this time.
mining company presentations all Wittenoom residents to asbestos fibers in the dust from the mine site and most areas of the city. As news of the tragedy spread at Wittenoom, experts have predicted that 25 percent of its inhabitants will eventually die of mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. My husband would be among them.
Diagnosis of Brian
Forty-five years after Brian left Wittenoom, he began experiencing shortness of breath.
A visit to his doctor revealed an accumulation of fluid in his lungs was causing the discomfort. The fluid was then drained and sent to pathology. The results were devastating. Brian was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers.
Given less than a year to live, he joined the growing list of victims of asbestos innocents who had lived in Wittenoom and would die as a result of it.
On this sad day of his diagnosis, I also became a victim of asbestos. Although I had not lived in Wittenoom or been exposed to asbestos fibers Moreover, the disease linked to asbestos Brian ?? affected all aspects of my life.
A secondary victim
Brian lived with Mesothelioma for two years.
As his wife and caregiver, I testified to the devastating effects of this insidious disease had on his body once fit and healthy. For me, it was the cruelest torture. As Brian gradually loses the ability to do whatever he liked, including the simple act of eating and drinking, I constantly reminded me that he was dying. Powerless to do anything about it, I grieved because he was losing and losing him in my future.
Brian was only a human shell that used to be as he lay on his deathbed, but his mind was still sharp. The last thing he said to me: "I love you."
His death remains a sore hole in my heart that can never be filled. Asbestos was directly responsible for the death of Brian ??, but there would be no compensation coming my way. Shortly after his diagnosis, Brian and I had tried to take his case to court.
We were unsuccessful.
In mediation, it was determined that CSR Limited was unaware of the deadly nature of asbestos at the time Brian and his family lived in Wittenoom. I refused to believe then and now.
Regardless, there is no amount of money could ever compensate me for the loss of the wonderful man who was my husband, my lover and my best friend.
first wave of deaths
experts say the death of Brian ?? asbestos was part of the first wave of victims resulting from mining in Wittenoom.
Australia stopped mining asbestos in 1983, but the increase in asbestos-related deaths would continue. More than 165,000 tons of deadly ore had been shipped from the mine during operation, and much of it makes its way to the building industry.
Hailed as a miracle fiber for its heat-resistant qualities, flexibility and low cost, it makes it ideal for use in more than 3,000 construction products such as cement sheeting, tiles and insulation. Asbestos was widely used in the construction of houses and buildings in Australia between 1945 and 1980.
Everyone involved in the construction industry during this time, such as bricklayers, pipefitters, insulators , electricians, carpenters and plasterers, unwittingly exposed to deadly fibers when they cut, sawn or damaged goods containing asbestos. Many workers die as a result, and these include the second wave of Wittenoom asbestos victims.
Third wave of asbestos Death approach
The deadly cycle of asbestos exposure, disease and death is as yet - and may never be
thousands of men and women, fueled by do-it-yourself television shows, are renovating their homes without first determining whether they contain asbestos renovations .. Even simple as sanding cement walls for painting, lifting old linoleum floor and pulling down asbestos sheds and fences can release deadly asbestos fibers in the air and endanger the health of any everyone in the neighborhood.
Renovation without the safety of others and yourself is unwise.
Asbestos is everywhere and is not going away anytime soon. Thousands of homes built before 1987 with products containing asbestos are still standing across Australia today. Many of them may be responsible for the third wave of asbestos victims.
There are many warnings these days about the dangers of asbestos and no reason anyone should put their lives or the lives of others in danger.
