Skip to main content

A Reason For Hope…Part II

I warned you I was new at posting blogs.

My intent with posting the graph on the previous post was to include the entire fundraising letter from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.  But, when I was writing the original blog it kept coming out  blurry so I reduced it to just the graph.  Once I posted it I went to the actual posted blog and realized if you click on a picture or attachment it will launch and allow you to zoom in or enlarge the print.

So, for those of you interested here is the letter in it’s entirety:

Click on document to launch


This foundation has done wonders for research and progress for those affected by Mesothelioma.  Diane believes that every time a patient is diagnosed with this cancer anywhere it should be mandatory that doctors refer the patient to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.  They will get that family on the right track from the beginning. You can see why this group adds a great deal of hope to our journey.

We like the philosophy of author Norman Cousins who is quoted, “Don’t defy the diagnosis; just defy the verdict.”

Health Update:

We just got home yesterday from my 7th treatment in Houston.  Everything went pretty much the same as the last few sessions.  About an hour into the transfusion I began to feel the restless legs, soon followed by a shiver or two and we immediately notified the nurse who paused the treatment before the rigors kicked in.  They gave me the counter active medicine and resumed the treatment in record time!  And, as has been the case recently, I felt just fine upon completion and no side affects the next day.  Today I even felt good enough to play a doubleheader with my softball team.  

God is good!




Comments

  1. Hi Mark (Diane),
    Just had a fun/funny interaction with Barb... (ask her!).
    Will you add me to notification list when you post blog stuff? That'd be good, but this ol' dino don't know how!
    R

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Let’s Get Back on the Horse

Well, it is now more than three weeks since the surgery.   I’ve been sort of melancholy lately and as such I’ve been remiss in keeping this blog updated.  But, I’m over my funk and it’s time to get back on track with defeating this nasty cancer. I had amazing home care to help Diane get through the last few weeks, with Rachel, Joel, Diane’s sister Barbara, and my sister, Melissa and my Mother, Willie.  We had some great family time and I feel very loved.  I’m getting stronger everyday but my incisions are still very tender to the touch.  Everybody has returned home, so Diane and I now have the house to ourselves again. During this time we have been researching clinical trials and I’m starting to get involved with the Mesothelioma Foundation.  They have lots of up to date information about trials, medicine and success stories.  Rachel and Laura Lester worked together on finding clinical trials and we have decided to travel to Houston to check out a clin...

“How Did This Happen To You”

 I hear this question often enough that I thought today might be a good day to discuss this topic. As I alluded to in my first entry, Mesothelioma is an environmental cancer.  The only known cause is exposure to asbestos.  The fact of the matter is, most of us probably have had some distant exposure to asbestos in our lifetime.  The older you are, the more likely, absent the countermeasures from extreme pressure on the asbestos industry in the last 30-40 years.  Perhaps, you lived in a very old classic home that at one time used asbestos in things like, fireproof siding, dangerous ceiling tiles, the adhesive that was used to install floor coverings, or maybe in old paint.  Think about the dangers to firefighters using extinguishers and fire prevention techniques that used asbestos.  Another prevalent occupation seems to be Navy veterans who spent time on ships.   Another large population that seems to be affected are asbestos industry workers, min...

The Battle Begins

I’ve never tried to create a blog, in fact I’ve never even looked at someone else’s blog.  So, this project may start off a little slow.  My plan is to post frequently about what’s currently happening.  But, people also want to know when this started, what were my symptoms, and why did it take so long to get this diagnosis.  So I will, from time to time, create posts that will be labeled “Prologue”. That story will begin on November 19th, 2021 and I’ll add stories until I reach today’s date.  April 18th, 2022 Today I finally have a comprehensive diagnosis.  It’s not what we were hoping for but at least we can now proceed with the attack. I have Peritoneal Mesothelioma.  Most people think of Mesothelioma as a lung disease but of the 3000+ yearly cases of mesothelioma only10-15% occur in the abdomen.  The primary cause of mesothelioma is from exposure to asbestos.  Later, I will tell you the story of my time working around raw asbestos.   ...