My wife was diagnosed with SCLC in March 2019. She is now on Palliative Chemo just to give her a bit of extra time. I was also diagnosed with Enlarged Hilar and Enlarged Mediastinal nodes on my lungs in 2018 and being me I never went back to the hospital. Does anyone know whether these could have been caused to me being exposed to Asbestos back in the early 1990's. My wifes oncologist was a bit nasty when I asked him about her diagnosis being linked and automatically said hers was smoking that caused hers.
Any advice will help as I am blaming myself for her illness!
Thank You
Written by
Babydolltina
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Asbestos is closely related to mesothelioma (a lung cancer that affects the pleura) and asbestosis. Smoking is the single greatest risk factor in small cell lung cancer-but non smokers are occasionally diagnosed with it
Your work around asbestos had nothing to do with this. Please be kind to yourself.
So sorry to hear about your wife, there is no blame or shame with this. There are so many other factors that could contribute to SCLC. Any blame you may feel, would do you both more harm, than good, focus on the time that you are spending with your wife and treasure these.
All cancers should be non judgmental, and care and compassion should be at the forefront, sorry to hear that was not your recent experience.
Hello and I am so sorry to learn of the diagnosis for both yourself and your wife. Actually no disrespect meant to Denzie but I have spent many years dealing with personal injury claims including asbestos related diseases and to date have spent many years in assessing these claims (and many other types), for the purpose of after the event insurance to assist in pursuing a claim. There could be a possibility that your wife's lung cancer is at least partly caused by your own exposure to asbestos, particularly as your own condition is also causal from such exposure. Asbestos exposure is related to small cell lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques, mesotheioma and your own condition. However this would not be any fault of yours but more likely that of your employer for allowing such exposure in the first instance. If you were provided with the correct protective work equipment, health and safety training and instructions it would be difficult to prove a causal link. Only you will know what systems and equipment was in place to prevent your own exposure, or any transference of tiny asbestos dust particles onto your body or own clothing enabling you to take it home (wives have had successful claims on the basis of handling spousal contaminated laundry).
It may be worthwhile obtaining a second opinion from a medical expert. If either or both of you are smokers, it would be difficult to prove any asbestos link even if only on a contributory negligence point but this would depend on your ages, and your smoking history. If neither or either of you do not smoke, then I would certainly get a second opinion with a view to making a potential claim.
I do agree with Denzie in as much as it sounds like you may have limited time together and it makes sense that you enjoy what time you have together as much as you can now. However if it affords you personal peace of mind to seek clarification and I really understand this as I have come across many such claims in past years, if you do get a second opinion and asbestos could be causal, , it would be worthwhile instructing a solicitor on behalf of you both. He or she will assess the facts and advise on prospects and once this has been done, any claim can be put on hold if you wish, enabling you to continue to enjoy what time you have left together and create new memories. It would not cost you anything at all on a no win no fee basis.
I am a strong believer that when time is limited you should enjoy that time for as long and as fondly as you can but on the other hand, if anybody is faced with a disease caused by the acts, failures or omissions on the part of any other person, they are entitled to .
Never ever blame yourself!
I hope the above has been of some help to you and provided some sort of clarification. Best wishes to you both and I hope you are able to create many new memories together in the time you have.
I am sure there are many things that you will be able to put me straight on and advise going forward. Asbestos is a particular area that frustrates me particularly since governments internationally have been aware of the dangers of exposure worldwide since the 50s! There is absolutely no reason in the 21st century for anybody to be exposed to any risks ! It's so sad that Trump has lifted restrictions on the use of asbestos in the States and frightening what the outcome of that will be in many years to come.
Please feel free to let me know if I make any incorrect comments as I would not like to give anybody misinformation.
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