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Sandy's
Story.
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16th
February; 2000
I am beginning research on mesothelioma.
My
father, a retired welder worked around
asbestos while installing and
fixing gas
lines for a major company in the twin cities (St Paul,
Minneapolis )
He has had a spot on his lung noted before,
but he
is now developing symptoms that relate.
I am trying to be
informed.
Sandy
-----------------------
16th
February; 2000
My father has had a spot on his lung that
has been noted for at
least 5 years.
Lately, he has been extremely winded,
had a dry
cough,
and the most recent xray;
this past week has shown a line
across his lung.
He goes in for a cat-scan tomorrow
I have done a
bit of researching
on the internet and if he does
have the
mesothelioma,
the prognosis will not be good.
My father retired as a welder,
pipefitter for a States power
company in Minnesota.
Although his work was with gas lines,
he was
prone to work in areas
where there was damaged gas lines.
I believe
this would most
likely have included old buildings.
Also his father
spent time as a mason
, in southern Minnesota.
I don't know if he
would have been
exposed to asbestos via the mason work,
but he
actually worked in mining areas
so it would be likely.
-----------------------
Dad only had one other sibling,
an older brother who is in poor
health.
His brother's problems though
seem to be unrelated .
Dad
was born in 1934 in southern Minnesota.
His parents moved to
St. Paul
(Capital city of Minnesota)
in the 40's.
He married my
mother in 1954.
There are five of us siblings
(three sisters, and
two brothers).
My elder sisters helped Mom with
most of the cleaning
and laundry.
-------------------
I am in the military and will be retiring this year.
I have three
wonderful children
who love Grandpa dearly.
I myself, am Daddy's
girl.
Everything that I have become can
directly be related to his
great love of the outdoors,
his belief in helping others,
devotion
to our family,
and love of life.
Because I am currently stationed in Texas,
I have heard about
Dad's problems
from three siblings and expect
the fourth to call
soon.
Dad, always my debate partner
and confidant,
never wants to
worry me and
says little about his recent
"flu" that knocked him on
his
back for two weeks, or his cough.
I will keep you informed
and pray for the best.
-----------------------------
Yesterday is for memories,
tomorrow for dreams.
We can neither
change the
past or predict the future.
We must live for today.
Today
is real.
Sandra.
---------------------
20th February; 2000
Thanks Deidre.
I haven't been able to
find out the situation yet.
Dad refused to look at the cat scan
and
for obvious reasons doesn't
want to discuss the situation.
I
hope to find out soon
and pray for the best.
Thanks for the
information.
Hopefully I can approach my father
over the phone this
weekend.
As you can expect,
everyone is frightened but luckily
they don't live that far from the Clinic.
Thanks
Sandy.
-------------------
20th February; 2000
I finally talked to my brother and father
today.
It is asbestosis.
We are so relieved.
I know that Dad is
not out of the woods
and that this can progress further,
however ,
There Is Hope!!!!
Dad was pretty happy.
He went to a steak house
to celebrate afterwards.
He let me know that they worked
on and
off in an area where they replaced
gas lines requiring that they
knocked all
the asbestos off the pipes
to do the work.
He also spent
several years working
in an old ex-mining building
for the gas
company until they
moved into more modern buildings.
We know that both lungs have scar tissue
and the left is about
1/3 scarred.
The right is fine with slight scarring.
We will
continue to monitor the
situation and he sees another
specialist
next week.
In the meantime he told me to get
a series B chest xray
because the
normal ones don't show the asbestos.
--------------------------------
I didn't tell you about this,
but during the 70's,
in Junior High
School
I did some work on asbestos
and it's effects on fish for a
science project.
This was around 1973 before a lot
of the
information about asbestos was out.
I did extensive work with
asbestos,
feeding and working with both
infected and control fish.
This included disection and cutting
cross sections to show the
effect
asbestos had in fish.
The research lasted several months
when I was measuring the asbestos
and placing it in the water.
I
don't think there will be any problems
but I will take his advice to
heart
and have the work done.
I received second place at
the
state science fair.
I realized through my research
that the asbestos
not only went
into the gills/lungs but
also through the whole body.
When I saw this,
I understood the great uproar
in my State over the
dumping of taconite
(refined ore) tailings into
Lake Superior
because it put asbestos
into the water we drank.
They have since
stopped, however,
I need to get a physical now anyways,
so I
will have them check my lungs
as recommended by Dad.
------------------------
Dad is seeing a lawyer soon,
and getting in touch with workman's
compensation to see what
can/will be done.
My prayers will never
cease for him.
I remain optimistic,
and pray for all those who have
been subjected to these terrible diseases
until we can find a way to
relieve
the suffering and hopefully a cure.
Sandy
------------------------
21st February; 2000
Thank you, I will pass on the blessings
to
my father and ask him about the story.
Knowing Dad, he is probably
planning
an ice fishing trip or a vacation
down here to visit us
already.
Mortality brings us to grips with
that which we have not
accomplished
and may never accomplish.
He may never put off his
dreams again,
because he has been given a reprieve
to dream and live
them.
I am so sorry about Thom and the
lack of knowledge of the
doctors
and technicians.
If we only knew then,
thank goodness we
are learning.
Your site is a great way to get
the word out to
others,
and like spring time it will blossom.
Just give it time
Deidre.
I will ask Dad,
and I know he is pushing each one
of us
to get a chest xray.
Thanks again.
Sandy
-------------------
22nd February; 2000
Hi Deidre,
Haven't spoken to Dad yet
but did get the low-down on his results.
The Cat scan says that he
has abnormalities
in the lungs with honey-combing,
and the tissues
show thickening with
"Ground Glass" areas,
mainly in the left lung.
There are also several areas showing
changes occurring within his
lungs,
which I believe means it is spreading.
In Wanda's story I
see a direct relation
in her husband's occupation and the types
of
buildings in which my father worked.
It is amazing! I pray for
her,
her family, you and each of the families
that have been torn by
asbestos.
--------------------------
It amazes me how oblivious we as humans can be.
Through asbestos,
people saw only the
safety of lives it would bring through it's
flame retardants.
The purpose of asbestos was to keep us safe.
Although through the years the installation
of asbestos may have
saved countless lives,
it has also taken them.
But taken them in a
long and agonizing death.
How many more things are out there
that we thought would save lives,
that will probably harm us just as
much as asbestos.
---------------------------------
Sandy and Greg
Desert Storm
Saudi Arabia/Iraq,
-----------------------
I guess I question this more now since
my husband and I served in
the
Desert Storm and there are people that
have had problems and
died from exposure
that the government and physicians
just can't pin
point.
We have had three healthy
children since then.
What
will it be next?.
It's frightening.
It makes me want to find some
where to hide
and continue raising my children, but where?
I
have to continue my beliefs
that mankind as a whole is kind,
and
that greed will not surpass the
humanity in us for saving this world
for those who will come after us.
For as you know, there must be
hope.
Without hope there appears no reason to continue.
By the way, the weather here is lovely for winter.
Today my
husband played softball
with the boys in the backyard,
and we
celebrated my daughter's
8th birthday by eating Chinese in town
with
his parents who are visiting this week from Illinois.
SANDY.
------------------------------
26th February; 2000.
I haven't spoken with my father.
Every time I call he is out doing
something or visiting friends.
Mom
is certainly relieved as
are my brothers and sisters.
I hope to
reach him this weekend
and ask him about putting the information
on
line. I don't think he'll mind but,
I want his approval and I am
dad's little girl no matter how old I am.
Till I talk with dad and get an Xray
I probably won't have much
to say.
This experience is making me hug the kids
just a little
tighter and enjoying life
just a little bit more . Kisses! Sandy.
--------------------
26th February; 2000.
Dad said it was alright to print the
messages.
He also said that another guy he
worked with has the same
condition.
He also says his lungs inhale fine
but he is not exhaling
all of the carbon monoxide
out of his lungs, since they don't
collapse completely;
so he is doing breathing exercises
to prevent
the c.m. from remaining in his lungs.
Also, he talked to a lawyer
but
apparently there are about 60 companies
that made asbestos
products
and now they have to find out which ones
placed their
products in the buildings.
He was in (circa 1920) and he found
out there
is also a one year statute of limitations
on filing a
claim and he may be beyond that.
Overall he is feeling well
unless he exerts himself.
Then he has trouble catching his breath.
He should have his final findings next week,
but it appears his lung
capacity
and usage is down quite a bit, Sandy
------------------------------
3rd March; 2000
I've been looking at the site.
It is great. I
cried looking at it,
all of the emotions that I went through
came
back as if it was happening again.
I still haven't had time to
get a chest X-ray.
I have been working my brain,
preparing to go to
a job fair
for three days in Dallas, Texas.
I hope I will receive a
few job offers
so I can ensure that the family has more than
my
meager retirement pay to depend on.
Dad was pretty jovial when I
called on Sunday.
However he told me that there was another guy
that he worked with
who is having the same problems.
Apparently, the
person who initially read his xrays
noted the spot on both dad and
his friend's xrays.
However when a new person came
in as the Xray
tech,
this one said there was nothing wrong
with either of them.
Smells fishy to me.
Dad said when he heard there was nothing wrong,
he was so relieved.
It appears the first xray reader was more
accurate.
Thanks for sharing your story and website with
me...again, Sandy
-----------------------
22nd April, 2000;
I had my physical.
Everything looks fine.
I
will retire from the military 31st July
and have a job already!
We are
looking to move the end of May,
and take a small vacation on the way
to visit our parents.
Actually, I can't wait to hug mom and dad
and
then do some camping and fishing
with the kids before things get
hectic again.
I'll write periodically to see
what's going on with
you.
Have a blessed Easter and hug your family for me,Sandy
-----------------------
Updated on the 1st May 2011,
In the fall of 2005.
We took our last vacation with dad
and my younger brother and
our families.
We all knew it would be the last vacation
because my father
was becoming so weak.
We ensured that he had enough oxygen
and travelled up near the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
near Grand Marais Minnesota,
close
to the Canadian Border.
-----------------------------
Dad and Nathan on their last fishing trip
--------------------------
This was always one of our favourite areas.
We camped and dad whittled sticks
with the date and a reminder to
each of the kids
that they would never forget our last outing.
We had to help dad quite a bit,
but we got him into the boat
and he was able to spend a few hours fishing,
something I will
always remember when I think of dad
- his great love for the
outdoors.
--------------------------
------------------
Amy, Chris, Greg, Nate, Carl and Dad
with his grandchildren on their last camping trip
------------------------------
My father died on 31 July 2006 ,
at home with my brother James,
his wife Cindy and my sister Suzi
holding his hand.
It was so
heartbreaking,
to see my father weak and bedridden.
But dad still had his values
and encouraged us each to
continue to learn until the day we died,
as he did.
---------------------------
Dad and Nicolette at her graduation.
-----------------------------
He was an inspiration to each of us.
I drove up from Texas to spend a few weeks with him
when we began hospice
care.
I slept in a cot or on the couch
in the living room near
where we had moved an
adjustable bed and chair for him.
-----------------
Deanna, Nathan and Christopher
Sandy and Gary's three children
"Big Bertha" as this tree is fondly called,
where Sandy used to climb as a child
The tree is just as big now
and is still being climbed.
--------------------------
His final days consisted of
morphine
which he dipped in his 'chew' (Copenhagen)
which he
had given as a young man and very little food,
since his appetite
was so small
and his weight loss so great.
It's amazing that a man who didn't
smoke,
could be dying of this horrific disease.
It tore me
apart watching my father
gasp for the air that couldn't fill his
lungs
and being denied that retirement
that he so dreamed of
for so many years.
---------------------------------
The family gathered for a last farewell
before selling the family homestead last year.
The family grew up here,
raised their children
and visited this house
for over fifty years.
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