Assemble a top-notch team for treatment and beyond
Your journey into the world of mesothelioma likely began with a routine exam at your primary care doctor’s office. Maybe you had a cough that just wouldn’t go away, or you kept experiencing unfamiliar chest pains or shortness of breath. You were responsible, proactive and set up an appointment, and suddenly, your routine exam unfolded into a nightmare.
Now armed with a diagnosis, you can choose to get treatment from oncologists who specialize in mesothelioma and other environmentally acquired diseases like asbestosis. It is very important that you feel comfortable with your oncologist, but keep in mind that a gruff bedside manner may belie the brilliant mind of a research genius. Seeking out a second or third opinion in your quest for the most effective, life-prolonging treatment available to you is understandable when confronting a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Once you have chosen your oncologist, you and your doctor will set forth a treatment plan that accommodates your condition, lifestyle and prognosis. Radiation treatments, chemotherapy and alternative medicine all have vital roles in the arsenal of mesothelioma weaponry. What you and your treatment team decide to do will reflect your own unique medical situation.
Reducing the emotional toll
It’s a rare sufferer who will not experience negative emotions following a mesothelioma diagnosis. Some patients remain in denial after being diagnosed; this is one coping mechanism that can allow mesothelioma patients some extra time to come to terms with the realities of their medical conditions.
If all this sounds overwhelming, that’s understandable as well as typical for those diagnosed with mesothelioma following workplace exposures to asbestos. Any cancer diagnosis can cause patients to rage or mourn over their circumstances, but accepting that this condition was caused by the wanton negligence of a former employer can make acceptance harder.
Depression and anxiety stemming from a mesothelioma diagnosis can be alleviated with medication, but patients can benefit from counseling as well. Well-meaning family members and friends certainly can boost your spirits to a degree, but they are also challenged by your illness and may not be able to rise to the occasion and meet all of your needs. It can also strain relationships with spouses or other relatives that might not be equipped to meet all of your physical, mental and psychological needs while you are living with a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Build a strong circle of support
People spend their whole lives chasing objectives and careers that reflect the attainment of specific goals and achievements. But being diagnosed with mesothelioma can make patients question their life choices and trajectories. While introspection can be rewarding when it leads to enlightenment, it can also be isolating. Assembling a core group of supporters to whom you can turn when you need to cry, vent or rage can be empowering. Ask your doctor for referrals to counselors with experience in treating cancer patients and/or their family members.
Cancer support groups appeal to some mesothelioma patients, and can be a good source of information about the newest clinical trials and drug combos in the battle against this malignant disease. Simply realizing that you are not alone in your struggle can be a major relief. If you can’t find a group in your area, contact the American Cancer Society online, or call 800-227-2345 to discover untapped resources and groups that can provide you with much-needed support.
A cancer diagnosis can be a very lonely journey for those who attempt to shoulder the burden on their own. Just allowing others to connect with you on an emotional level to help you meet your needs can leave you feeling quite vulnerable. Sometimes the best thing to do is seek out mental health professionals with experience counseling mesothelioma sufferers.
The role of your Mesothelioma Law Firm
While you are getting treatment for mesothelioma, you need to focus all your energy and strength on enhancing your quality of the life. The last thing that you need to concern yourself with is the tedious minutiae involved with pursuing a claim for damages from the responsible parties that caused your condition.
Just as your treatment team was hand-picked by you for the best possible outcome, so too should be the legal advisors you retain to pursue compensation for your asbestos exposure and subsequent diagnosis of mesothelioma. An aggressive, experienced mesothelioma law firm has the resources necessary to take your claim through negotiations and litigation. The complexities of the criteria for inclusion in asbestos trust settlements can be daunting to plaintiffs trying to settle their own claims without legal representation, but is fully understood by attorneys working for a mesothelioma law firm.
Contact Shrader & Associates L.L.P.
Here at Shrader Law Firm, we understand the unique problems facing mesothelioma patients, and know that time is of the essence when pursuing legal claims against companies that exposed our clients to deadly asbestos materials on job sites. We treat all of our clients and their family members with the utmost respect and honor their wishes for the best resolution of their cases. Don’t allow legal woes and worries to consume your mind and cause you additional stress. Call our Houston office today at (713) 787-3733 to set up a no obligation, confidential and free consultation with one of out experienced mesothelioma law firm attorneys.