In October 2010,my 47 year old partner was diagnosed with mesothelioma and our lives were changed for ever. This is a journal of our attempt to live as a normal couple even with this terrible disease. There is no cure but some people do survive far longer than expected, years rather than months.
He had the trimodal treatment option, involving pleurectomy decortication, radiation and 6 sessions of chemotherapy with ailmta/cisplatin.
The surgery was hard going, the radiation tiring and the chemo exhausting. Numerous scans, a bout of pneumonia and what feels like two steps back for one forward at times, we live within the scan window, so plans tend to be short term.
Two years on, we have been to the Olympics, Paris, he has been horse riding and we have walked many miles when the weather the been kinder. None of this we ever thought possible back at the time of first diagnosis in October 2010.
The next big target is our joint 50th birthday later this year which will be after the next scan due in early July, so keeping our fingers crossed.
47 year old is a young age for having a mesothelioma. What was their job ? I hope the next PET scan will show no progression of the disease !!! Best Wishes
47 is young, think he was exposed to asbestos as a trainee electrician in his teens. As you say fingers crossed for the next scan