subject: Dealing with Mesothelioma in the Family [print this page] Author: K James Author: K James
When a family member has Mesothelioma, it can be incredibly difficult on all members of the family. Often the victim goes from being relatively healthy to being in critical condition very rapidly. It is very important to understand as much about how to deal with this disease as a family as it is to understand the disease itself. The Disease Mesothelioma is a form of asbestos cancer which affects the lining of the lungs, stomach or heart. The common symptoms for the disease are breathlessness, pain in the chest and in the rib cage. If your family member has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, based on the stage, they need to have some form of mesothelioma treatment and understand that there is no cure. When considering treatment, they need to consider various aspects like: Benefits of the treatment Insurance coverage Payment modalities Logistics Side effects of the treatment The Role of the Family When a family member is diagnosed with Mesothelioma, it results in a great amount of stress to all the family members as each member wants to get answers for all their questions related to the disease, its effects and the future of the family. It is advised that families seek the help of support groups who help in dealing with the stress as well as the effects of the disease. Along with the patient, the family members also feel helpless and face emotions of anger, sorrow as well as confusion. The family members need to be prepared to deal with all these aspects of the disease and its treatment. If they decide to not have any form of treatment, they need to be prepared to tolerate the pain using painkillers or other palliative treatments. Patients and their family members need to start making arrangement for the future of their family by developing wills, estate planning and trusts. The family should also hire a capable Mesothelioma attorney to file a lawsuit against the asbestos manufacturers or the employer that allowed exposure to the deadly asbestos resulting in the disease. Coping with the Disease The family members are usually keen to help the patient but they also have to focus on matters related to finances and generating compensation through a Mesothelioma lawsuit. The most important thing to do while a family member is suffering from this disease is to learn to cope with the disease. The family members can help the patient by just being around, being supportive, being caring and compassionate. They need to also gather the maximum information about the disease deal with misconceptions. If the patient is in final stages of the disease, it is better to seek the help of hospice care. People working for hospice care are trained specifically to take care of people who are facing the end of life and being a support to the families as well as friends. The hospice care givers also train the members of the family in different ways to take care of the patient and make the rest of their life as comfortable as possible. The family members of the patient suffering from Mesothelioma are so emotionally affected that they are considered secondary patients due to the strain on their lives. While the patient is treated for the disease, the caregivers also need to take care of themselves. They need to focus on their diet and nutrition, get adequate rest and take time for recreation to get able to take care of the patient better.About the Author:
