Have you ever seen the effects of asbestosis, mesothelioma, or any of the various asbestos-related cancers that have killed or destroyed the livelihood of a close fried or relative? Believe me, some very powerful and influential figures have succumbed to these illnesses, so it is not just confined to manual workers working in factories or building sites where asbestos was involved.

As early as 1898 the then Chief inspector of Factories in The United Kingdom in his report to Parliament submitted in his report regarding the ‘evil effects of asbestos dust.’ He described it even all those years ago as having a sharp, glass like nature, very susceptible to disintegrating into minute particles, which then very easily permeated every nook and cranny in a building, or even a district where such a product was in use.

Litigation due to industrial exposure to asbestos remains the longest, most expensive joint claim in the world, with over 6,000 defendants, and at the latest count well over 600,000 claimants. With the current rate of detection of asbestos related diseases set to rise over the next decade, estimates of the litigation costs on the US alone is expected to rise to well over $250 BILLION. You would have thought that with such amounts at stake, anybody still manufacturing products based on asbestos or any asbestos-related products would be taking an enormous financial risk.

In early times items made of asbestos were held in great esteem, especially by Kings and Emperors, and of equal value to gold. Many in fact were cremated in an asbestos shroud, to keep their ashes separate from any other combustible materials. How rash was that! In fact, talking of rashes, although asbestos fibres when coming into contact with the skin causes rashes, there are stories from ancient times that asbestos was actually prescribed for ailments of the skin – especially the itch.

Although there are many forms of asbestos, they all have the same characteristic to a greater or lesser degree, that eventually however they may be packaged up within another material, they will all form asbestos dust particles at some point in their life.

Due to asbestos’s fire-retarding properties, until the late 1980’s there were many applications within public and private buildings where asbestos in one form or another was used. Acoustic ceilings, putty, vinyl floor coverings, fire-retardant fillings, adhesives and ceiling tiles, acoustic curtains in theatres, and in brake disk pads in cars, busses and trains, clutch plates, gaskets, fire blankets – the list is endless, as is the lurking danger.

In fact, many a worker in the American shipyards during the Second Word War were heavily exposed to this asbestos danger, and even some top people were affected and struck down with asbestosis, mesothelioma, or asbestos-induced cancers of some sort.

Now, with many asbestos based products no longer allowed in new construction, there must be thousands upon thousands of sites where asbestos is still lurking, and even demolition and or removal creates its own hazard conditions.

Interestingly, in the interest of ‘profit’ there are still a number of applications where asbestos is still in use, and can even be found in some consumer products, such as talcum powder.

In all, the list of asbestos based products is still scarily quite long.

Asbestos-cement corrugated and flat sheets; asbestos clothing for heat resistant applications, pipe line wraps, roofing felt, and many applications in the auto industry, including automatic transmission system components, clutch plates, friction pads such as disk brake pads and so forth are still being manufactured.

How many of us have smelt the acrid fumes when a train applies it’s brakes in your local station?

Because of all this historical use of asbestos, we are all constantly exposed to certain levels of asbestos dust. These are usually quite low levels (between 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibres per millilitre of air we breathe) with the higher levels predominately in towns and cities. Some drinking water can also contain asbestos fibres from natural sources, but this is usually very closely monitored.

Where asbestos removal takes place, whole buildings have to be hermetically sealed to try and trap the bulk of the dust.

If you have been unfortunate enough to breathe large quantities of asbestos dust, either in a short burst, or over a period of years the effects are usually very much the same.

1. This dust, on the lungs and the membranes inside us, will eventually cause scar like tissues in the lungs, and in the pleural membrane (lining) surrounding the lungs. This ‘asbestosis’ as it is known will usually cause coughing, difficulty in breathing, and sometimes, enlargement of the heart. Asbestosis is very serious, and often results in death. However, it is usually confined to those who worked in the asbestos industry.

2. Lower levels of intake of this deadly dust may cause changes called plaques in the pleural membranes. Effects here are not as serious as with asbestosis, but restricted breathing may still take place.

3. Any irritation of the lungs, or any other membrane in the body will have a marked increase in the formation of cancers, and lung cancer and mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the thin lining (pleural membrane) surrounding the lungs is a well-know side effect of breathing asbestos dust.

4. Children are particularly at risk, as how many of them may play around old buildings, and take great pleasure in smashing up old sheets of asbestos, not realising that they are really playing with something more deadly than an unexploded time-bomb.

As a successful property renovator, and provider of buildings for my property club members, asbestos is of a very serious concern to me.

In all, asbestos, although having served mankind “Faithfully?’ down throughout the ages, has now been identified as the spectre of danger that it presents, but unfortunately we have been mining the stuff for centuries, so it will not go away quietly, and without a fight.

Hence the massive levels of lawsuits piling up surrounding all forms of asbestos.

Copyright 2006 Geoff Morris

Geoff Morris is a Property Entrepreneur who has been studying the dangers of renovating old buildings for his club members ( propertyprofits4u.com propertyprofits4u.com). Such an International scare really needs more investigating, and you can identify far more information by visiting mesotheliomatime.info mesotheliomatime.info

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It wasn’t that long ago that a diagnosis of breast cancer was almost akin to a death sentence. Nowadays, however, there are many options for treating breast cancer, and the chances of success are high. Factors such as the type of breast cancer and how developed it is have the biggest influence on the outcome of treatment.

So what treatments are available today? There are three main types; let’s take a look at them now.

Local Regional Treatment

This type of treatment focuses on the area where the breast cancer is found and the surrounding lymph nodes. One of the most common treatments is radiation therapy or radiotherapy. Generally women find there are few side effects to this sort of treatment, and if the cancer is still in the early stages, radiotherapy has a good chance of providing a complete cure.

Surgery is another option, but is usually only used when other methods have failed. Sometimes surgery involves removal of the lump, but in other situations it may be necessary to remove the whole breast and reconstruct the area afterwards. This is known as a mastectomy. Although this can be a difficult surgery for women to undergo emotionally, most women quickly adapt to their new body shape. Modern surgery is improving all the time, with the focus being on retaining as much of the healthy breast as possible.

Systemic Treatments

A systemic treatment involves treating the whole body. Chemotherapy is the main systemic treatment available, and is used to kill any cancer cells that may have spread into the rest of the body from the breast. Unfortunately chemotherapy is a difficult treatment to undergo, often making the patient feel ill and weak. It works by killing off all the rapidly dividing cells in the body. Many of these are cancer cells, but others are not, which is why people are often ill during chemotherapy. Still, as technology and medicine progress, chemotherapy is becoming more refined and a little easier to cope with. It’s also an excellent way to prevent the spread of cancer, particularly to the lymph nodes, and so prevent fatal varieties developing.

Tamoxifen is a drug that is used as a systemic treatment. Unfortunately it often results in serious and uncomfortable side effects, so it’s not often used. However it certainly has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer returning, and in some cases can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in the first place. Side effects can include uterine cancer, blood clots, early menopause, nausea, vomiting, depression and loss of energy, amongst others.

Alternative Treatments

Not everybody believes that modern medicine is the only possible cure for breast cancer, hence the call for treatments that treat the mind, body and spirit in a holistic way. Little medical evidence exists to show that these treatments are effective, but certainly there have been instances of alternative treatments leading to a complete cure. Some possible treatments include meditation, acupuncture, relaxation techniques and herbal preparations including flaxseed and black cohosh.

If you develop breast cancer, then you should spend some time learning about the disease, make sure you understand how advanced your condition is and discuss all available treatment options with your medical professional. Remember, many more women survive breast cancer today, and go on to a live a normal, healthy life after treatment. So you can do it too!

If you want to learn more about breastcancerinfozone.com breast cancer, click over to Jo’s site at breastcancerinfozone.com breastcancerinfozone.com

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Ovarian cancer is a serious and silent disease amongst women. Certain families may even have a history of ovarian cancer. Those with a family history of ovarian cancer are at an increased risk of developing it themselves. While you can’t completely do away with the risk of ovarian cancer through diet and exercise you will be able to significantly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer as well as all other types of cancer. Staying healthy and watching your weight is an important personal strategy to help your body stay healthy and avoid all types of cancer and diseases. However, if you have a family history of ovarian cancer then is it even more important that you pay close attention to your body.

If you have a family history of ovarian cancer then the first recommendation is to have genetic counseling on the issue of ovarian cancer. This will help you learn if you have one of the two gene mutations that can lead to ovarian cancer. If you find out that your family has a negative history of ovarian cancer or that you do not have either of the gene mutations then you can enjoy the good news since is means both yourself and your child will have a better chance at not developing ovarian cancer.

However, if you find you do have either of the gene mutations then you shouldn’t become discouraged. You will have options to help prevent your ovarian cancer. However, you will need to pay more attention to your body and have pap tests done more often and take a more aggressive approach to your diet. Your doctor will help your determine the best prevention strategy to meet your needs.

Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of ovariancancerdomain.com ovariancancerdomain.com. Visit Jeanette’s site to learn more about ovariancancerdomain.com/2006/07/27/what-to-do-if-you-have-a-family-history-of-ovarian-cancer/ ovarian cancer prevention.

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My recovery from a stroke suffered in 2001 seemed glacially slow while it was taking place. Now, howeverI feel almost completely recovered, and the difficulties with my right hand and arm and the speech problems are like dim recollections of something that happened decades ago.

I still have difficulty with cuff buttons on starched cuffs. My handwriting is slow. My singing voice is on furlough and recent attempts to throw a ball have been errant embarrassments, but I haven’t taken the time to practice in order to restore either of those activities to previous levels of ability. Still, my golf game is pretty much back to where it was. I am exultant at having escaped the permanent serious disabilities that are visited on so many stroke victims.

One persistent symptom is pathological laughter. When I think of something funny or just vaguely silly or ironic, I crack up so badly that I am unable to speak for a minute or two. I never, previous to stroke, exhibited such idiotic laughter. On the plus side, my hysterics can be contagious. In social situations I often manage to get my companions laughing with nearly the same uncontrollability that plagues me. Technically, the symptom may result from lesions in the internal capsule and thalamus, basal ganglion, hypothalamus and ventral pons or from a cortical infarct in the territory supplied by the superior division of the middle cerebral artery.

Such laughter is often associated with weeping. I have not done much blubbering since my stroke, but I did some research on these matters In recent weeks I have discovered in myself new or at least altered emotions. I am not merely getting in touch with my feminine side but being overwhelmed by it. About a month ago I was injected with a time-released dose of Lupron, an activator of female hormones. Each day I also ingest one tablet of Casodex, which along with the injection serves to limit my ordinary testosterone production, thereby shrinking my hyperplastic prostate gland and stopping the development of the malignancy contained therein. The doctors told me I could expect weight gain, loss of muscle mass, diminution of energy, hot flashes, possible development of breast tissue and loss of body hair. Fortunately, the latter two items have not manifested themselves and I don’t think I’ve had anything like a hot flash. I wouldn’t have minded some hair growth in the area of my male pattern baldness, but that too has not occurred. Most surprising have been the changes in my emotional reactions.

For example, I lost control once on the telephone with a long-time friend discussing an ailment that had befallen the family dog. I feared the situation might necessitate euthanasia. To my surprise and shock, I dissolved into uncontrollable sobs. I don’t remember weeping so violently since I began to count my age in double digits.

Another time, I had just finished reading a novel by a favorite author. A subplot involved some tense scenes such as the discovery by parents of their high-school-aged son’s involvement in a gang rape. I found that I had a strongly empathic response to the mother, who was shamed and devastated and felt that she herself had been attacked and dishonored by her beloved son. I looked down on the father, regarding him as more of a proud, egocentric, disgustingly macho jackass than I would have had I read the book six months ago. Possibly in this fortieth novel that I have read by Robert B. Parker, he has suddenly improved his craft and is handling dialog and description with greater effectiveness. Or maybe I have shed some layers of callus from my emotional response centers and am more susceptible to sentimentality. I have a new understanding for the Player King in Hamlet, who breaks down in his speech about Hecuba and occasions Hamlet’s “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” soliloquy
Is it not monstrous that this player here,
But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,
Could force his soul so to his own conceit
That from her working all his visage wan’d;
Tears in his eyes, distraction in’s aspect,
A broken voice, and his whole function suiting
With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing!
For Hecuba?
>

And then came the news of my brother—a hard-drinking, robust giant—felled by a mysterious ailment that put him in the intensive care unit for a month. Listening to his wife struggling with tears as she told me of his precarious condition, I found myself once again prostrate with sadness. In recent years I have handled the deaths of my father and mother without great distress. Orphanhood, after all, is in store for all of us who live lives of normal length. But the possibility of becoming a 65-year-old only child brought on a period of abject grief that has been relieved slightly by guarded news of Kevin’s improvement.

Is my recent susceptibility to the lachrymose mood merely an aspect of advancing age, or can I blame my recent health problems and the hormone-releasing cancer treatment. I think of Othello—
Of one whose subdued eyes,
Albeit unused to the melting mood,
Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees
Their medicinal gum.

On a more cheerful major chord. Chloe, our beloved Wheaton Terrier, seems to have shaken off the apparent pinched nerve that for a while had rendered her nearly catatonic. She’s leaping about and chasing seabirds at the beach just as she used to. Sean is out of intensive care but not out of the woods. He is no longer hallucinating or requiring the almost constant supervision of the hospital’s biggest male nurse to keep him from tearing out his IVs and trying to leave the hospital. I will fly down for a visit this Saturday and Sunday when I have a break from radiation treatments.

* * * * * *

Yes, two years after my stroke I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent the treatments mentioned above. Whether the tear floods mentioned above were triggered by cancer treatment or a result of stroke is unimportant. I have had no recurrences of the weeping—only of the laughter. Given a choice, I’ll go for laughter every time. And Sean is himself again—back at work full-time.

Kerry Michael Wood, retired from a 37-year career as English teacher and textbook co-author, lives in Pacific Grove, California with his wife of 42 years. He taught in public and private schools in California as well as Istanbul, Turkey. He is the author of Past Imperfect, Present Progressive, a memoir. Further information is available at kerrymwood.com kerrymwood.com and he can be contacted at mailto:kerrywood@redshift.com kerrywood@redshift.com.

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