Are you a mesothelioma patient baffled about what to do next in your life? Relax, we are here to help! Mesothelioma is an aggressive, rare, and deadly cancer that claims the lives of over 3000 people in the U.S every year. American Cancer Society states that exposure to the highly toxic mineral asbestos is the leading cause of this fatal disease.
These facts can leave the ones diagnosed with mesothelioma wholly devastated. So it’s not surprising you may feel there is nothing more left to do with your life. However, in your anxiety and confusion, you may fail to take a few salient, which may cost you physically, mentally, and financially in the remaining time that you have. But a little positive outlook can help you navigate your life.
If you are stuck in a similar scenario, read through to find the crucial steps you need to take to ensure good quality of life and treatment.
Explore your legal options
Even though mesothelioma and the proceeding treatment may land you in a financial catastrophe, the law can help you steer past this struggle. How? As a mesothelioma victim, you can receive monetary compensation for medical treatment from your employers. Moreover, you can claim lost wages and get trust funds to cover unforeseen expenses.
To secure rightful financial help, you can consult a mesothelioma attorney and take legal action against negligent employers. These professionals use their experience in asbestos-related litigation to help mesothelioma patients get justice. By doing so, you can secure enough funds to manage treatment and help your dependents after you pass on.
Confirm your diagnosis
Have you sought a second opinion from a doctor or cancer specialist? If not, then get one from a mesothelioma specialist at your earliest. Mesothelioma is a rare disease with only a few oncologists specializing in diagnosing and treating this disease. Thus, there is no harm in getting a second opinion from a mesothelioma expert.
Besides, a second opinion from a specialist may also reveal the type, stage, and prognostic factors. Ensure your physician performs a tissue biopsy. A biopsy can provide crucial details about your disease and increase your treatment options. You could also get lucky if the first diagnosis was wrong.
Learn about your disease
Another crucial step towards better management and treatment of your disease is learning more about it. A mesothelioma diagnosis may make you overwhelmed at first. However, understanding your condition is imperative to evaluate and choose a suitable course of action. Besides physical effects, mesothelioma can alter your thoughts, thus making you vulnerable to psychological disorders.
Considering the risk and prognostic factors will raise your motivation level to seek aid and find the best experts to help you combat this fatal condition. Moreover, thorough research into the disease can help you discover its types and recovery rate. You will feel empowered to embark on the road to recover only when you know your condition well.
Follow through the treatment process
A pitfall of mesothelioma is that it takes years to become diagnosable after asbestos exposure. Thus, it is essential to stay committed to the treatment plan devised by your doctor once you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. You only have a limited window of time to improve the quality of your remaining life and increase longevity.
The good news is you can avail various treatment options depending on the severity of your disease. Mesothelioma specialists commonly use chemotherapy, radiation, gene therapy, and immunotherapy to alleviate symptoms. Recovery time from these therapies varies depending on each patient’s condition. Although each treatment has its side effects, they have proven to enhance the quality of life of mesothelioma patients. You can also opt for alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, etc., for pain and stress management. Click here to find potential lifestyle changes you can adopt for battling this disease.
Find a support network
Fighting mesothelioma can be challenging and may take a toll on your mental health. Thus, having a support system including family and friends is instrumental in battling this rare disease. Fatigue, the most common symptom of mesothelioma, may make it hard for you to perform daily tasks and carry on with life. So, it is necessary to have someone backing you in your difficult time.
Join a mesothelioma support group if you don’t have any person to rely on. The rarity of this disease makes support groups even rare in every healthcare facility. In that case, you can seek support from online support groups. Such platforms allow people with similar disease stages and severity to connect, talk with, and support each other.
Conclusion
A mesothelioma diagnosis can turn a person’s life upside down. After learning that you have mesothelioma, your mind will bombard you with several questions that are likely to overwhelm you. However, fretting over your diagnosis won’t help you escape the situation. Instead, following a few steps may help you claw your way out. It is necessary to confirm your diagnosis, seek financial compensation, and learn more about your disease. Lastly, you need to follow your treatment plan and find your support system to ward off the disease symptoms. Don’t forget that your willpower is crucial for fighting against this disease, among all other factors.
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