The Emotional Impact of a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Few things can change the trajectory of your life quite like a shocking medical diagnosis. While everyone understands on some level that health issues are an inevitable part of life, there really isn’t any way to brace oneself for something that changes the future permanently, especially in a negative way. In addition to coping with how this news impacts a person personally, there are also sure to be many concerns about the impact that it will have on their family and friends. 

An arresting revelation

Receiving the diagnosis of mesothelioma certainly fits into the category of life-altering news. Any type of cancer is a scary situation, but given the outlook that typically comes along with this disease, the situation is particularly difficult to handle. Many mesothelioma cases are caught rather late in their progression, making any kind of effective treatment difficult to achieve – and the prognosis for the patient is usually not a good one. 

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, this is sure to be one of the most difficult periods of your life. With this article, we’d like to cover the emotional impact of such a diagnosis to hopefully help you begin to see a path forward and plan for the coming weeks and months. If you decide that taking legal action is going to be part of how you move forward, contact a qualified asbestos attorney right away to learn more about your options. 

Dealing with the Initial Shock 

Even if a patient had suspected that something was wrong, and was experiencing symptoms that made them question the condition of  their overall health, the moment one hears that they have officially been diagnosed with mesothelioma is like nothing else they will ever experience. This diagnosis is rattling regardless of the circumstances, but it can come as even more of a surprise for people who didn’t know they were ever exposed to asbestos in the first place. 

In the first few moments after diagnosis, a range of emotions are bound to come flooding in – and all of these emotions are valid and need to be acknowledged. It can certainly be helpful to surround oneself with as many family members and friends as possible, but the shock of the news is just going to need some time to process. In the days after the word is handed down, a person will likely spend some time reading more about what mesothelioma is and what it does, as well as discussing treatment options – which will probably start right away. 

Settling into a New Reality 

There is no doubt that the initial diagnosis is going to be a shock, but that shock is going to wear off at some point, and there will start to be a feeling of settling into a new way of life. The individual may not really want to accept that new life, but it is what it is, and their mind will start to seek a way forward.

On the emotional side, one shouldn’t be surprised if this new reality contains a significant amount of anxiety and depression. Sadly, these mental health symptoms commonly come along with the diagnosis of serious illnesses, including mesothelioma. Also common is the onset of grieving the loss of one’s previous life. It’s hard to keep things framed in a positive light. 

A big part of these mental health issues stems from the difficulty of day-to-day life moving forward, in addition to thoughts about what the future may hold. Treatments for mesothelioma can be tiring and painful, and the existing symptoms one is experiencing may make it hard to enjoy daily life as they did before. 

So Many Questions 

It’s only natural to look back and wonder about where this illness came from and what was the underlying cause of the mesothelioma to begin with. Of course, as one may already know, the vast majority of cases are rooted in asbestos exposure. Given the incredible latency between exposure and illness, the person who receives this diagnosis could have been exposed decades ago, only to now find out that they are only recently seriously ill. 

Second-hand asbestos exposure (Family exposure)

If a patient knew that they worked in an environment where they were once exposed to asbestos, perhaps years ago, being diagnosed may not be a complete surprise – although it is still life-changing and difficult to deal with. However, many people who wind up with this diagnosis don’t even know that they were ever exposed in the first place. This could particularly be the case in second-hand exposure, where the person who becomes sick was actually put into contact with asbestos fibers through someone else who worked in a contaminated environment. Second-hand exposure is very dangerous, and many people don’t even know that it’s possible to get sick in this way. 

While it won’t change the realities of the situation after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, one might want to explore their past more closely to figure out where along the way they might have been exposed. Not only can getting some answers to these questions at least help to put the person’s mind at rest a bit with enhanced knowledge, but it can also help them look closer at who might be responsible for the illness and what type of legal action could be explored. 

The Practical Implications 

We are focused primarily on the emotional impacts of a mesothelioma diagnosis in this article. However, the practical and physical impacts of such a diagnosis and what it means for one’s life are closely tied to the emotional implications, so we really can’t talk about one without talking about the others. 

The list below highlights some of the things that mesothelioma patients are likely to experience in their journey:

·       Physical pain. 

The pain that comes from dealing with mesothelioma often takes place in the chest and lung area, and it can be debilitating. While some treatment options may help slightly with the pain that’s experienced, nothing is going to take it away entirely, and that’s another piece of this puzzle that is hard to manage. When someone is in a lot of pain, that pain inevitably exerts a mental toll that may lead to increased depression or other mental health issues.

·       Time-consuming treatments. 

Going through mesothelioma treatment is challenging not only because of the discomfort and unpleasant experience, but also because it can take up a lot of time. At a point in life when a person is likely wanting to spend as much time as possible with the people closest to them, it can be frustrating to spend hours in treatment on a regular basis. To make matters worse, treatment for mesothelioma can come with side effects such as hair loss and nausea, which can significantly decrease overall quality of life.

·       An inability to work. 

At a time like this, the last thing that will be on one’s mind is wanting to go to work and continue any type of career. Of course, the bills aren’t going to pay themselves, so not being able to work while dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis could, at the same time, be a major problem for a person’s family to face. The inability to continue working and earning an income could come from having to go to treatments regularly, being in too much physical pain to continue, or having significant mental health issues that make holding down steady employment impossible. Whatever the case, there will need to be a way to solve the financial challenges that one may be facing. 

On that last point, quickly pursuing damages might be one way to overcome the financial hurdle. Specifically, filing a claim with an asbestos trust – if that is a suitable option – could allow a mesothelioma patient to secure compensation relatively quickly and at least put the financial concerns to rest while dealing with everything else that is going on. 

Coping as a Family 

Another emotional element to consider is how the diagnosis will impact a family unit as a whole. There is going to be considerable strain placed on everyone in the family when something like this happens, and the individual with mesothelioma may find they are additionally dealing with guilt for being the cause of so much stress and anxiety among their loved ones. And, on the other side of the coin, the family members could feel guilty for being the ones that aren’t dealing with a life-changing illness and everything that means. All the way around, this is going to be a very challenging situation for all involved. 

If some of the members of the family take on a caregiving role to help the sick individual, that’s another layer of responsibility and stress to consider. This is again where seeking financial compensation could make a big difference. By securing a settlement, paying for a professional caregiver may suddenly be possible, meaning family members wouldn’t have to bear that burden, and they could instead focus on spending quality time together and taking advantage of whatever time they have available.

Seeking Damages to Create a Future

It is very difficult to think about the future when a person is stuck in a reality of looking ahead at mesothelioma treatments and a life expectancy that is not what they thought it would be. Furthermore, it’s difficult to come to terms with the idea that the illness is the fault of another party – a major corporation, most likely – and that party had knowledge that the patient could have been in danger long before they did anything about it. These various factors will likely leave one feeling angry and frustrated, and the last thing they’ll want to do is think about what the future is going to hold. 

Making tough decisions about the future

Setting those feelings to the side and forcing oneself to look ahead is going to be better for everyone involved, however. One of the most important ways to look ahead is to think about pursuing financial compensation for this life-changing illness. There is very likely a guilty party involved, and that party should be made to pay for the damage – especially the emotional toll – they have caused. 

For some people, money seems hollow in light of getting news that means their long-term health is very much in doubt. But this situation is about more than any one individual. With potentially significant compensation available in the case of a successful claim or suit, it’s possible to walk away with money that can help to secure the financial future of the entire family. At a time when everything seems in doubt and there are plenty of concerns for the whole family to shoulder, winning a settlement can be a ray of light that gives everyone at least some reason for optimism. 

The fastest and easiest ways to financial support for your cancer treatment

It’s important to note that getting compensation doesn’t necessarily mean going through a long and stressful lawsuit process. There are asbestos trusts with billions of dollars that have been established specifically for the purpose of compensating victims. You will still need to prove your claim and follow a specific process in order to walk away with compensation, but this path is more approachable – and can be far faster – than filing a lawsuit. 

Get Started Today 

There is nothing anyone can say to take away the pain, grief, confusion, and sadness that will come along with receiving this type of serious diagnosis. At the same time, the only thing you or a loved one can do at this point is to move forward and make plans that are in the best interests of all involved. Those plans may mean taking legal action against the party or parties responsible for this disease, so consider working with a known asbestos attorney right away to pursue the damages you deserve.