Asbestosis Hits Close to Home for Advocate on Aging

Categories: Asbestosis, Cancer, Medical, Mesothelioma

In March of this year, Merlin Olsen, a star football and sportscaster, died of mesothelioma.  Reading his story reminded me of a conversation I had with my dad about asbestosis and some sort of legal action against the Milwaukee Railroad where he worked for over 30 years.  After learning more about mesothelioma from visiting the Mesothelioma Foundation’s website, I decided I needed to know more about my dad’s condition.

What is asbestosis and mesothelioma?  Asbestosis is an inflammation of the lungs resulting from chronic inhalation of asbestos¹ particles. Mesothelioma is a tumor of the mesothelium, which is the tissue made up of a layer of cells called mesothelial cells that line the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the sac around the heart². The malignant form is often the result of exposure to asbestos and may take more than 30 years to develop.

In 2000, my dad was contacted by the Moody Law Firm, the designated Asbestos Counsel for NARVRE (National Association of Retired & Veteran Railway Employees, Inc.), concerning a class action lawsuit filed against the manufacturers of asbestos on behalf of retired railroad workers.  At first my dad was skeptical because he didn’t want to get involved in medical testing and court hearings for something he didn’t believe had affected him.  He knew he had been exposed to asbestos, and he had a chronic cough and minor bouts of bronchitis. He preferred to think of it as a genetic predisposition, since his own father had emphysema at the time of his death. Grandpa, too, had worked around steam engines that fired on steam boilers containing asbestos.  One major difference in their exposure was my grandfather often performed his job inside the roundhouse, making him a captive audience for the asbestos particles.

Following a phone call from the attorney’s office encouraging him to at least have a chest x-ray, Dad agreed.  He first received a chest x-ray at a nearby clinic followed by a physical examination by a pulmonologist, an expert in the field of asbestosis.  My father was very surprised to learn the tests confirmed the presence of asbestosis in his lungs.

My father was interviewed by the attorneys to determine the places he may have worked around asbestos.  He named several different locations:

• He worked near the steam lines on passenger train cars, which were insulated with asbestos.
• He laid steam pipes wrapped in asbestos.
• A major function of his job was to change brake shoes, which contained asbestos
• Train derailments exposed and broke up asbestos, contaminating the surrounding air.
• The wreckers he used at derailments to upright train cars were powered by steam, and he often stood next to those asbestos lined pipes.

As was previously mentioned, my grandfather had emphysema at the time of his death.  He struggled with wheezing, shortness of breath, and unbelievable coughing spasms during the last years of his life, which were symptoms of asbestosis.  Knowing what we know now about asbestosis and mesothelioma, my grandfather surely had at least one of these conditions.

Through the years while this class action lawsuit was developing, asbestos manufacturers went bankrupt and the Milwaukee Railroad (my father and grandfather’s employer) was sold to the Soo Line Railroad Company. Later the Soo Line was sold to the Canadian National Railway.  The awards continue to dribble in at a snail’s pace as the remaining assets of manufacturer by manufacturer are doled out at pennies on the dollar.

My father continues to fare well without sign of catastrophic health issues, and we are grateful.  However, thousands of others exposed to asbestos have suffered irreparable harm.

We are often upset by the time and cost of proving products safe for the environment and humans.  We even wonder if such efforts are necessary.  Just ask one person affected by mesothelioma if they wish they had known the inherent perils of asbestos.  My guess would be that there is a resounding roar of affirmation.

Medicare facts from Deborah Dolan, Advocate on Aging

Categories: Medicare

According to a recent article in the New York Times titled “12 Years Added to Medicare” there is still quite a bit of pressure on the Medicare program as a whole, and this problem is not simply the result of a down economy. Due to the aging population, health care costs continue to rise and the increase of the elderly population in the upcoming years will only add more strain.

What can be done? Deborah Dolan, Advocate on Aging, believes that seniors need the care they deserve. “Medicare needs to be a balanced program in order to provide efficient, effective health care to seniors who have created the tax revenues that pay for the program,” said Dolan. “Make sure to be your own advocate for the care you deserve.”

President Obama’s health care legislation program cuts almost a half-trillion dollars from Medicare spending over the next 10 years, but even with these cuts the program will still continue to face problems financially. As phrased in the article, these cuts are “based on the assumption that hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers will become more efficient, increasing their productivity to match productivity gains in the overall economy.” It is possible for Congress to override additional cuts in the future, but the trustees currently project that Medicare will remain financially solvent until 2029.

Regardless of what changes take place, make sure that you’re staying informed about how you will be affected to ensure that you’re getting the care that you need.

Financial Outlook for Social Security: How Will It Affect You?

Categories: Aging Advocacy, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medicare, social security

In one way or another, we’ve all felt effects of the down economy, but seniors who are financially dependent on Social Security (and those who plan to be) are especially vulnerable. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently spoke about what we can expect in the future for Social Security and Medicare. She reported that there is actually more money flowing out of Social Security than there is flowing into it. This is the first time that this has happened in the US, and it has occurred six years earlier than financial experts projected.

One major reason that Social Security has taken such a hit is job loss.  Because of the high unemployment rates, payroll tax revenues have been reduced for the program. Despite these problems, the trustees of President Obama’s health care legislation program predict the Social Security funds will dry up in 2037 –the same date that was projected last year. The Social Security Commissioner, Michael Astrue, believes that there is no reason to worry about total loss of the funds because continuing tax revenue will still cover more than 75 percent of all benefits even after exhaustion of the trust fund. What does this mean for the aging population?

“It’s never too late to sit down with a financial planner to discuss not only your finances, but also how today’s economic downturn will affect your children’s and grandchildren’s futures,” said Deborah Dolan, Advocate on Aging. “Take advantage of early warning signs of financial distress and make sure you have a financial plan that works best for you.”

Mesothelioma and Seniors

Categories: Cancer, Mesothelioma

While many Americans know asbestos is a dangerous substance, few are aware of the disproportionate impact of asbestos-related cancers on senior citizens. Several factors contribute to the increased risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases among seniors, including occupational settings. Exposure to asbestos at the workplace was highest between 1930 and 1960, placing today’s seniors who worked in shipyards, manufacturing and construction at an increased risk for developing an asbestos-related condition.

A mesothelioma patient will generally not demonstrate symptoms of mesothelioma until 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos. Symptoms often resemble illnesses such as influenza and pneumonia, and in the case of pericardial mesothelioma, symptoms can resemble other cardiac conditions. This can make diagnosis difficult though informing a doctor of prior asbestos exposure can alert them of the possibility of an asbestos-related disease.

The most common forms of treatment for malignant mesothelioma patients are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Other treatment options may be available through clinical trials, but patients must qualify and meet specific criteria in order to enroll in them. It should be noted that surgery is only an option for patients diagnosed at the earliest stage of development. While there is no cure for this cancer, patients often elect to undergo treatments that will relieve symptoms and improve overall survival.

Another factor that influences the higher incidence rate of asbestos-related diseases among seniors is the long latency period associated with symptoms. After a person is exposed to asbestos, symptoms of mesothelioma can take as long as 50 years to arise. Because of this, the cancer may unknowingly develop for an extended period of time, often resulting in a late mesothelioma diagnosis. Other conditions that may result from asbestos exposure include lung cancer and asbestosis.

A third factor that places seniors at a higher risk for developing an asbestos-related disease is their participation in World War II. The era of this war was a time when asbestos was widely used to support the military. Primarily between the 1930s and the 1970s, every division of the U.S. military used asbestos-containing products for buildings and various types of transportation. Asbestos not only provided a great way to insulate materials but a way to fireproof them as well.

Even though all divisions of the military commonly used asbestos, the Navy found more uses for this heat-resistant mineral than any other division. From the 1930s through the 1980s, more than 300 products imbedded with asbestos were used by the Navy alone. Because of this widespread use, veterans make up a sizable percentage of those coping with asbestos-related disease.

Exposure to asbestos occurred frequently on the job in many different occupations. Jobsites where asbestos exposure was often prevalent include asbestos mines and the processing and manufacturing plants where asbestos products were produced. Shipyards, oil refineries, power and chemical plants were also common exposure sites. Those who worked in certain occupations such as firefighters, on the railroads, auto mechanics and machinists may have been exposed to asbestos frequently, and should be checked for mesothelioma.

Thank you to Kelsey from Asbestos.com for her writing of this guest blog!

Watch later this week for my own father’s story about asbestosis and Mesothelioma.