Mesothelioma
James Rhio O,connor has more than a story to tell. He is the perfect example of a man that had a purpose to serve while here on earth. Although his time was a short stay with long suffering and many ups and downs he manage to find the courage to not lay down but to beat the odds and live his life to help other people who might have to go through some of the same things he did. What he did was next to amazing when doctors said you can’t he said I will and prove that I can. James R O’connor a man with a purpose and a destiny that was filled to the fullest each and every day of his life.
Mesotheliama is an illness that has been incurable and still to this day no one has found a way to totally get rid of this illness. One man stepped out on faith and decided that he would make a difference and change the way that people look at this illness, and that he did. I can’t even began to think about what it felt like when the doctors told him that he had this illness. If this was to happen to me I would try to be like Mr. O’connor, but I can’t say that I would be as strong but I would try. The first step I would take is to find out all I could about the illness. Mostly I would focus on what causes it which is working or lived in places where you inhaled or swallowed asbestos. Others have been exposed to asbestos in a household environment, sometimes without knowing it. After finding that information I would get with doctors and find out what can be done if anything. Which most doctors say there are about three things that you can consider.
o Surgery to physically remove the cancer
o Chemotherapy drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing
o Radiation Therapy, using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells
Next I would find out how long the doctors think that I can live with this illness. Which most doctors say The symptoms of all types of mesothelioma do not generally manifest for several decades after contraction. This can make the disease difficult to diagnose and all too often is too late to save the patient by the time a diagnosis is made. Unfortunately, the average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 24 months. Which by knowing this information I would know if I didn’t find anything to would help just how long I would have to try and come up with a cure. Then I would find out what stage of the illness I was in there are many stages you go through, but I could only hope and pray that it could be caught in the first stages. Here are some of the stages that I could be in.
Localized malignant mesothelioma, considered Stage I, is found in the lining of the chest wall and may also be found in the lining of the lung, the lining of the diaphragm, or the lining of the sac that covers the heart on the same side of the chest.
In Stage II, cancer is found in the lining of the chest wall and the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest. Cancer may also be found in the lining of the lung, the lining of the diaphragm, or the lining of the sac that covers the heart on the same side of the chest.
In Stage III, cancer has spread to any of the following areas:
• The chest wall
• The mediastinum
• The heart
• Beyond the diaphragm
• The peritoneum
• The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest or outside the chest
In Stage IV, cancer has spread to distant organs or tissues
• The Stage of the cancer
• The size of the tumor
• If the tumor can be removed completely by surgery
• The amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen
• The patient’s age and general health, including lung and heart health
• The type of mesothelioma cancer cells and how they look under a microscope
After finding out all of that information it would be time for me to go to work. I would start researching people who have died from this illness and what do they all have in common. What treatments were gave and how did it affect them. I would talk to people around the world that had the illness and ask them about the problems they are having and what medicines work and what didn’t help at all. After that I would give all the information to the doctors and see if we could together come up with something better than what they had at that time. After all that was said and done. The medication and the treatments that we came up with I would try them on myself and pray for a good out come not only for myself, but for those after me so they want have to suffer and go through the same things I did.
There is a lot to say for a man like James Rhio O’Connor ,but if I had to sum it all up I would say Courage , Character, Wisdom, Strength ,knowledge and a strong will to live life to the fullest and make the most out of any situation good or bad. He was a man that did not give up when everyone else give up on him. To be honest most of us would have gave up and had little hope and desire to do anything about it. This story really inspired me because it just shows that no matter what life brings your way you don’t have to take it laying down, and when people tell you that you can’t you and find courage within yourself and prove them wrong . We all have our own illness in your lives and his just shows me that you have to fight though the hard times in life and believe that there is something bigger and better to live for not only for yourself, but it help and inspire other people as well. That’s exactly what he did James O’connor and man that had a mark on his life a purpose and destiny with he filled to the fullest. If I could meet him today I would simply say thank for showing us the way and how not to give up no matter what life may bring about.
By: Ford, Casey
