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The Placid Casual · Dec 5, 2003, 03:03 AM

I have always been if not a supporter of Bush, somewhat sympathetic in some ways. Until I saw this thread at another forum I go to (Harmony Central, a music forum)...

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/...hreadid=492210

My father was exposed to Asbestos in the 1960's and now has Mesothelioma, a vicious cancer of the lung and chest, for which there is no treatment, let alone cure...

I sit here, with travel bag waiting to race home having been told that he may die at any time in the next week or so...

He has suffered like nothing else, in constant extreme pain, and in the space of 8 months, has gone from playing sport every day, and managing very large projects for a international construction company, to not being able to leave bed, or do anything for himself... All because of a chemical people knew was harmful, and let him be exposed to anyway...

And Bush wants to limit warnings and liability on Asbestos and Asbestos exposure??!!

Seriously people, send a letter to people in government who matter, and make your voice heard... if you have, or are going to lose a loved one because of asbestos, you will know how heart rending it is...

Peace,

Marc

vmarks · Dec 5, 2003, 06:29 AM

Can I ask something that will be a sensitive subject for you?

How did your father get exposed to asbestos?

My understanding is that normally, it's not dangerous unless it has been disturbed. My understanding is that it is most dangerous during its removal.

There is federal money used for removal and cleanup of asbestos.

The flip side of this policy is preventing hysteria from over-warning people that their homes might contain asbestos insulation (and you'd have to have a really old home for that, most haven't had for years) and the issue of tort reform. -- There has to be a balance between liability and damages, and that balance is something we're still determining.

You've got my sympathy, my mother is fighting cancer.

The Placid Casual · Dec 5, 2003, 07:40 AM

Hi, vmarks, not really a sensitive area... I am annoyed about it, but have had a lot of time to come to terms with things.

He was exposed when he was a training to be an Electrical engineer in the very late 60's, early 1970's... It was being used to lag pipes in Powerstations and steel works. Plumbers were just mixing it up from the powder form and using it as a paste, hence the air was thick with fibres. Employers knew it was dangerous, but they only provided safety equipment to the plumbers, and not to the other employees who were told it was safe... They did this to save money.

Unfortunately Asbestos is still prevelent in the UK in *a lot* of Hospitals, homes, schools, Powerstations and factories... in fact, an estimate is that 1/3+ of homes have some asbestos in them!

You are right when you say that it is not really dangerous until disturbed, but all it takes is to drill a hole in a wall that has been insulated with the stuff, and you are in trouble... it only takes one fibre to cause mesothelioma.

I'm glad that the US has a federal fund to deal with it, it seems much more progressive than the UK! We have to rely on public funds or private contracting...there is no governement money available to clean things up in almost all cases.

I guess you are right abou tthe hysteria situation, I guess I am just a bit touchy about it all...

Also, Best wishes to your Mother, yourself and your family, and I really hope that your Mother can be granted the strength and luck to beat her illness.

Marc

davesimondotcom · Dec 5, 2003, 09:03 AM

Cancer support thread - my mother, too, suffered from cancer, but beat it. So my thoughts to both of you about your family members.

As far as the link, however, I didn't catch where it actually had any real news link. Seemed to just be a post by someone.

BlackGriffen · Dec 5, 2003, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by davesimondotcom:
Cancer support thread - my mother, too, suffered from cancer, but beat it. So my thoughts to both of you about your family members.

As far as the link, however, I didn't catch where it actually had any real news link. Seemed to just be a post by someone.

If you look back in the lounge a few months, there was at least one thread about a furor over whether or not Bush instructed the EPA not to warn people in NYC about the fact that the asbestos levels were higher than was healthy after 9/11.

This is either old news, or things getting worse.

BlackGriffen

macvillage.net · Dec 8, 2003, 07:53 AM

That stinks.

I've heard so many stories of people being exposed to asbestos over the years, it's really sad.

I went to a school that had asbestos. It was "encapsulated" whatever that means, for a few years, then eventually removed during remodeling.

Still, those pipes were hit more than once.

I personally don't see why that stuff is still around anytwhere, especially in schools. People have known way to long it's bad for it to still be there, and as vmarks, notes, there is federal funding to aid in removal as well.

No excuses. Enough people have died, there enough qualified people to remove it safely. NO reason not to.