I am sure my story is not unique for a child who grew up in the industrial belt of America, who has lost a parent to the dreaded disease mesothelioma. My dad worked in a shipyard all his life. He received many commendations for his endless hours of producing high quality welding of ships over the years. Even when we told him to tone it down, his response was “it’s what I do so let me die doing it”.
My dad was exposed to asbestos while at work which lead to him contracting the deadly disease, eventually leading to his untimely death. The symptoms of Mesothelioma were non-specific and it took more than 30 years to appear from the time he was exposed to asbestos at his workplace. The symptoms included shortness of breath and severe pain in his chest due to accumulation of fluid around his lungs. It also led to him losing weight.