The Symptoms and Diagnosis

In July of 1998, I had a heavy, bronchial-type cough. My doctor said if the cough did not go away completely to come back and see him. At that time, he gave me a chest x-ray, which showed a pleural thickening on my right lung. I was sent to a respirologist who in turn sent me to a thoracic surgeon for an open chest biopsy. It was three months from when I first went to my G.P. with the cough to when I was diagnosed on Oct. 23^rd with metastatic mesothelioma.
I was told many times how I don’t fit the profile –generally men in there 60s and 70s who’ve worked in asbestos-related industries. But I had it and I was told there was nothing that could be done as mesothelioma is always incurable and fatal.

Belle’s Reaction

Many of us wonder what we’d do if told we had a terminal disease. It had crossed my mind in the past especially when I’d heard of people I know who had been given such devastating news. Of course, I couldn’t imagine what they’d be going through – but now I can.
My first reaction was disbelief. I told the surgeon, "How can you tell me I’m going to die? I don’t feel sick." To which he responded, "You soon will." And there were tears. I think it was harder on my family than it was on me. I guess they felt helpless and full of despair.
The first three days after diagnosis were the worst. I cried constantly. I didn’t eat. Then on the third day I received my first ray of hope.

Finding Hope and Help

My sister and two friends had started cruising the Internet looking for information on mesothelioma. One of the women found the Mesothelioma Web. After a 20 minute conversation the clouds started to clear away.
I became encouraged to pursue a cure or treatment. I was told that there are survivors of this disease and people who were living with it. I was advised to look into the various research that is going on.
This conversation gave me what nobody else had – HOPE –and I was buoyed. I was also hungry, all of a sudden, and I tucked into a big meal of steak and onions, potatoes, peas and carrots.
From then on, I wanted as much information as I could get – the latest up-to-date information. Not having a computer, I relied totally on my sister, Malveen, and the two friends, Judith and Rosemary. They found all sorts of information and I spent a part of each day sifting through papers, contacting doctors, researchers, and others diagnosed with the disease.
The more knowledgeable I became, the more empowered I felt. Of course, there were still plenty of tears and days when I felt that I was never going to find an answer.

Choosing a Physician

Finally, after researching, I decided the doctor I wanted to try and cure me was Dr. David Sugarbaker, chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. I spoke to him on the phone at the end of November. He told me of a new protocol he had recently started and invited me to come to Boston for an assessment , and to see if I fit the criteria for this trial. My appointment was for Jan. 5, 1999 – approximately 2 ½ months from diagnosis.
I was very nervous while sitting in the waiting room that Tuesday. I knew I fit most of the criteria. My heart was strong; my blood was good; all my other organs were normal; I had no chronic diseases or ailments – but I didn’t know if I was in Stage I or if I was beyond, which would make me ineligible for that particular trial.

Miracles Happen

Then a miracle happened. One of Dr. Sugarbaker’s staff came to tell me that a man that was to be operated on Thursday couldn’t because his disease had progressed too far. Others on the waiting list couldn’t get to Boston on time for this operating room opening. So they were offering the spot to me! Dr. Sugarbaker had looked over my reports, MRI, etc. and I fit! I felt like I’d won the lottery. I met with the doctor and spent the rest of the day doing all the hospital pre-op necessities.
The operation is called an extra-pleural pneumonectomy followed by an intraoperative heated wash. My pleura, lung, diaphragm, and pericardium were removed. Then I was washed out for an hour with a drug call Cisplatin that was heated up to 4 degrees above body temperature. A new pericardium and diaphragm were reconstructed with gortex before I was sewn up 5 ½ hours later.

Recovering

This was a very heavy operation and there is a long recovery period. I know I’m not out of the woods yet – that there may be microscopic mesothelioma cells that weren’t eliminated and have started to divide and reproduce.
But can anyone be sure that something similar is not happening in their body or that when they leave the house this morning that they will come back tonight?
What I do know is that my prognosis is infinitely better than it was at the beginning, which was 0%. Every week I notice myself becoming stronger. My stamina is increasing. To look at me you’d never know I had major surgery. The 14 ½" incision is fading. A doctor told me I’d be able to wear a bikini. That’s great news because I’ve never worn one before! Dr. Sugarbaker told me that I’ll be able to continue scuba diving but, "wait six months."

Perspective

I feel a very lucky and truly blessed woman. The road was made much easier with the strength of my family. My friends, community, total strangers and new friends helped or encouraged me.
I found knowledge was a big factor in dealing with my disease. But HOPE was the biggest inspiration!
--Belle

BOB HARTHCOCK OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, 1999

A Hard Worker and Responsible Manager

The Exposure and the Disease

Bob Harthcock had no earthly idea that the asbestos fibers he breathed in daily as part of his job, were in fact a ticking time bomb, that would one day cause the deadly cancer mesothelioma. He had no earthly idea that the white powdery substance that he brought home on his work clothes would endanger his family. He had no clue that when Jean shook out his clothes before doing laundry, this would one day cause her to suffer from asbestosis and lose 40% of her lung’s diffusing capacity.

Coping and Surviving

 Bob and Jean are people that anyone would be proud to have as neighbors. They are totally devoted to each other, to their fellow man and to their faith. They have made the best of their situation.
Like Bob, many people with this disease are told they will survive 6 to 8 months after diagnosis. Bob has been breaking records with a seven year survival as of 1999. His doctors at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are perplexed. Bob, who is a religious man has told them "try prescribing prayer".
NOTE: Bob Harthcock lost his valiant battle with mesothelioma on May 28, 2000, after helping many others deal with this disease. Bob's great-grandson was born on the day of his death.

Austin DWI Lawyers

Dunham Law Firm has been handling Texas DWI cases since 1989 and has over 200 years combined legal experience. Many of the criminal defense lawyers are former Assistant District Attorneys with many years of trial experience. But hurry time is important for keeping your Texas Driver's License. Fill out the form to your left to have Austin DWI Lawyers with the Dunham Law Firm send you your free arrest report regarding your DWI arrest in Travis County, Texas.
The Dunham Law Firm handles Texas DWI (Driving While Intoxicated), DUI (Driving Under the Influence) and BWI (Boating While Intoxicated) cases in and around Travis County, Texas. Having Texas Board Certified Criminal Law Specialists^* and former prosecutors handling your DWI defense case in Austin can make the difference between winning, going to jail or doing DWI probation. You will find our law firm to be very knowledgeable about Texas DWI Laws and drunk driving penalties and information.
Finding an Experienced DWI Lawyer in Austin When selecting legal representation, realize that the experience of your Austin DWI Attorney in Texas is very important. The way your DWI defense case is handled will have an influence on the outcome and thus your future. Having Texas Board Certified Criminal Law Specialists^* on your side can mean the difference between obtaining a good result and a bad result. At the Dunham Law Firm, many of our criminal defense attorneys have previously been Assistant District Attorneys, spending years perfecting their courtroom skills. We know the procedures of the criminal court system and can make that system work for you.
Proven Track Record against DWI's in Travis County, Texas The Dunham Law Firm has accumulated a highly successful record of acquittals, dismissals and reductions in DWI defense. Each TX DWI is different, but note that the criminal defense lawyers at the Dunham Law Firm always start with the goal of getting your charge of driving while intoxicated in Austin dismissed or reduced to a traffic ticket.
Serious Consequences for a Texas DWI in Austin A Texas DWI charge has serious consequences. You may lose your Texas Driver's License, experience a substantial increase in car insurance rates, pay large fines and court costs, suffer a driver's license surcharge ranging from $3,000.00 to $6,000.00, and possibly face jail time.
Don't leave your future to chance. Select an Austin DWI Lawyer who will fight for you. At the Dunham Law Firm we will work for dismissal or reduction of your DWI charge. If we are successful, you may even be able to have your arrest record and fingerprints torn up! Don't let this arrest record affect your job or your future; call us immediately to discuss how we can handle your Texas DWI.
Affordable Legal Fees and Pay Plans Our legal fees are fair and competitive, especially for Texas Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist. In most DWI cases, we charge a low flat rate and often do not require any money down. The initial consultation is free. When you factor in our legal experience and proven case results, the Dunham Law Firm is a good choice for those who want the highest quality of legal representation at a fair and reasonable cost.
A Word of Warning about your Texas Driver's License You have only 15 days from the date of your DWI arrest in Texas to request a hearing on your Texas Driver's License. According to the Texas DWI laws, if you fail to request a hearing, your Texas Driver's License may be suspended and you face the probability of paying huge fines for several years. It is important that you hire quality legal representation for this hearing to challenge the license suspension. Having legal representation for this license hearing provides an opportunity for your criminal defense attorney to question the arresting police officer. Putting the police officer on the stand helps to establish his or her position, which can be very beneficial to your DWI defense case.
Texas Driver's License Surcharge (Fines) Since 2003, the Texas Department of Public Safety has been authorized to levy a surcharge on Texas Driver's Licenses suspended for DWI and alcohol related arrests. This surcharge can range from $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 per year for three years. Depending on your DWI, you could be facing a $6,000.00 fee just to keep your Texas Driver's License. Now you know why it is so important to fight your driver's license suspension.
Read more about Texas DWI Penalties.
Speak to an Austin DWI Lawyer Today Call the Austin DWI Attorneys at the Dunham Law Firm in Texas today to discuss the ways they can help you keep your Texas Driver's License and try to dismiss or reduce your driving while intoxicated charge. The TX DWI attorneys at the Dunham Law Firm will take the necessary time to explain the whole process of your driving while intoxicated charge that you face.

ABOUT MESOTHELIOMA

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer in the general population. However, in individuals that were exposed to asbestos, it is not as rare. That’s because the only known, established cause of mesothelioma is asbestos. There are experts that have speculated on other causes. There are incidences of mesothelioma with no known asbestos exposure. However, that does not mean that there was no exposure. The right questions have to be asked. The person asking the question has to be familiar with the uses and applications of the asbestos products. There are many examples where inadequate occupational histories were taken and potential exposures were not investigated.
Mesothelioma is not a lung cancer. It is not caused by smoking. It is a cancer of the mesothelial cells. The asbestos fibers are breathed in, travel through the lung and become lodged in the pleura, the thin, Saran Wrap-type membrane that lines and encases the lung. The pleura produces a special lubricating fluid that facilitates the ability of the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The process of irritation from the infiltration of the asbestos fibers creates changes in the cells which causes the mesothelioma. This is known as pleural mesothelioma. Less common is peritoneal mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the membrane that encompasses the lining of the abdomen.
In a typical case, an individual with mesothelioma will experience chest pain (usually caused by a build-up of fluid in the pleural space called an effusion) and shortness of breath. Since many doctors, even pulmonologists, may not have expertise in the area of asbestos-related diseases, these symptoms are often considered, at first, to be attributable to other medical problems. A biopsy of the pleural tissue or fluid may reveal the cancer of the mesothelial cells and a proper diagnosis can be established. A history of the individual’s occupational exposure will in most instances be taken. The patient may or may not recall the precise nature of his exposure to asbestos. Since there is no “safe” level of exposure to asbestos. even brief, low level exposures may be enough to cause mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that strikes over 3000 individuals per year. The incidence of mesothelioma is actually increasing. That is because of the long latency period associated with this asbestos-caused cancer, i.e. the time between the exposure to asbestos and the onset of the disease, is typically at least 10 years and as many as 60 years after exposure. That means that a worker in a factory or shipyard or otherwise exposed in the 1940’s or 1950’s may not experience any symptoms of mesothelioma until this year. Click here for the occupations and activities that placed people at risk for exposure to asbestos.
For the workers who contract mesothelioma and their families, the course of this asbestos-caused cancer is devastating. If you don’t know if you have mesothelioma, and want to identify a doctor specializing in asbestos-related injuries in New York State or in other locations, click here. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and want to explore mesothelioma treatment options,
There is presently no known cure for mesothelioma. As the disease progresses, the cancerous cells harden the pleura and spread. As time passes, breathing, sleeping and eating become more difficult. It becomes increasingly more challenging for the victim to engage in normal activities and enjoy life.
A number of treatments may be available to help contain the spread of the disease and reduce the pain associated with it. Chemotherapy, radiation and radical surgery to remove the lung and/or pleura are among the options that will be explored by the treating physician.
This disease was preventable. Many of the corporations that manufactured and profited from the sale of asbestos-containing products were aware of the hazards of asbestos. They were aware or could have been aware as early as the 1920’s. Alternative fibers were available in the 1920’s that could have been used instead of asbestos. But asbestos was cheap, and available, and was a good filler and binder. Notwithstanding the deadly hazards of this fiber, corporations chose to rip asbestos out of the earth and recklessly use it in products from the 1920’s through the 1970’s and 1980’s, until most of these products were banned in the United States and abroad. The manufacturers did not warn workers exposed to the asbestos in their products until, at the earliest, the mid-1960’s and the warnings were terribly inadequate. The result is that many Americans have unnecessarily and tragically contracted asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, other cancers and asbestosis, a scarring of the lung or pleural tissue.
The large settlements and verdicts associated with mesothelioma cases are not accidental. Jurors who have the opportunity to review the internal documents of these manufacturers and sellers of these products are outraged by the actual knowledge of these corporations and access to knowledge about the hazards of asbestos.

San Diego DUI Lawyer Darren Kavinoky is an aggressive and experienced Drunk Driving Defense attorney who has achieved more not guilty, hung jury, and case dismissal DUI verdicts than any other lawyer in the region. This San Diego DUI Attorney is frequently retained to lecture and consult across the country on the topic of DUI Defense, and has built a successful law practice from his excellent reputation as a top DUI defender.
California DUI Lawyers are often retained by judges, other attorneys, and members of law enforcement who have been arrested and charged with drunk driving. Many of the police officers who hire him have testified against his previous DUI clients in Jury Trials that resulted in acquittals.

Your best defense is the right dui attorney

Hiring the right DUI attorney to defend your case can be even more important than the strength and amount of evidence against you. Darren Kavinoky has been dedicated primarily to DWI defense for over thirteen years, focussing on criminal cases such as DUI (Driving under the Influence), Vehicular Manslaughter, Vehicular Homicide, Felony DUI charges, Minor (under age 21) Zero Tolerance offenses, DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs), and related cases in San Diego County and surrounding California regions.
Your arrest has actually triggered two cases, one in Superior Court, and an administrative case with the DMV to suspend your driver's license - view our past Jury Trial results and DMV Hearing outcomes to see how we fight both very seriously, handling them independently for one flat fee.
Hiring an attorney who is known as a skilled and tenacious fighter by the local prosecutors can make a strong difference in your case, there are times when charges are never filed or later dropped entirely.

Dui only defense vs. general criminal law

1. If you're speaking to a general criminal attorney who tells you they have handled DUI cases successfully, ask them how many times in the past year they have actually taken a DWI case to Jury Trial and achieved a "not guilty" or "hung jury" verdict? Or even in the past five years? Ask them what the average burn off rate of alcohol per hour should be for a male or female based on weight? Ask them when a person reaches their peak absorption level? Ask them what they know about the partition ratio? How about the Widmark Hypothesis? How about a rising BrAC? If they can't fluently answer these questions, save your money, you won't stand a chance.
2. Is the general criminal lawyer a member of the authoritative National College of DUI Defense. Do they qualify for membership in this elite organization of DUI experts? Membership with this organization indicates that your attorney is committed to drunk driving laws and is active in the specialized DUI defense community. In 2003, the American Bar Association established DUI Defense as a specialty area of law, and the NCDD is the only organization in the nation accredited to certify lawyers in DUI related defense. The members of NCDD represent the most experienced and qualified DUI Lawyers in the nation.
3. Look for an Attorney who is a Certified Operator AND Maintenance Technician of the Intoxilyzer brand of Alcohol Breath testing machines. Darren Kavinoky is certified in the Intoxilyzer 8000, the most current breath testing equipment in use by the California Highway Patrol.
4. Look for an Attorney who is certified as both Administrator and INSTRUCTOR in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing by NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that sets the guidelines and procedures for San Diego Police Officers. It is likely that the prosecution and arresting officer in your case are trained as administrators in SFST's, you'll need an attorney who is at least as knowledgeable, but preferably qualified to teach these guidelines to the actual officers and prosecutors.
5. Confirm your Lawyer is a member of the California DUI Lawyers Association. Membership with this organization indicates that your attorney is commited to DUI and qualified to defend you if your case proceeds to trial.
6. Look for an Attorney who is a member of the California State Bar, the Trial Practice Inn of Court, and serves on the Resolution Committee of the Conference of Delegates for the California Bar.
7. Ask yourself if you would rather have a lawyer who is more qualified than the arresting officer and prosecutor regarding your BAC tests, related equipment, field sobriety tests, alcohol physiology and pharmacokinetics, or an attorney who is going to immediately try to plea your case down? If he or she suggests they are going to get you probation in lieu of jail, reduce your fines, etc., prior to examining the police report and evidence pertaining to your case, there's a good chance they've already decided to lose, and likely don't understand DUI enough to take a case to trial, nor want to. Find out! It is essential that your attorney have a reputation for going the distance, not planning your punishment by pre-convicting you. You don't need a lawyer to help you plead guilty, it's free.
8. Would you hire a general physician to perform heart or brain surgery? How proficient and specialized can you expect a general criminal attorney will be in DUI? Given its scientific and technical complexities? An attorney who spreads attention across a broad spectrum of crimes and areas of practice cannot possibly stay current and skilled enough to challenge the growing enforcement of DUI laws in today's high-tech courtrooms. A recent publication released by the American Prosecutors Research Institute names impaired driving as among the most challenging and complex cases on the docket, adding "... few other cases present a more complex and wordy statute, a greater likelihood of technical, scientific evidence, or the very real likelihood of expert defense testimony".
9. Darren Kavinoky is not a former prosecutor nor police officer. He has never held the job of throwing people in jail. We are, and always have been, staunch advocates of freedom and civil rights. He works diligently to keep his clients out of jail, and when a sentence is unavoidable, valiantly works for a rehabilitative alternative to spare his defendants from incarceration. We view imprisonment as barbaric and unnecessary punishment for DUI related offenses.
If you think you'll benefit from an attorney who is DUI dedicated and loves to win, please send us an eMail or complete a simple online case evaluation. San Diego DUI Attorney Darren Kavinoky and The Kavinoky Law Firm will give your case the personal attention it requires and be there for you every step of the way. Your problem is our problem and we will handle your case as we would want our own case handled. You may reach us 7 days a week, 24 hours a day at (619) 231-7412. After hours and weekend appointments are available. We offer a free consultation, and there is never a fee to speak with us about any matter.