Matt's Post

Here's the promised post from Matt Phillips:

Older homes can be quaint and charming, and sometimes are located far enough from cities that residents can avoid unpleasant, unhealthy fumes and pollutants. But despite the benefits, living in older homes can be extremely dangerous.

Asbestos is a natural mineral found in older homes and buildings. Asbestos was primarily used because of its fire-resistant qualities. It was a building a material in some dry wall, insulation, fireproofing, tiles, and heating appliances. It can also be found in textiles and some car parts.

Asbestos removal can be extremely hazardous and must be handled with care to ensure the long-term health of those with the mineral in their homes. Here are some asbestos removal guidelines:

1. If asbestos material is discovered and undamaged, it’s often best to leave it intact. If asbestos is disturbed, the fibers are released into the air. When inhaled, these fibers can cause a serious lung cancer called mesothelioma.

2. If asbestos is discovered and already disturbed or damaged, do not touch it. Instead, call in a professional asbestos abatement contractor. They are trained and certified to remove asbestos without causing harm to residents or to themselves.

3. Refrain from sanding, ripping, or cutting asbestos materials. If you do speak with a contractor, discuss the possibilities of sealing up the asbestos rather than removing it. In some cases this option could reduce the risk of mesothelioma.

4. If residents of your home have been exposed to disturbed asbestos, it is vital that they seek a doctor and ask for both a mesothelioma and asbestosis screening. Asbestosis is the scarring of the lungs due to asbestos inhalation. Mesothelioma is a lung cancer. Mesothelioma symptoms are subtle and are usually latent for 20-50 years after exposure. If exposed, because of this latency, mesothelioma life expectancy can be extremely short.

So, if you or someone you know lives or spends time in an older building, remember not to panic and not to ignore the possibilities and dangers of asbestos, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.

Thanks, Matt, for this great post.

Dear readers and net surfers, if you like several sources of information, check out these websites, too:
• More information: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medline Plus has info on Mesothelioma and Asbestos with links to more information.
• Correct diagnosis: To help us follow Matt's advice not to panic the Medline Plus page on Mesothelioma reminds us that there's also a non-malignant Mesothelioma.
• Asbestos removal: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes training and accreditation available for asbestos removal professionals. A page on the EPA website shows who has had that training in your state.
• Cost of removal: If you can't afford the removal of disturbed asbestos or sealing up of undisturbed asbestos, go to this page and scroll down to find your State Health Agency. Contact the State Agency and ask if your local public health department will help you make your location safe for everyone in your community. In these days of reduced spending on public health, these programs may have been cut back, but it never hurts to ask.
Wishing you the best of good health,
Sherry

More Frequently Avoided Questions...or Not

Well, friends, I apologize for neglecting you these many days since our last one-sided chat.

It turns out that my head really wasn't screwed on straight. And as you might expect, it was causing all manner of problems beyond those you've observed over the years.

I had neck-adjusting surgical repair in early March, complete with brand new screws to hold the wire staple in place (or something very like it if the x-rays are being honest). So there I was - slooooowly adjusting to my corrected perspective and having celebrated Independence Day with family and friend (hope you're not jealous) - driving my back-comforting, brand new, hardly-ever-been-used, 2002 Lexus and proceeding dutifully to my first post-op, professionally guided neck stretching (also known as physical therapy). And I was caught by surprise between an inattentive driver to the rear and stopped traffic in front.

Talk about irony. Good thing it's my favorite form of humor, n'est-ce pas?

The good news is that the surgical repair held, which is really good news because everything else is going to pot (and not the fun, unencumbered-by-ambition kind). The rest of the backbone is jumbled, collapsed, or otherwise extremely irritated. The muscle systems want to hold tight and scrunch everything up in anticipation of the next attack, which is a natural reaction for them but not really what the backbone needs. And the gut has found a weak spot in the muscle wall and is making a run for it. Who wouldn't?

Health care advisers assure me that the muscles need to firm up and relax, the spinal bones need to distance themselves from each other, and the gut needs to be put in its place. Isn't that just like the establishment, contradicting itself while telling us all to settle down, stop bellyaching, and get back in our places? Only, in this case, all the other body parts do need to stop being so obstreperous so the brain can take that job back. Once again, an uneasy compromise is the order of the day.

In any case, rest assured that some of the kink in the spine is still there and it's likely to be impervious to surgical or therapeutic assault.

And we haven't even gotten to the political won't yet.

Oh well.

I hope you can fend for yourselves for the next little while, and I'll get back to you with Frequently Avoided Questions as soon as I can.

Meanwhile, a guest post was kindly prepared by Matt Phillips, who has been waiting patiently, lo, these many months, to see it posted. So look up there at the top of the screen...