The year 2021 was grueling. Talking about the things that nightmares are made of.
My name is Wendi Davenport Montoya. On Christmas Eve 2020 we found out my sweet husband, Martin was diagnosed with cancer. We are told to contact MD Anderson Cancer center as soon as possible. – Merry Christmas to us! It was a difficult couple of days. We had to act happy about it being Christmas and seeing family. But in truth we were scared and I could have thrown up at any point. We didn’t tell our kids or my parents until the middle of January. My sister Lisa got the frantic phone call in the early morning of Christmas Even and then we told his sister Patricia a couple of days later. We had to tell someone.
After several appointments and tests, Martin is diagnosed with Pleural Epithelioid Mesothelioma. What is that? Martin had worked in industrial plants all over the world in the 80s and 90s. Now it is coming back to haunt him.
Epithelioid mesothelioma is a cancer subtype caused by asbestos. It is the most common mesothelioma cell type, accounting for 50% to 70% of cases. Symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain. The median survival rate for epithelioid mesothelioma patients is 18 months. Martin survived for 13 months from the time we were accurately told about his diagnosis. Why do I say it that way? Because of a false x-ray report in July. I will have to write a blog about it when I can find the words.
A friend told me that I should keep a journal to get all my frustrations out. Then another friend said a blog because I am not the only person with a loved one with the monstrous disease. Many people had questions. After long contemplation, I have decided to write a blog about our struggles with mesothelioma and dealing with the grief and disgust we have dealt with. Am I a good writer? NOPE so don’t expect award-winning. Just honest and raw feelings.
My goal is to help other people who may have to walk in our footsteps.
Martin has Meso 