Update February 2005

Well, it has been over a year since I last updated this journal. I have been busy, to say the least, as has the mesothelioma community. My life has been filled with joy, tragedy, achievement, and frustration. The important thing is that I am still cancer free  44 months after my diagnosis with pleural epithelial mesothelioma. I have made and lost many friends in the interim as a result of this cancer scourge. There are, however, growing numbers of us with survival times in excess of three years. Much work still needs to be done on this cancer to remove it from the list of "terminal" illnesses but the progress to date is encouraging.

As many of you know, I make myself available to the community to offer advice, support, and comfort. Most of all, I try to be an example of what can be achieved against this deadly disease - at least on occasion. In my darker moments I despair at how few of us get to tell this story - cancer free long after we were destined to be laid low by mesothelioma. In happier times, I rejoice that I am able to speak to and encourage so many people who otherwise would never hear this story, never believe that survival is possible, and otherwise give up without a fight.

In 2004 I agreed to serve as Communications Director for the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF). I can be reached there at k-brauch@marf.org In that capacity I help to craft our message to the outside world, communicate with organizations whom we could support or who could support us, and work as a patient/family resource. I took the assignment of writing a research report on the implications of the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11 from the perspective of asbestos caused disease. The report is available on the MARF website at http://www.marf.org/marfFrames/CureMesoFrame.htm This frightening piece of research underscores why we must press harder and as quickly as possible to find a cure for mesothelioma. The ranks of the injured continue to grow and time is running short for the future victims of 9/11 that mesothelioma will otherwise claim.

As I mentioned above, this year has also been a year of tragedy for me. Not only did I lose several friends to mesothelioma but I lost my beloved companion Leia, a six year old Bichon Frise puppy who faithfully saw me through my rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, never leaving my side and showering me with love and affection. She died unexpectedly of Lymphoma, a rare skin cancer which is quite uncommon in this breed of dog. I am still not over the shock. In my heart I have wondered if, in some insidious way, cancer took my beloved pet because it had failed to take me. Leia is sorely missed by all my family and especially her brother Luke, who was heartbroken. 

My health continues to be acceptable, given the limitations of living with a single lung, an artificial diaphragm and pericardial sack, chronic pain, and fatigue. I accept all these as blessings in exchange for being alive and still being with my family, whom I love. Being here and being needed is a gift I cherish every day. Travelling is arduous but possible and I attended the MARF Symposium on Mesothelioma in Vegas in October. Despite the hardships, I intend to live life as fully as I can, not knowing what tomorrow holds.

I have enjoyed almost four wonderful years of renewed life and have taken the opportunity to travel with my wife. I fulfilled a life long dream and traveled to Egypt in April of 2004, where I descended into the pyramids, saw the temples of Karnak and paid homage to the mummy of king Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings. We traveled to Rome, Venice and Naples in the summer and pushed the limits of my physical ability by visiting hill top towns in Tuscany. All of these trips exacted a toll. On the other hand, because I probably have limited time to do these sorts of things I will persevere and continue to do them. 

There have been many advances in treatment since my operation and multi-modal treatment. Alimta has come along and when used in combination with other chemotherapies has proven efficacy in slowing the growth of the tumor. Iressa was announced but failed to make a real difference. Its successor, Tarceva is felt to be a much more likely agent to help in the fight. Tarceva is a monoclonal antibody, with few side effects and promises to attack the tumor via multiple mechanisms at once. MARF was involved in the development of a serum test for mesothelioma that looks extremely promising. This would allow us to determine if the tumor is present without the invasive surgery and haphazard diagnostic tools available today.

Best of all, the number of long term survivors continues to grow dramatically. There were over 25 patients in attendance at the symposium in Vegas, many of whom were between four and seven years since diagnosis. It was a dramatic and encouraging sight to see so many survivors. An investment in research will bear further fruit and offers hope that the journey won't end unfairly soon for any of us.

Until my next report, Klaus A. Brauch

© 2000-2006 Klaus A. Brauch. All rights reserved.