Mesothelioma survivor Heather reflects after losing a friend to meso
22 Sep 2009 by Wendi Lewis under Events, People
Our friend Heather Von St. James, who lives in Minnesota and who recently celebrated her third anniversary of being cancer free after undergoing a pleural pneumonectomy to treat her mesothelioma, recently lost a friend to this disease. On Sept. 2, she posted the following beautiful essay on her Facebook page, dedicated to the memory of her friend Lonna. She gave me permission to share this here, and I thought it appropriate for the week leading up to Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
“So as I sit here today… another senseless death due to this horrible disease has happened, and another is near… two beautiful, bright and amazing women succumbing to a disease they got because of exposure to a substance that kills… and has not been banned. There is no more innocent victim than a mesothelioma victim….Someone told me that one time.. and the more people I know that are dying from this.. the more I believe it. Because someone hugged someone who worked with asbestos and had it on their clothes, they are now paying the ultimate price… their life.
I’ve said it before… Cancer is a weird thing… a true double edged sword… I know my life would not be what it is today had I not gotten sick with mesothelioma… I know that the people that have come into my life in the last 4 years would not have been a part of my life had I not gotten sick… On one hand… I have to deal daily with the fear that “IT” might come back… I don’t dwell on that fear, but it is an underlying current to every ache, pain and uncomfortable feeling I have that I can’t explain… My last stint in the hospital proved just that… My mind immediately went there… what if “IT” is back? On the other hand.. I would not be home to raise my daughter, and I would not have gotten to know so many of the amazing people in my life that I have… nor would I appreciate the small things. 
I do a lot of praying.. and even more during those times. My doc out in Boston told me after my 1st post surgery check up to go home.. and LIVE LIFE… just go on and live.. don’t let the diagnosis get in the way of living your life. Maybe he knows something I don’t… Having to face this illness every day with as many people as he does.. So I have done just that… despite the aches and pains that are with me every day.. I live my life.
When I know that others are suffering from this disease after fighting it so hard ,for so long, it just breaks my heart… Today, in honor of Lonna.. I am buying daisies…her favorite flower, I am going to have bouquets of them around my home and in them I will see her smile.. hear her gentle voice.. and in their simple beauty I will once again remember to live my life.
The circle of life continues on…. one passes, another is born… Kristi is going to have her baby any minute now. That simple joy of a baby doesn’t bring anyone back, but it brings hope… hope of a new, bright life. Despite the tragedy of losing so many friends and loved ones to this disease, I continue my hope that there will be a cure. Not just for this type of cancer, but for all cancers…. This month is Childhood cancer awareness month… Sept 26th is Mesothelioma Awareness Day… October is breast cancer awareness month… There are too many cancers, not enough months or days to be aware of them all… i just know what I am able to do in my little part of the world..and that is bring hope and joy to those around me… and live my life to the fullest… To remember my vow to be positive, and NOT live in the fear of “it” coming back…. I have my whole long life ahead of me to enjoy and I intend to do that.. and today I reaffirm that vow… Thank you God for every day that I have, for every day truly IS a blessing, and don’t for one minute take it for granted.. it can all change in a blink of an eye…
God bless you Lonna on the next step in your journey,I am blessed to have known you…”
