Posted on February 1, 2021
We have been touched by asbestos in individual ways, yet we are joined together by a bond of community. As a testament to the strength of our global family, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is highlighting the courageous stories of our members with the “Share Your Story” feature on our website.
This week, we would like to honor the story of Tim, who is part of our ADAO family.
We encourage you to submit your personal stories by clicking here and following the simple instructions on the page. In sharing, comes healing. Remember, you are not alone.
“High Amounts of Asbestos” – Tim’s Story
Name: Tim
Location: California
Date of Birth: 11/21/1946
Diagnosis: Asbestosis
Date of Diagnosis: 12/08/2020
Treatment: None as of yet
How has asbestos changed your life?
Unfortunately, due to multiple careers and environmental factors, I was exposed to asbestos many times throughout my life. In the late 60s through the 70s, I worked in environments containing high amounts of asbestos — first, I was in the Navy and was exposed to asbestos while on a training cruise aboard a WWII destroyer. Later, I was an installer for Executone of Western Mich, Inc. Many of those factories had asbestos-wrapped steam pipes, and part of my job was to crawl around in ceilings and rafters, where I would ultimately disturb the wrap on those pipes. After that, I was exposed through the use of an asbestos-laden drywall compound in my remodeling business. Looking back, I have been waiting for this shoe to drop most of my life. I was finally given a CT recently and it revealed asbestos. Now, I am very concerned for the quality of the rest of my life.
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