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[Fish Assassin]

brood dude,



What do you mean by ambulance chaser?

Lawyers

[Robert_G]

I'm a Christian, but I don't attend church anymore, so I just prayed to calm myself down. 

It seems you have the most important aspect of you life taken care of.
Now more then ever is the time when you need encouragement from other Christians. I would suggest finding a group of God-fearing believers that you can get to know. This would result in a lot of positives including having other Christians to regularily pray for you.

[brood dude]

long cast

this is really unfortunate ,it seems like your boss is a real bitch.from what you have told us here she NEEDS to be held responsible for her actions.if your not going to do this, who will?

i hope things turn out well

i was referring to lawyers "ambulance chasers".

[Long_Cast]

brood dude, yes, my boss was a real bitch. She ended up quiting a few months after the asbestos incident.  She's one of the those people who doesn't take things seriously at all. 

Now, I see life completely differently. Life is just too precious. I really want to enjoy everyday with people whom I care about.  I want to keep my emotions inside of me as positive as possible in my everyday life because always having negative emotions is bad for one's health.  The damage has been done.  I'll just pray.

[Sandy]

huntwriter, I've been seeing the same family doctor since the asbestos exposure which happened years ago. He told me not to worry but he made me get a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray showed nothing only because asbestos doesn't damage the body right away. It takes years.  He was a little arrogant at that time as he even said, "you'll in more danger from the air pollution in downtown!" So, this year I had an x-ray done and he said to my face, "I doubt there will be anything." He was confident because he said I don't work in a shipyard as only shipyard workers or construction workers should be worried here in B.C about asbestos exposure.

Well, the x-ray results came and he just looked shocked. He spend almost a minute reading the report and told me that I need to get a CT scan or maybe even a MRI.  I was extremely shocked about the results that when I came home I was really depressed and anxious and I couldn't even function normally.  I'm a Christian, but I don't attend church anymore, so I just prayed to calm myself down. 

I truly believe that I need to see a respiratory specialist. I don't think my family doctor knows how serious my condition really is.

pretty well what I was told and did. Worked Burrard Yarrows in the early eighties , used asbestos roofing sheets and cut sheeted asbestos in the UK . but have no recourse unless it is proven that should I suffer from lung diseasee asbestos was the cause.

[Long_Cast]

Sandy, have you had any tests done like chest x-rays recently? If not, you should have it done. Have you been experiencing chest pain and discomfort that comes and goes since you've been in contact with asbestos? I'm also curious, when did you first work in the shipyards at Burrard Yarrows? Remember, even if you don't feel pain you should always get an annual chest x-ray for those who has been exposed or worked with asbestos.

[canuckjgc]

Quite a traumatic event to deal with.  However, you should really see a specialist and dump the GP.  The fact is that we all -- all of us -- have asbestos in our lungs from just living in an industrial society.  That is a fact.  It takes a lot of asbestos to cause asbestosis or mesothelioma (lung cancer).  Before you worry too much, get a specialist's opinion.

And BTW, you can't sue your employer (workers can't sue employers for workplace injuries) -- WCB is your only recourse.   

[Eagleye]

Good luck dealing with WorkSafeBC (WCB) they are not out to help injured workers they will probably make you fight for it if they think there is a possibility to shaft you.  They will definately not pay for a lawyer and you will be at their mercy of ridiculous delays, lack of service, incompetent case managers, lengthy appeal process, etc.  My advice don't let them get to you they will most likely try to get you to give up, tape record all of your conversations with them and your employer, and get a lawyer if you can afford one.  I recommend calling up different departments pertaining to your claim; policy department, prevention department, etc. to try and get the straight goods because from my experience they just say whatever is convenient but this way you can catch them in their inconsistancies to bring forward in the appeal process.  You can dowload a program to use telephone recording program with a 30-day usage trial program for free here. http://www.rayslab.com/call_recorder/ (requires a telephone modem).  Ask your doctor for a causative diagnosis of your condition.  It goes a long way with WCB.

[Long_Cast]

I will probably have to deal with a lawyer with my situation.  I have to somehow provide for my family members if I ended up very sick and not able to work.  I am still waiting from WCB and my medical reports were sent to WCB from my GP.  I actually had a letter from my employer from my exposure of the asbestos back when it first happened and they were extremely unsympathetic with my situation - they actually said the air quality was safe and I didn't inhale any asbestos because they were following WCB asbestos removal procedures. However, the company who did the asbestos removal did provide information there were detectable asbestos particles in the air.  Recently, I spoke with my Occupational Health and Safety advisor at work and I told her my situation with my health and she sounded like she wants to work out something with me and WCB.  However, she told me that she doesn't know much about asbestos so I might be one of the first cases for her to deal with.

FYI, someone at my workplace at another department at my site died from cancer from asbestos exposure about 3 years ago.  It happened to be a lady and she never worked with asbestos and somehow she was inhaled the stuff while on the job. She actually worked in a building where there is known asbestos in the insulation and floors. Last month, I just heard that they were removing asbestos at building where the lady used to work.  You see, that's why I'm really scared.

[Eagleye]

I am very sorry to hear about that... I really hope WCB doesn't try to screw you over, I hate to say it but they probably will.  I definately recommend talking to a lawyer due to the severity of your issue.  From my experience WorksafeBC will try to play nice in the beginning like they are out for your best interest but it is purely a fallacy in the "claims side of the buisness" as they like to call it. 

[keithr]

go fishing, don't make yourself any crazier than you've already made yourself

[Long_Cast]

I spoke with the lady at WCB who deals with my case. I told her my situation and she told me that my health problems aren't that severe and she would like to wait another 20 or 30 years to see if it gets my worse.  I told her that it is severe and I end up taking painkillers everyday. She told me that if I continue to complain about my health, she will end my case.  She was very unhelpful.  My employer didn't help too as they were defending themselves as if nothing happened.  My GP hasn't been very helpful as he's telling me that it's only anxiety which is more like B.S. When I'm exposed to car exhaust, second hand smoke, or even dust particles from ripping a toilet paper, I get severe chest pain.  The last time I saw my GP, he actually screamed at me to leave the room as I've been seeing him too many times. I told him that I just want to see a pulmonary specialist for a lung function test.  He totally refused it as if it's going to cost him money or something.  My GP said that I'm healthy as for now such as I'm still alive. What would you people do in my situation?

[troutbreath]

First thing I would do and I'm not trying to be funny, is change your avatar. That red "X" isn't too healthy looking. From there I would go for second opinion. Even from a walk in medical clinic.

[Fish Assassin]

I agree with going for a second opinion route. As to the lady at WCB I would go to the press.

[Tex]

The lady at WCB who deals with my case... told me that if I continue to complain about my health, she will end my case... My employer didn't help too as they were defending themselves as if nothing happened... The last time I saw my GP, he actually screamed at me to leave the room as I've been seeing him too many times.

If you're sick, LC, then I hope everything works out for you. 

But I have to say: maybe you should rethink how you are dealing with people.  All you seem to be reporting are VERY negative reactions from those you are going to for help... it tells me that you're likely being aggressive and maybe unstable in their prescence.  I suppose this could be a result of being scared concerning your health, but try and take a second to reconsider how you approach people looking for help.

Being firm about what you want is one thing.  Being forceful is another entirely.

I wish you the best of luck.
Tex