Don
Flounders |
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| Update March 5th | |
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I am typing this having very recently returned from our local area hospital
where I was sent for yet another CAT scan. As you may remember, I have
had a number of brushes with skin melanomas which, whilst rapidly excised
and dealt with, are well-known to linger surreptitiously in the system.
This is one of the penalties of living in an otherwise wonderful country
(and them’s my sentiments and I’m sticking to them!) Anyway,
in August 2007 it was discovered that I had developed Mesathelioma (a
particularly vicious asbestos-related cancer that is always, ultimately,
fatal. One that has the highly unpleasant ability to lay dormant for between
40-70 years before erupting into a full-blown cancerous tumor.)
It having been established that I had this brutal cancer variant, the immediate radio-therapy treatment in attempting to halt it was almost worse than the promised consequences of doing nothing at all. So since August 2007 I have been putting up with (not silently, I hasten to say) a number of the side-effects. One that attacked my spine, has kept me mostly bedbound for nearly six months. The purpose of this latest CAT scan was to check to see if my Mesathelioma tumor had now metastasised and begun looking for pastures new in various other parts of the body. Which, apart from getting back in touch after such a long interval, is the main reason for this letter. Starting in the USA and now occurring in various countries, Legal firms have been raising ‘class actions’ against the mining, manufacturing and retailing conglomerates who went on using asbestos-based products long after its fatal consequences were known to them and about which they did nothing, on the premise that their profits were more important than the lives of a few paltry workers. As the compensation payouts have become reasonably substantial, the number availing themselves of these benefits began to grow – and I added myself to the rear of the queue. During the following legal shenanigans my legal eagles pointed out that anyone who had served in the British Navy and in wartime ships was readily acknowledged to have been in contact with many millions of asbestos fibres, which, as you would well know, were used to cover/lag just about every pipe and heat generating piece of machinery as insulation. Stokers and boiler-room staff were continually smothered in the stuff. It now seems that any ex RN/RM(B) type who served on an old ‘wartime type’ warship (whether during hostilities or not) and who has since developed a chest problem would have little trouble in obtaining a pension from the British M.O.D. And the MOD pension is ‘non-country restricted’ as they are for the ordinary ‘Age’ pensions for ordinary folks. I realise that there are now fewer and fewer of us that could qualify, but if anyone does – they should not delay – but hurry and get in for their chop. That pension is entirely separate from anything that relates to contamination with asbestos fibres encountered other than in the British Navy, although many of the guilty companies are well established overseas and are now having to pay up for what they have done – and desperately tried to conceal. So if you should happen to know of anyone who might qualify for a MOD compensation pension, please let them know and at least make enquiries to find out if they are eligible. I must pack up now and get back to bed – about 20-30 minutes sitting upright is my maximum. Every best wish to you and yours Don. |
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| Don
Flounders |
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Dear Ritchie, Thank you indeed for your kind words. I hadn’t realised that you and Tom Lambert hadn’t met vis-à-vis either. In my case it’s not so surprising as my years in the RMB were cut short (again, ironically with another lung complaint), but Tom was here, there and everywhere for very much longer. Nonetheless, service in our days was very much a case of ‘ships that pass in the night’. Yes, I too would very much wish to have met you. I have instinctively felt that there are kindred spirits at work. I thank you very much for your prayers – I might be an atheist myself – but at times like these I certainly won’t knock back any sincere expressions of active sympathy. As you know, my radio-therapy course of treatment begins next Wednesday and after it is completed (30 days) the entire situation should be much clearer. The relative aggressiveness of the tumour and its reaction to the treatment will then be obvious and my future and its duration will be more readily assessable. Thus far I have found that aspect the most annoying. I like to be able to plan ahead and as yet, cannot even attempt to do so. Patience has never been my strong point. On one point I am in no doubt whatsoever. I am definitely not going to become medically vegetablised – if there is such a word. It is my life and I will control its passing! I am a long-term member of Exit International and believe implicitly in its aims. Whilst still able to make those decisions I will do so. Apart from that, life goes on and Iris and I are still enjoying life and its many foibles. Needless to say our children (Steve 51 and Gillian 56) and many friends have been most supportive. Fear not. I won’t be writing to bother you with daily progress reports. It’s just that for some time now the memory being what it is, I find that if I don’t reply fairly promptly – I forget. Your loving friendship is very much appreciated and reciprocated. Don Dear Don, What a great writer you are, but sadly on the most sore of subjects, that of your acute health problems. I have seen fit to update Sickbay with an addition to Tom's kindly if not loving text regarding you. How ironic that neither Tom or yourself have never met me, although Tom was a passing ship so to speak when I joined Eastney Band just as he had left. Jim Mason took over at that time. Yet, we are all constant and dependable companions in the years that remain no matter when we served or when. It all sounds ugly, but modern medicine is just that, modern. I know you are atheist.......but you will not berate me for praying for you? We lost dear Nobby Slater some years ago, I had the good fortune to meet him in NZ at Maxie's place. Without being morbid, I wish I can meet you but it's a long shot considering all our complexities. Just reaching out you understand. I'll copy Tom and my assistant in on this as a record of just how WE feel. Be strong and I'm sure with your good friends and the professional medical help, you will be comfortable in your most trying times. Sincerely and lovingly my friend. Richard et al. Dear Richard, I see from the ‘Sick Bay’, that Tom Lambert has anticipated my telling you of the recent bad news I received. Dear Tom, not at all well himself is still more concerned for others. It had been my intention to keep all our friends and relatives up-to-date with my illness. I have always felt that an unnecessary reluctance to tell people about one’s position only tends to create rumours and mis-information. My brother died from Cancer in England over ten years ago and getting any accurate details of his illness was like pulling teeth! Consequently, I have decided to send out bulletins at regular intervals. As mentioned, these are intended mainly for family and friends but I have no reluctance about anyone knowing. So firstly, as I friend you are the recipient of Bulletin No. 1. Secondly, to try and avoid the above problems, as the webmaster, please feel free to use the information contained as you wish – or not at all, for there are fewer and fewer of my contemporaries about these days who might be interested. As some background to Tom Lambert’s words about asbestos and HM Ships, through a large firm of class-action lawyers I will be suing the Australian makers of the asbestos-cement. I am not litigious by nature and in fact deplore its increasing usage out here. However, it has now been conclusively proven that the manufacturers of the sheeting knew of its deadly qualities for many years but kept quiet about it in order to protect their profits. (Some 30 years ago I built a house we had in Queensland and cheerfully lined the bathroom/toilet/shower’ end of the house with asbestos sheeting, cutting and sawing the stuff using no protection at all). Consequently I have no qualms whatsoever about obtaining whatever recompense I can from them. (Needless to say, the legal firm work on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis!) When being interviewed by one of their lawyers I mentioned my sea service in HM Ships and ears were pricked immediately. It seems that just about anybody who was ever in RN ships of our vintage were exposed to asbestos fibres. On reflection, of course, one remembers that asbestos lagged pipes were just about everywhere and the lagging was frequently breeched and broken. Therefore these legal eagles say that claims against the British Government are almost always proven – for additional ‘damages’. We shall see. Well, that’s more than enough for now. I hope that you are well and above all, happy. Every best wish, Don
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