First Responder at the WTC
Written by rsinrich, published 3 months ago.
I am a 59 year old firefighter from NY. My story....
I am a 59 year old firefighter from NY that found out about having this disease a year after being a first responder at the WTC following 9/11.
Out of the 6 men on my "rig" one has already died of an even rarer cancer...internal rectal melanoma, one has growths on his face, I have Waldenstroms and another has had 3 operations on his stomach. Yet the gov't hasn't acknowledged cancer as a 9/11 ailment.
But honestly none of us would have had it any other way. It was what we trained for, no complaints.
WM hurts WBC and 5 weeks before I lost 2/3 of 1 lung from an infection I was fine, no issues. Five weeks later I am down 2/3 of a lung just from getting an infection in my lung that my body couldn't fight off.
So, live life to the fullest, everyday and be safe. Fireman Rob
Written by rsinrich, published 3 months ago.
5 comments for «First Responder at the WTC»
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Hi Rob and welcome to this site.
You are absolutely right that living life to the fullest you can is the way to deal with this disease - great picture, by the way, showing you getting fresh air!
I would not presume to comment on the health problems you and your colleagues have experienced since 9/11 as I am not scientifically or medically qualified. I would just like to make a couple of general comments about WM, which are, first, that the jury is still out on whether and, if so what, environmental factors play a part in the development of our disease; secondly, WM is typically a slow-developing condition (in my own case I have been advised that my disease was probably starting about five years before I developed any symptoms). I wonder if your doctors have given you any advice on possible environmental factors in your own disease. This is an area where it seems more study is needed. In the meantime we have to deal with our lives and what they, not just WM, throw at us, so we are back to your good advice!
Wishing you the best of health,
Phil
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Phil Manning, English language moderator
Phil, Thanks for that reply. Yes my WM too was diagnosed about 6 years before any symptoms arrived. My doctor does feel that the air quality down at the WTC site that week was a contributing factor to getting WM.
Keep the faith...Fireman Rob
Hi Rob. The likes of me can only imagine what it must have been like for you and your colleagues that day and afterwards... It has appeared in the news here in the UK that a number of NY firemen have experienced unusual health problems since 9/11. I hope you get some answers. In the meantime, wishing you all the best - it is good to have you here on the forum.
Phil
Hi Phil and hello to everyone reading this comment.
I would love to read everything they say people will participate in the Sixth Symposium on WM on 11th March in London. Phil I hope that after reading, presentations can be published somewhere or if possible send me information you have.
Hi Robert Sinrich, I'm glad you're okay. I am Miguel Angel Berrueta, greetings from Spain.
Hola Phil y hola a todos los que lean este comentario.
Me gustaría mucho poder leer todo lo que digan las personas que van a participar en el Sixth symposium on WM del día 11 de marzo en Londres. Espero Phil que después se pueda leer el algún sitio publicado o si es posible que me envíes la información de que dispongas.
Hola Robert Sinrich, me alegro que estés bien. Yo soy Miguel Angel Berrueta, un saludo dsde España.
Hello Miguel
Thanks for your message - I hope you are feeling well.
I believe there are plans to post details of the London meeting on the WMUK site:
www.wmuk.org.uk/
As soon as I have details I will let you know. I hope it will be possible to have important materials translated into other languages, including Spanish, and plan to discuss this with others when we meet in London over the next few days.
Best wishes,
Phil