Letter to Brad Cooper, Attorney, CHLW

A diagnosis of cancer can be devastating for families, but a mesothelioma diagnosis may evoke even greater emotions because this diagnosis was entirely preventable had it not been for the callousness and greed of corporations who valued profits over lives. Following are excerpts from a letter to Brad Cooper, Attorney, from Marty Edwards, son of Michael Edwards who was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in September, 2003. This letter was written as Michael Edwards was recuperating from surgery performed by Dr. Brian Loggie, a peritoneal mesothelioma specialist, at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, NE.

“My dad wouldn’t want to meet you (or anyone) this way. He’s a very proud guy, his dignity is somewhat compromised, he wouldn’t have it this way if he could help it. Try not to see him the way he is now, try to get the picture of a guy who normally stands 6’2” tall. Has swung a hammer all his life and has forearms that resemble Popeye the Sailor. He has a very sharp mind and a great sense of humor. He loves to work the crossword puzzles in the paper, except now he has to close one eye because he’s got a cataract. He likes to have coffee in the morning with the farmers, and really enjoys a good laugh. He’s had a deep, deep passion all his life for the outdoors, and He and I have spent countless hours in a duck blind and in the deer timbers together. Many of those hours were spent killing nothing more than time, and being best friends.

“Just a little over three weeks ago my Dad and I watched my oldest son, who’s 11, play a double header in his Fall baseball league. My youngest son is 9, and between the two of them they keep Grandma and Grandpa pretty busy, and pretty happy. My kids aren’t getting to see their Grandpa because of the extremely critical state that he’s in.

“Lately we pray a lot, get angry a lot, feel most every emotion possible, on a daily basis. The PA for Dr. Loggie told me this is the most critical patient that he’s ever been associated with. I really think he took a shine to my Dad because of my Dad’s wit, ornery-ness, positive outlook even when told he had a terminal cancer, and he’s just a guy most people like.

“I could never give you a feel for who my Dad is on one page, maybe not even a hundred pages, just do me a favor. Try to see him, best you can, the way I see him.”

Marty Edwards

Do I have a case?