Namaste! Hazel, do you enjoy yoga as much as I do?
Patsy

"Horn, Hazel V" wrote:

> I am concerned about the hazardous/carcinogenic materials we use every day.
> 30 years ago when I started in this field, there were no fume hoods and
> gloves were not mandatory.    I would say it has been in the last 20 years
> when all of this started to change.  No one would dream of working in the
> conditions I did when I was trained.     I do think NSH has done some
> limited studies on this but I have not heard any results.    There have been
> many histologists to develop cancer.    Would it have happened anyway??  Who
> knows, but it is food for thought.    Dezna Sheehan and Lee Luna are the 2
> most prominent that come to mind.  Did Charles Culling also die from cancer?
> I also know several techs I have worked with or been trained by to die from
> cancer.   Coincidence??   Maybe, maybe not.     I personally have breast
> cancer, estrogen negative.   I firmly believe my chosen profession
> contributed to this condition.    Can I prove it??   No.   Have I stopped
> working in the field??   No.   I take all the precautions I can to protect
> myself.  Being a supervisor limits the exposure I get.   I love this field.
> I have received much personal satisfaction from my job through the years.
> For now I am well, or as they say, NED.    No evidence of disease.    Life
> is unpredictable.   Do the most you can to protect yourself and your
> coworkers and hope for the best.
> Namaste!
> Hazel
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David.Petsch@med.va.gov [SMTP:David.Petsch@med.va.gov]
> > Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 3:52 PM
> > To:   histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> > Subject:      Concerned about working with carcinogens
> >
> > Is anyone out there concerned about the hazardous materials we are exposed
> > to daily in Histology?
> > Such as Xylene, Formalin, and some of the other carcinogens used through
> > out
> > Histology.
> >
> > We keep the exposure levels under the limits but I still can't help but
> > wonder if we're in harms way.
> >
> > DAVE
> >
> >