Hilary Zayed had to reinvent herself after she fell off her horse several years ago and suffered a traumatic brain injury. She used to be an elementary school teacher, but her brain can no longer handle the sensory input — bells ringing, children walking and talking, all the hub bub that normally happens in an elementary school. So, teaching is out for Hilary, along with some other things that were an integral part of her life. "I was a horseback rider, that's out," she says. "The neurologist says one more fall, it will kill me. I was a flute player and now can't stand the sound. Gone.

No doubt you've seen commercials about mesothelioma and know that it is usually caused by exposure to asbestos and that there a lots of law firms in the country eager to represent victims. Have you ever met someone with mesothelioma? I haven't, but I was recently contacted by Cameron Von St. James, whose wife Heather was diagnosed with it seven years ago. He wanted to know if I would be interested in sharing their story on my Catching Health blog. At my request, he sent me additional information. When I started reading it, I quickly realized that they both write for a mesothelioma web site sponsored by a law firm, which raised a red flag for me. I told him so and decided that I needed to think carefully about how to proceed. My conclusion was Heather Von St.