Pete Koller returned to his high school days - as a wrestler and football player seriously - to explain how she had fought against malignant pleural mesothelioma killed him long ago.
So he insisted on walking, the rejection of the mandate wheelchair from the hospital by her eight days after his diseased lung, a rib, a part of the wall of the chest and other body parts were removed.
That's why he returned to work a few days after leaving the hospital, and why is his departure time 06:00 and returned to work 11 hours a day usual.
Wanted why years later, the powerful painkiller morphine refused to start under hospice care. And the same reason why I left the hospital earlier this month.
"I was very serious plant when I was young, pushed me physically and mentally to the limit, and force me to go further," he said. "You will find your limit and simply press pass. Whether you want to teach. This makes for something stronger."
These mesothelioma pushed over the border again, the approach of a miraculous survival character of 11th
Fighting every challenge
Meanwhile, Pete was 21 cycles of chemotherapy often disabling a diagnosis of prostate cancer, heart and small nodules that grow in the remaining lung. He joined 11 months palliative care. Friends hope that the end was near.
He came stronger than ever.
"I'm doing great time every time I use my family doctor, he shakes his head and said:". You have nothing to be alive, "Pete said." But I think that's part of the principles of the training day, learned to deal with pain and discomfort than I do. He learned to find resources in himself, I do not even know what I had. "
Pete, 70, was diagnosed with a symbol of hope for those with pleural mesothelioma today, a clear example of how well-known thoracic surgeon David Sugarbaker was for many years to extend the life of the hospital Brigham and Women's in Boston.
Pete, a Chicago native who has lived 12-18 months of life 20 years in Tucson, Arizona, which was originally diagnosed in March 2005, and was told. Then he flew across the country to Sugarbaker, conducted in June to see the extrapleural pneumonectomy operation (EPP), give reason to fight.
Always follow His wife is an example
Pete was also another great advantage:. His wife, Pat She had fought and won her battle with cancer a few years ago, said she, to lead a model him.
She had been diagnosed with aggressive NHL, and said he would probably have gone within six months. Instead, she spent five months in a Phoenix hospital 120 miles from home to go with it and come every day after work.
"We have learned from each other things," Pat said. "We are grateful that I was sick and I went through before he became ill. With him there has never been a" Why was? I do not want to die. "It was always:" We will overcome this. "The most important thing was that the two had a positive attitude, and this is better than medicine sometimes."
They were married for 33 years - a second marriage for both - and never takes place, both insist. She invited for the first date. They married a few months later. And he lived happily for eternity. Even cancer can no longer be separated now.
"She is one of the treasures of my life. She gave me a model, which shows that the fact that you get a death sentence does not necessarily make the case," Pete said. "She went through hell with their chemotherapy, but it was better. She was my strength through this, and a big part of the reason I survived so long."
Analysis always
Pete spent his life working as a network engineer, an expert in computer communications that. Often with contracting authorities It is connected to analyze everything, including each stage of their treatment against cancer. With a million questions that have their own patient advocate.
"I do not try," Doctor, but no one knows me better than me, "he said." I know what I can bear and what is not. The doctor and I still "nothing to do when we start, which is most likely to occur? If we do that, what are the side effects? What are we trying to fill?" With you to keep control of their treatment. "
Medical Marijuana is a big help
The same chemotherapy which kept their cancer under control, so has very ill in the first few days, threatens their love of life. The chemotherapy was tolerable when he discovered that cannabis (marijuana) could mix in cookies or brownies many of the severe side effects that alleviate so hard to make it for cancer patients.
"The first time I had chemotherapy, there was a terrible experience, like someone running over with a car. You can get sick from the top of head to toe," he said. "Cannabis works miracles. When used correctly, and good elongation, it is really a very useful drug."
Pete and Pat attended his 50th high school reunion in Chicago two summers ago. He turned the trip into a family reunion. Many were surprised that appeared to be healthy.
"When they saw me, they could not believe that she had cancer. An experience like [mesothelioma] is interesting," he said. "You know what you really are, and you realize that the things that I thought, were so terrible, when I was younger, in fact they were just before preparing for the real hard times. "
Life is good today
Pete now lives in Tucson comfortable, happy, do not have to clean the snow in winter to worry. He and Pat tends to eat on Friday night. Last Sunday, a conservatory nature where volunteer work to do includes cleaning bird feeders.
Bird watching. Take walks. They shake hands.
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