There will be no victory parade, no birthday celebration, not even lunch or a commemorative plaque to honor pleural mesothelioma patient Robin Brown in November.
But there should be.
Brown is a lighthouse 64 years of hope and inspiration for the entire mesothelioma community, still going strong with its discreet approach as it reaches. rarely reached 10 years survival stage next month
it will be the occasion in his typical, unassuming fashion: Driving the same 12 miles to work as it always does in his Subaru. At the end of the day, she returns home to his condominium in Denver, where she lives with her dog Darby.
Grandchildren Give them a hug
The idea of celebrating will stop at the home of her daughter, giving her grandchildren, Kohen and Keen, a hug more than usual, and thanking them for inspiration while struggling against this rare and insidious cancer.
"I'm not really discuss [mesothelioma] much. I will not make a big deal of it, either. I do not want people always wondering, always ask how I feel, "Mr. Brown said from her home one evening after recent work." It's not something I want to emphasize or use as a crutch. It is simply life. You go as long as you can. "
Less than 5 percent of all pleural mesothelioma patients survive for 10 years after being diagnosed, often remind her how lucky she is. It is also a reminder that the light survivors can beat the odds.
"I'm really lucky, for sure," she said. "My prognosis was originally not good, but for some reason mine was to slow growth. My biggest thing is a positive attitude, which I think helped ?? and two wonderful grandchildren. They mean everything to me now. "
Brown moved to Denver in 08 to be near his only daughter, shortly after her husband's death and just before the birth of her oldest grandchild.
aggressive surgery helped its survival
she had spent much of his life in Indiana, where she was first diagnosed with mesothelioma in 04. Brown underwent aggressive surgery that removed a third of his lung and the entire lining around it. the multimodal treatment approach including chemotherapy and radiation, and it worked well.
she underwent chemotherapy again in 08, 2011 and 2013, returning each time the cancer has started to grow back. He returned again earlier this time, causing problems with his esophagus.
"It becomes more difficult to maintain everything, and returned faster every time, "she said. "I do not think I would make it through chemotherapy last in 2013. This year, I just do the treatment of radiation, and my final analysis looked good. We'll see what happens. "
Brown continues to work as an insurance auditor to a Denver area health center. She worked most of her adult life. There are days now when she feels evil. Days that would make most people stay home. But she fights through problems and pushes to work.
"My name is not sick very often. People will say, "Why do not you stay home? But what I would do, except stay in bed thinking about how I feel? Work is good for me, "she said." People will look at me and they can see that I do not feel good. They should not ask. And I'm not complaining. I get through it. "
Seeing the positive side of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatments are causing hearing loss, hearing aids require two today. He damaged his kidney and gave him pain migraine headache. chemotherapy also caused dehydration which caused him to faint when she was driving home one day, crashing into a guardrail before she wakes.
altitude in Denver gives his problem too ?? she sleeps with oxygen sometimes ?? but there is nowhere else she wants to be. she always likes to watch the kids toddlers play. one of his happiest moments was in the pool last summer with the oldest.
she plans to work another two years before her retirement. she needs the occupational health insurance provides. If more chemotherapy is necessary, it will do it again. She looks good as chemotherapy fact ?? fighting against cancer ?? not bad as it can also cause its body.
"I want to see these children grow up," she said. "The move to Denver was the best thing I did. I have no time for negative people or negative thoughts. I'm not ready to stop for a stretch. "
