JOHN CLAUS von Dohlen Jr.

JOHN CLAUS VON DOHLEN JR.

GOLIAD - My funeral in my own words.
I was born August 14, 1940 and died May 13, 2012 surrounded by family. I am survived by my wife Janie. We were married February 12, 1966. We have two children: Cristy Billo and her husband Cory and their two daughters Brooke and Mackenzie; and our son, John C. von Dohlen, III and his wife Kristy and their children John IV, Emily, and Ansley. I was preceded in death by my parents, Martha Lena Denham von Dohlen and John Claus von Dohlen and sister Claudette von Dohlen Billo. A private service will be held at our family cemetery. Some of you know that I bought a pine coffin 20 years ago as I could never see the sense of spending all of that money on a funeral. Since the service will be inside the stone wall at the cemetery it would be necessary to hand dig the grave. It is a caliche hill and I can't see the sense of having someone go to all of that work so I chose to be cremated. My friend, Juan Soto has promised to dig a hole for my ashes. Thank you Juan. Juan, Janie is also going to need your help. Now I always called myself frugal but people who know me said I was just damn tight. If you double a penny everyday for 30 days you would have five million dollars. Realistically this can't be done by most people, but if you start young and consistently put away what you can in an interest bearing account and discipline yourself to do it every payday, you will have a big pot of money at retirement.
I am not trying to short change anyone out of going to a funeral….this was my idea not Janie, Cristy or John. I don't think they were for this kind of funeral but they did not argue with me. So if you are rolling your eyes as you read this they are not to be blamed.
Probably not many of you knew that I had stage 4 lung cancer. I asked family and a few friends not to tell anyone as I just did not want to answer questions as to how I was doing. I would like everyone to know that they should become their own health advocate. In 2006 I got a CT scan. I went to a board certified pulmonary doctor. He saw a small spot on my right lung and called it a soft spot and that he sees spots like this all of the time and that there was nothing to worry about. Since I had no symptoms, I had biked 10 miles everyday since I retired in January 1997 and I had never smoked, I too discounted it. In 2008 Janie said "why don't you get another CT scan to see if that spot is still the same". I still did not have any symptoms. I had good insurance so I got another CT scan and went to a different board certified pulmonary doctor. This doctor said I can't get too excited about that spot even though it had grown a very small amount and there was another very small spot on the left lung. I insisted on getting a biopsy and had it sent off to M D Anderson. The diagnosis came back…multifocal well-differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma with bronchioalveolar features…which means cancer. There is a rush of emotions when you are first diagnosed with cancer….none good. It was October 2008 for me. You work through your own mortality. A small pill called Lexapro helped me to cope. Janie said I should have been on this pill all of our married life. I would say I am a type A personalty, very anal retentive. A patient can now admit themselves to M D Anderson. I did some research to find a good doctor and within 10 days I was seeing the doctor at M D Anderson. She first treated me with a drug called Tarceva. She then changed to Pemetrexed and Carboplatin chemotherapy. I went to M D Anderson every 3 weeks for chemo and I had very little side effects….no hair loss, did not throw up and no diarrhea. I feel that if I would have insisted on a biopsy in 2006 that I would have caught the cancer early and possibly been able to have a cure.
Just for your information there is a world class M D Anderson in San Antonio, The Start Center for Cancer Care. We learned of this center from Mary Ashton. She had a friend from England being treated there by Dr. Steven Kalter. Janie and I made the decision to stop the Houston drive and transfer to the San Antonio center. We immediately made an appointment with Dr. Kalter. Our first impression was what a nice man, easy to talk to and very positive. He is the most caring, compassionate straight shooting doctor that we know. I now call him the guru of cancer. I think you get the picture. Other people have found him, so take a book with you for the waiting room. I see him as the cancer guru. When he saw that things were getting worse, he hand picked a doctor from the world wide cancer research department on the third floor. There I met a young thirty five year old doctor, Drew Rasco. He is way mature beyond his years and has no ego. Great smile and highly intelligent. I think he will be the next guru research doctor. When you first meet with him, it is like a fireside chat and you go away knowing your questions have been answered. He operates in real time.
To Janie and all of my family….stay strong, support each other….I Love you and I will miss you.
To others….I have enjoyed your friendship….stay healthy, find good doctors, quit smoking, exercise, and God forbid if you get cancer go to the world cancer center at M D Anderson where they are trying to make cancer history.
Life is truly a gift..treasure every moment..take what you get and don't whine…I was inspired by our family friend, Rebecca who died February 4, 2008 at the age of 37 of brain cancer….she had to leave her beautiful 3 year old daughter Susie…not once did I hear her complain.
To my brain trust…Brooke, John John, Emily, Mackenzie and Ansley….Remember..you are now becoming what you are going to be….I have enjoyed keeping a daily family journal since January 1, 1981….hopefully one are all of you will do this for your family.
I have carried this control thing as far as I can take it.
Adiós….Vaya con Dios
Love,
Johnny, John, Daddy, Dad, Papi