'Bucket List' teaches lesson on life

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - A Dayton man facing death is instead inspired to fight for his life.

Phil Chandler of Miami Township was diagnosed with colon cancer in January of 2008 after going in for surgery for a ruptured appendix. Once inside, doctors found a tumor that perforated his colon. They broke the news to his wife Kathy in the waiting room.

"(I said) what do you mean a tumor?" she said. Kathy Chandler is a nurse. When the news came about her husband, she said her medical knowledge brought on serious fear. "Even though I'm in the medical field I was like, I know a tumor, it's probably cancerous."

A cancer diagnosis can stop people in their tracks. The idea that death could be sooner than originally thought can cripple one's dreams. But not Phil.

"I told friends I was going to take 72 hours to be discouraged and then I was going to get on with life," Chandler said.

And he did. Chandler took time to feel sorry for his situation, but then, he marched on; up hills and down. Surgeons removed the tumor, along with a foot of colon during the appendix surgery, then he underwent chemotherapy. Chandler was lucky. His reaction to the treatments was not as adverse as is typical.

"My doctors told me I'm one of the few who actually gained weight during chemo!" said Chandler.

Soon after, Phil's journey took another down turn. After six chemo treatments, doctors discovered another tumor. Chandler had another surgery, radiation and more chemo.

For a break from the battle, Kathy took Phil to the movies to see a couple of his favorite actors, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

"I had no idea what it actually was, I just thought it would be a a good one to go see," Kathy said.

Little did she know, the movie would change Phil's outlook on life and his own mortality.

"The first few scenes were two men in hospital beds, dying of cancer," said Kathy. "Phil came over to me and said, Kathy, thanks for bringing me to this movie."

The characters in The Bucket List put together a list of items they want to do before they "kick the bucket." Chandler decided that's what he needed to make it through his diagnosis.

Soon after, Chandler was boarding the Wright "B" Flyer in Springboro, taking to the air just as the Wright Brothers did a hundred years ago. Chandler is afraid of flying and heights, but he said, the Bucket List is about setting fears aside, conquering dreams he never knew he had.

"It was invigorating," said Chandler.

After the flight, Chandler suited up and squeezed into the passenger seat of a NASCAR at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"You hear it on television, when they say Gentleman start your engines, but when they fired up those engines, you knew it was real at that point," Chandler said.

He raced around the track at speeds topping 160 miles per hour.

"I knew I was having an adventure at that point," said Chandler.

Adventure was what he was looking for, and he got it, but as Chandler checked the items off his list one by one, he started to change. Chandler realized that the most important things left on his list weren't nearly as thrilling, but brought more joy to his life than any stunt.

The new items on Chandler's list include dancing with his daughter at her wedding. He did that in August. Next, he wants to meet his first grandson, due in November.

Chandler's focus on cancer has faded. His eyes are now fixed on family and life's blessings.

"I tell people I've used the word blessed more in the last year and a half than I have my whole life. People look at me oddly, they say, you've had three surgeries, you've had 28 radiation treatments, 12 chemo treatments, how can you say you're blessed? By refocusing on what is important on life."

Chandler was declared "cancer-free" in October 2009. At his last visit to the James Cancer Center in Columbus, doctors told him to, "get out and don't come back." Chandler will enjoy November 2009 as the first month without a doctor's appointment in nearly two years.