31 days in the hospital, then was finally released to continue the long recovery at home. ‘I can beat this’ Three months later, Luke was at Kootenai Health for a routine follow-up visit. While waiting in the exam room, he found himself suddenly unable to breathe. Emily yelled for help, and Luke lost consciousness. It was discovered that he’d had an aortic aneurysm. Although the event was devastating, it was an amazing stroke of luck that Luke just happened to be in the hospital at that very moment. “If I hadn’t been in the hospital, I would have died,” Luke said. “No question about it.” Further tests revealed cancer had spread to one of Luke’s lungs and to his brain, which elevated his cancer to stage IV and required that he spend 10 days in Kootenai Health’s critical care unit. “I spent over a year thinking I was going to die,” Luke said. “Then at one and a half years in, I started thinking maybe I’ll be OK. At two years, I really started to believe that I could beat this.” After receiving Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a specialized radiation treatment for the brain, Luke was declared cancer-free in March 2019. He continues to visit his friends at Cancer Services and receives maintenance treatment every three weeks and a series of scans every three months to monitor his heart and check for disease recurrence. Luke credits his incredible survival to many people, including Dr. Gay. “He’s just a good, solid man,” Luke enthused. “I’m lucky to have the support that I have, and he’s a huge part of that. He saved my life. I really believe that.” “It requires a multidisciplinary team of physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, social workers, nutritionists, nursing assistants, patient coordinators and support staff to provide patients like Luke a chance at such a fortunate outcome,” said Dr. Gay. “At Kootenai, we are proud to have such a team providing the most comprehensive cancer care in the region.” ‘They give me so much hope’ When asked what he’s taken away from his experience, Luke said without hesitating: “Live life to the fullest. Do not give up on anything or anyone, especially yourself. You must stay positive and believe in the people that believe in you.” That includes his care team at Kootenai Clinic Cancer Services and especially his wife, Emily. “She’s my everything,” Luke said with emotion and gratitude. “It’s incredible how she dealt with everything. From the very beginning, she had hope and determination that we would get through this, even when I didn’t.” Luke and Emily are now grandparents to four granddaughters, three of whom were born during his cancer battle. “They give me so much hope,” said Luke proudly. “I want to be a part of their lives. I want to see them graduate high school and be at their weddings.” Luke and Emily’s fifth grandchild is expected the day before his birthday. They wonder if it will be a boy this time, but either way, a grandbaby on the way is another blessing to add to Luke’s growing list. As John Muir famously wrote, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” Luke and Jerome are once again training for their hiking trip to the Wonderland Trail with plans to complete the 12-day trek in August. Although Luke’s journey took an unexpected detour down a challenging path, he emerged with a new determination to put one step in front of the other. “I had to first climb my own personal mountain.” A bright future Kootenai Clinic Cancer Services has been providing the highest level of cancer care for patients of northern Idaho, eastern Washington and western Montana for more than 30 years. To minimize the difficulties patients face traveling during treatments, our providers offer care in three locations: Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Sandpoint. Learn more about our comprehensive care at KH.org/cancer. Luke Dingman, pictured with his wife, Emily, felt encouraged by her hope and determination. “The future of cancer treatment in north Idaho is bright.” —Nathanael Gay, M.D. KH.ORG 17
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