A triathlete learned that he had Stage 4 cancer after suffering from vision problems. The athlete began seeing strange waves back in 2019.
Triathlete Dave Nitsche told the New York Post that he soon learned he had cancer after visiting an optometrist.
"I would look at telephone poles ... they seemed kind of wavy," Nitsche told The New York Post. He soon learned that he had fluid behind his eye and had to have his eye removed. Afterwards, he learned that he had Stage 4 lung cancer. "It was very shocking because I was still running and being active. And to go to the fourth stage right away, it's pretty, pretty devastating."
Triathlete Talks Cancer Diagnosis
Soon began rounds of different drugs. He tried osimertinib, which kept him alive for six years. But it stopped working. That led to him trying Rybrevant instead.
"It was quite humorous, because I went to the hospital to get the chemo, and the nurses were like, 'Oh, what's this new one?' I was very fortunate in my timing," Nitsche said.
Despite his battle with cancer, he's continued to embrace life. He enjoys cooking and spending time with his dog, and bike riding as well.
His cancer battle has slowed him down, but hasn't sidelined him from the activities he loves, like spending time with his dog, Indie, and taking cooking classes.
He's also trying to raise awareness about lung cancer as well. But he wants to know that if you have the disease then it is not a death sentence.
"There's a saying that goes, 'If you have lungs, you can get lung cancer,' and pre-screening is very important," Nitsche said. "If you get cancer of any type, it's not a death sentence. There's so much research going on out there."
