I Just Turned Two

I JUST TURNED TWO: How I Learned to Live After Nearly Dying is a memoir detailing a seven-year period in the author's life where his wife, Patsy fought her way back from a stroke, and he struggled through intense chemotherapy treatments battling two bouts of fatal leukemia. Through it all, the author learned the answer to the oldest question about humanity: Why are we here? The author states: "My wife's and my journey is, plainly speaking, unique. When we as humans fully understand why we are here, it gives way to peace in our life as ordinary troubles become secondary." About the title-when one has a stem cell transplant, they "become" the person of their donor. A stem cell recipient gains a new blood type and even complete new DNA. It is called chimerism. The medical profession looks at one's transplant date as a new birthday. "Hence, as my transplant was on March 13, 2019, I am (was at the time I began writing the book) two years old."

About the Author

Dean Weitenhagen is a very recent resident of Arizona. He is an active member of the Board of Directors of Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church and is very involved in local political advocacy as a Precinct Committeeman.. He is married to Patsy Tobis and has two children: Jesse and Silas and one stepson, Zachary. Dean enjoys studying history and keeping up with current events. After completing training to be an air traffic controller, he spent twenty-one years in the broadcast television business and then twenty-five years in the commercial real estate business. His life experience throughout his working life, prepared him, he believes, to be able to handle the adversity he encountered beginning in 2017. And, it left him open minded enough to not focus on his troubles, but on what life is (should be) really all about.