Carl Milks credits much of his successful battle with cancer to having a positive attitude and a good sense of humor.
“They say only the good die young and if that’s the case I’ll live to 115,” Milks joked earlier this week during a break from his work as security guard at the McKean County Domestic Relations Office in Smethport.
Milks, who is a retired lieutenant from the Bradford City Police Department, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s follicular lymphoma on Dec. 15, 2015. The disease is believed to be incurable, but treatable to gain remission.
Milks said his journey to remission, which was long and hard, was aided by his many friends, relatives and medical personnel along the way.
In recounting the past couple of years, Milks said following his diagnosis he traveled to Pittsburgh 12 times for numerous tests and treatments.
“A course of action was taken Jan. 4 (2016) for treatment,” he recalled. “I then started intense chemo which consisted of twice a week until mid-July. It was pure hell.”
Milks said during that time, he lost a considerable amount of weight and was sick all the time. “But after July, a PET scan showed the cancerous tumors had shrunk some and showed no sign of activity,” he noted. “Chemo was dropped to a maintenance dosage of every two months and a follow-up scan in December (2017) showed full remission.”
Milks said he has since gained back his weight, but still has to undergo daylong maintenance chemo sessions every two months at Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Cancer Care department.
While the treatments have been a lifesaver, Milks said more important has been the “overwhelming support from friends, relatives, doctors and nurses” who have helped and continue to help him.
Milks said the first large show of support occurred in March of 2016 when his four daughters and friends staged a large benefit dinner at St. Bernard School in Bradford to help with his medical expenses.
“Man did we need it — the expenses traveling back and forth to Pittsburgh and lodging, along with large deductibles were astronomical,” he remarked. “Without all the public support, relatives and friends’ support I would have been lost. I can’t emphasize enough how grateful I am to everyone.”
Milks said that in addition to working full-time for the county, he continues on with activities he enjoys the most — fishing and hunting. A fishing trip last year with his young granddaughter, Annalysa Woodhouse, netted a 5-pound, 20-inch Rainbow Trout in Willow Creek caught by the child. A picture of Milks and Annalysa is featured on the back page of the current March/April Pennsylvania Angler & Boater magazine, something that gives him immense pride.
In addition to to Annalysa, he has five other grandchildren he wants to “teach how to hunt and fish.
“The family have been ultra-supportive and the (daughters) have been out of this world … they’re a huge inspiration,” he continued.
His daughter, Jennie Milks, said her father not only continues to help the family and friends, but also their neighbors.
“When the snow falls, he goes out to plow his property, the neighbors’ and my sister’s” among others, she said. “This is a long haul for him for sure and he still has much more of a journey to venture, but he certainly has the stamina to do it. Hope, love and faith are what is keeping this man going strong daily.”
As for his co-workers, Milks said they’ve been tremendous from his boss on down to office workers who include intake receptionist Terri Chapman.
“He’s a good guy, he knows his business, he’s very sharp and treats everybody with respect,” Chapman said. “That’s what we need here.”
Tammy Right, Family Court coordinator, said Milks provides the security, and humor, they all need.
“You have to (have cheerfulness) in what we do,” Right observed. “And we totally feel safe with Carl here.”
Amy Lathrop, director of the office, said she, too, doesn’t know “what we’d do without Milks.
“He keeps us safe, but he’s pretty easy going,” she added. “We told him if he ever wants to retire, he has to make sure we all OK it.”
On a final note, Milks said he is glad to share his story if it will give other cancer victims and survivors hope.
“If you have a good attitude and faith in the good Lord above, it can help,” he said.
“I’ve been fighting it for two years and I’m tired, and I can’t do as much as I used to… but it’s better than chewing on daisy roots,” he said with a chuckle.
