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He made it through so many things in life on sheer will -- I suppose that can train your way of thinking to be unprepared for something like cancer. Unfortunately his change of heart came a little too late. We never will know if earlier surgery would have saved his life, but it might have given him a better chance. In the end, surgery is an extremely personal decision.

Yea, I can easily imagine Jobs (and many others) just wishing they could power through it. "If I just do things my way and give it 100%, it'll turn out OK". Like you said, it worked out for him so many times before. And he had a fierce sense of privacy. He probably did not want doctors poking him and filling him full of chemicals.

A sad revelation, if true. We can all imagine what it would be like for him to still be around. But the past is the past, let's remember him for his awesome contributions during what time he did have. :apple:
 
Maybe there was deeper reasoning into this. It was a time when Apple was nearing its prime with the iPhone launch ahead, and he didn't want to take that risk. Maybe he was afraid to be that 5% that dies due to complications of the surgery and felt he couldn't walk away from Apple that soon?

They didn't say 5% die from complication. They said that 5% of pancreatic cancers are this slow growing type and that is what he had. He could have seen that as a blessing and used it to his advantage.
 
I'm now a bit torn about getting a reading the book.

Jobs to me is a personal hero and it's going to be very weird to read many revealing things about him. I suppose that even those we look up to have flaws after all.
 
I have a similar issue.

My left kidney is dead and I've been told it will become necrotic and begin hurting like nothing else within a few years.

Despite that, I've ignored it for the last two years. Granted, it's not cancer so it's not going to spread. Having it removed now will save me from pain later on, but I figure I'll just wait. I could die entirely before it does, and so then I'd never have to deal with the pain of it dying. Whereas recovering from surgery will definitely hurt for a few weeks. That's how I see it.
 
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ouch
guess we can't save our hero's, but everyone will probably wish we could...
yesterday I went to the apple store in Spokane WA to replace my IP4, the touch screen was going out and I asked for change to put in the parking meter-the cashier wouldn't take my two dollars and gave me quarters for the meter-I am still stunned-the man and his company, don't let us down TC! rest in peace SJ...
 
I'm now a bit torn about getting a reading the book.

Jobs to me is a personal hero and it's going to be very weird to read many revealing things about him. I suppose that even those we look up to have flaws after all.

My guess is that we are going to find out the truth, which is that he was in fact a human just like the rest of us.

To many, that is going to be a painful realization since they have idolized him. At the end of the day, people will be people.
 
Now, that's just tragic - especially since neoendocrine pancreatic cancer has a better cure rate that adenocarcinoma. The earlier the therapy the better, and the only curative approach is surgery in this case. Chemo is adjuvant.

yes.... this was the saddest part of this from a medical professional point of view.... this type of pancreatic cancer is rarer even than the relatively rare other pancreatic cancers which are more rapid and less curable.

very unfortunate.

to have that regret.

(in other words... this type of pancreatic cancer actually is curable)
 
When you ask a human to confront their own mortality the answers we come up with rarely contain the same logic we apply to the rest of the world. You certainly can't criticize someone for the conclusions they come to in situations like this.

Very well said. It's easy for everyone on the outside to say take the surgery immediately but when put in that position no one truly knows how they would react. Sad, really sad that he regretted the decision.
 
When you ask a human to confront their own mortality the answers we come up with rarely contain the same logic we apply to the rest of the world. You certainly can't criticize someone for the conclusions they come to in situations like this.

I'm sorry to hear that he regretted it, though.

Agreed 100%. Very well said.

I have a feeling this book might move some units...
 
So basically, when he stood up at Stanford and gave that speech, telling us all that he had the surgery and he's "fine now", was a lie.

As others have said, how could someone so intelligent be so damn stupid.

Tragic.
 
This is such a sad thing to read. While a very unwise thing to do, you have to admire the amount of faith and hope behind a decision that lasted that long. I also think, however, that everything in Nature's design is set in a precise schedule none of us can alter, even if we think we've done something to change things. I truly believe each and every one of us leaves when it's meant for us to leave and never a minute sooner.
 
..I really didn't want to know this.

I'm now a bit torn about getting a reading the book.

Jobs to me is a personal hero and it's going to be very weird to read many revealing things about him. I suppose that even those we look up to have flaws after all.

...I think I would have felt better not knowing this.

Amazing to me how many people are distressed to learn that Steve was merely a human being who was capable of making a mistake.

Why does it upset you that he was a scared, flawed human being, just as you and I are scared, flawed human beings sometimes? Did you seriously believe that he was a perfect being?
 
I'm now a bit torn about getting a reading the book.

Jobs to me is a personal hero and it's going to be very weird to read many revealing things about him. I suppose that even those we look up to have flaws after all.

Grow a set

----------

Amazing to me how many people are distressed to learn that Steve was merely a human being who was capable of making a mistake.

Why does it upset you that he was a scared, flawed human being, just as you and I are scared, flawed human beings sometimes? Did you seriously believe that he was a perfect being?

He's a god to these losers
 
It's surprisingly difficult to read this. We all make friends with denial and other bad decisions at times, but I guess I wanted to think Jobs was above this. I have a feeling that, as others here have said, reading this book will involve a lot of coming to terms with Jobs as a human being.
 
Brilliant people do dumb things. Comparative to the religious parents that refuse treatment for an ailing child. He was rich enough to have the best medical treatment in the world, but too prideful to take it. Ugh.
 
So basically, when he stood up at Stanford and gave that speech, telling us all that he had the surgery and he's "fine now", was a lie.

As others have said, how could someone so intelligent be so damn stupid.

Tragic.

Maybe the guy wasn't the supreme genious everyone is making him out to be?
 
This. Seriously. I don't care how smart you are, cancer is the one thing you DONT !@#$ AROUND WITH.

Denial is a very human emotion and a very strong motivator. I know I've delayed and delayed getting things like blood tests, even for relatively minor things like liver enzymes and cholesterol levels. I think deep down it's because I know the results will be bad news and I don't really want to hear it.
 
One mistake from Steve, a big mistake :(

Can't imagine how many "one more thing" will miss from him because of the mistake...
 
I have a similar issue.

My left kidney is dead and I've been told it will become necrotic and begin hurting like nothing else within a few years.

Despite that, I've ignored it for the last two years. Granted, it's not cancer so it's not going to spread. Having it removed now will save me from pain later on, but I figure I'll just wait. I could die entirely before it does, and so then I'd never have to deal with the pain of it dying. Whereas recovering from surgery will definitely hurt for a few weeks. That's how I see it.

I'm sorry to hear your story. Reading this article, and now reading your post, makes me reflect on something personal I've been postponing for a year. In a sense, it brings me back down to earth and puts things into perspective for me. :(
 
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