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Cancer nearly took his leg, but this father of 6 is walking again: ‘I shouldn’t be here’

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Cancer nearly took his leg, but this father of 6 is walking again: ‘I shouldn’t be here’

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For one New York father of six who overcame the odds, this Father’s Day will be sweeter than most.

Richard Monti, a real estate developer who lives on Long Island, recently faced certain amputation after a life-threatening infection — until a determined doctor saved his leg with a complex surgery.

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When Monti was diagnosed with metastatic kidney cancer in 2018, he thought that would be his toughest battle.

MELANOMA PATIENTS REVEAL DRAMATIC STORIES FOR SKIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: ‘I THOUGHT I WAS CAREFUL’

But after having surgery last year to repair his fractured upper shin bone — which had been damaged by years of cancer and radiation therapy — Monti developed sepsis, which threatened both life and limb.

Richard Monti, a real estate developer on Long Island, recently faced certain amputation after a life-threatening infection. A determined doctor was able to save his leg with a complex surgery. (Richard Monti)

It is relatively common for cancer patients to experience these types of fractures, according to Dr. Nicola Fabbri, chief of the Division of Orthopedic Oncology at NYU Langone Orthopedics, who treated Monti.

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“When cancer is metastatic and goes to the bone, fractures do occur — it’s actually the main complication,” Fabbri told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“Probably 50% of people who develop bone metastases develop fractures.”

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While he was intubated and in a coma for several weeks, Monti underwent six surgeries to clean out the infection and try to restore his bones.

“They told my wife she should get prepared,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview. “They didn’t expect me to make it.” 

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Monti did pull through — but when he woke up, doctors delivered even more devastating news.

Richard Monti & family

Richard Monti, center, is pictured with his family, who helped him get through his long ordeal. “I’m really living a normal life now,” he said. (Richard Monti)

“I was given basically one option, and that was amputation,” Monti, now 64, said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

The news sent Monti, who thrives on working on his feet, into a “very, very dark place.”  

He said, “At that point, I was probably at my lowest. When my body moves, my mind moves. Losing that leg — I thought that was the way my story would end.”

“I was given basically one option, and that was amputation.”

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Monti sought a second opinion from Dr. Fabbri of NYU Langone Orthopedics, who was highly recommended.

“When I met him, I loved what he said — ‘We don’t just cut legs off,’” Monti recalled. 

After many tests and scans, the doctor told Monti he was “going back to the drawing board,” a nod to Monti’s building background.

“My wife and I started crying and smiling,” Monti recalled.

Dr. Nicola Fabbri

Dr. Nicola Fabbri, chief of the Division of Orthopedic Oncology at NYU Langone Orthopedics, was determined to save Monti’s leg. (Dr. Nicola Fabbri)

The doctor said he was hoping that given time, Monti’s sepsis would resolve, and his soft tissue would recover enough for a successful reconstruction surgery. 

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Monti’s case was complicated. He was dealing with an unhealed fracture of the upper part of his tibia, tissue damage from the sepsis infection, and significant bone loss and weakness from the radiation treatment for his cancer.

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“The sepsis was probably linked to being immunocompromised due to his cancer treatment,” Fabbri told Fox News Digital.

‘Performed miracles’

After Monti had some time to heal, he was deemed ready for surgery. 

After 15 months of being in a brace and on crutches, Monti underwent a limb-preserving surgery consisting of a complex knee and tibia reconstruction.

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While placing a new knee implant, Fabbri was able to correct the severe deformity caused by the fracture. 

During the 11-hour surgery, which took place on Oct. 17 of 2023, the doctor also removed damaged parts of the tibia and replaced them with metal implants.

Richard Monti

“That doctor and his team did perform miracles in my eyes,” Monti said of the surgery that saved his leg. (Richard Monti)

Now, Monti is pain-free, back to work — and able to walk without a cane or crutches. 

“That doctor and his team did perform miracles in my eyes,” he said.

Monti still takes a chemotherapy pill once a day, and his tumors are now “very small, less than a centimeter.”

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“For me to still be here — it means God’s got work for me to do.”

Although Fabbri has performed similar surgeries in the past, he noted that the circumstances of Monti’s challenges were “extremely rare.”

“This was a particularly challenging situation,” he said. “I never thought he could come back at this level. It’s really remarkable where he is today.”

Walking on beach

Monti was able to walk on the beach just a couple of months after his surgery. “He can walk as tolerated with no support or limited support,” his doctor said.  (Richard Monti)

Although Monti can’t run, he has “no substantial limitations” in his daily activities, his doctor told Fox News Digital. 

“He can walk as tolerated with no support or limited support,” Fabbri said. “He sent me a video of him walking on the beach. It’s fantastic.”

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Throughout Monti’s darkest days, he said he drew strength from the love for his family — including his wife, five daughters and one son — and his faith.

“For me to still be here — it means God’s got work for me to do,” he said. “So I’m going to continue to do that work, because I honestly shouldn’t be here.”

Richard Monti and daughter

Largely inspired by her father’s health journey, one of Monti’s daughters, pictured, has decided to pursue a career in nursing. “I’m so proud of her,” the dad said. (Richard Monti)

Recently, Monti was able to attend his daughter’s high school graduation, visit the college she will attend in the fall and enjoy a walk on the beach. 

“It used to be that every step I took reminded me of cancer,” he said. “Every step was so painful. But now I really don’t think about it.”

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“I’m living a normal life now.”

Largely inspired by her father’s health journey, one of Monti’s daughters has decided to pursue a career in nursing. 

“Not everybody is so resilient.”

“I asked her why she was so determined to be a nurse,” Monti said. “She said, ‘Sitting there watching you all those months, I learned I had a lot to offer.’ I’m so proud of her.”

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Fabbri credits Monti’s determination and positive outlook as being inextricably linked to his successful outcome.

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“Not becoming discouraged and still willing to go ahead — it takes a lot of guts and determination,” he said. 

“It takes a lot of strength to believe in yourself and your physician. Not everybody is so resilient.”

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Life after death: Take a glimpse into the world of cryonics

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Life after death: Take a glimpse into the world of cryonics

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Since the age of 13, Joseph Kowalsky has harbored a fascination with life after death, pondering ways to extend his existence indefinitely. 

Today, Kowalsky, now 59, is among some 2,000 individuals who have signed up with the Cryonics Institute in Clinton Township, Michigan, betting on a future where death is not the end.

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Chilling prospect of immortality

Cryonics, the process at the heart of Kowalsky’s hopes, involves preserving human bodies at ultra-low temperatures in the anticipation that future science will one day revive them. 

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Shortly after a person dies, organizations like the Cryonics Institute use a heart-lung resuscitator, circulate a medical-grade antifreeze in the blood and suspend the body in aluminum pods filled with liquid nitrogen. 

Dennis Kowalski, current president of the Cryonics Institute (and no relation to Joseph Kowalsky), told Fox News that over 250 individuals are currently in “suspension” at the Michigan facility.

Cryonics involves preserving human bodies at ultra-low temperatures in the anticipation that future science will one day revive them.  (Cryonics Institute)

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Could defying death be affordable?

The Cryonics Institute is just one player in a burgeoning industry. 

Alcor, the world’s oldest cryonics company, which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, boasts a state-of-the-art facility where more than 200 individuals are preserved. 

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For those opting for whole-body preservation, the price tag is $200,000, while brain-only preservation costs $80,000. 

Alcor CEO James Arrowood dispels the notion that cryonics is solely for the wealthy, highlighting that many clients use life insurance policies to cover costs. 

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Cryonics Institute

Over 250 individuals are currently in “suspension” at the Michigan facility, the president of the Cryonics Institute told Fox News. (Cryonics Institute)

“About 80% of people who sign up are middle-class,” Arrowood told Fox News.

He pointed out that the clientele includes notable figures such as baseball legend Ted Williams, whose head and body were cryopreserved separately.

Skeptics cast doubt

Critics dismiss cryonics as speculative and unproven, labeling it an “iceberg scheme” lacking scientific backing. 

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“It’s a sad case of people being beguiled by a very understandable dream of resurrection,” Clive Coen of King’s College London told Fox News.

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The neuroscience professor raised concerns over the damage inflicted during the preservation and revival process, warning that “there will be billions of mini-strokes in every millimeter of brain tissue” due to the inability of antifreeze to traverse the brain’s complex landscape.

Hope springs eternal for death defiers

There is currently no scientific evidence or successful case of a human being revived from a cryonically preserved state. 

Cryonics Institute

For those opting for whole-body preservation, the price tag is $200,000, while brain-only preservation costs $80,000.  (Cryonics Institute)

Despite the skepticism, Joseph Kowalsky, who formerly worked with the Cryonics Institute, remains undeterred. 

“Worst-case scenario, I’m still dead … And the upside? It could be a potentially life-saving medical technique,” he said.

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For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health

As science and ethics continue to grapple with the implications of cryonics, individuals like Kowalsky illustrate a deep-seated hope for defying mortality, one frozen body at a time.

Andres del Aguila and Griff Jenkins contributed to this report.

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For diabetes patients, inhaled insulin is shown just as effective as injections and pumps

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For diabetes patients, inhaled insulin is shown just as effective as injections and pumps

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Most of the 38 million people living with diabetes in the U.S. use daily injections or insulin pumps to keep glucose at safe levels — but new research suggests that a third option could be just as effective.

In a study led by Dr. Irl B. Hirsch, M.D., medical director of the Diabetes Care Center of the University of Washington Medical Center, an inhaled form of insulin — similar to an asthma inhaler — worked just as well as injections or pumps to control type 1 diabetes.

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The research was presented last week at the American Diabetes Association (ADA)’s 84th Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida.

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The clinical trial tested a product called Afrezza, an inhaled insulin made by MannKind Corporation in California. 

Afrezza, the only inhaled insulin on the market, has been available since getting FDA approval in June 2014.

An inhaled form of insulin worked just as well as injections or pumps to control type 1 diabetes in a recent study. (iStock/MannKind)

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Benefits of a third option

“In those with type 1 diabetes, insulin is required for survival,” Hirsch told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

“With continuous glucose sensing, glucose control has been dramatically improved — but not everyone reaches the target with multiple injections or pumps, and there are many pros and cons with each therapy,” he said.

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With pumps, people must wear the device, which can lead to skin problems

They also have to purchase extra accessories.

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Blood glucose levels can also drop with exercise, Hirsch warned, which can be problematic. 

Afrezza inhaler

Afrezza, an inhaled insulin pictured here, is made by MannKind Corporation in California.  (MannKind)

“Injections overall can be more convenient for some, but they don’t do as well as pump patients,” he said.

With Afrezza, the product is inhaled into the lungs before meals, and the fast-acting insulin minimizes the glucose spike often seen after eating, Hirsch noted.

“Patients with type 1 diabetes should consider this as another option for their mealtime insulin, and talk to their doctor about this choice.”

During the 17-week study, researchers evaluated the results of 141 adults who were assigned to either use the Afrezza inhaler or continue with traditional methods of injection or pump delivery.

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At the 17-week mark, all participants switched to the inhaler for another 13 weeks.

Dr. Irl B. Hirsch

Dr. Irl B. Hirsch, M.D., medical director of the Diabetes Care Center of the University of Washington Medical Center, led the new study. (MannKind)

All groups were assessed with continuous glucose monitoring at the start of the study, at 17 weeks and again at 30 weeks.

Among the inhaled insulin group, 30% of participants reached their target glucose levels (less than 7% blood sugar) compared to 17% of the people using injections and pumps.

There was no difference in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) between the groups.

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“In general, there was no difference in our primary endpoint, HbA1c, a reflection of average blood sugar,” Hirsch said. 

“But that alone is misleading — many patients did better with their glucose control, while others did worse.”

Afrezza inhaler

With Afrezza, the product is inhaled into the lungs before meals, and the fast-acting insulin minimizes the glucose spike often seen after eating, a doctor said. (MannKind)

“The point is, inhaling insulin isn’t for everyone, but some did better than they did on their pumps.”

The people who saw the best results inhaled insulin between meals and at bedtime, Hirsch added.

                             

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At the end of the study, more than half of the participants said they would opt to stay on the inhaled insulin therapy.

“The biggest takeaway is that patients with type 1 diabetes should consider this as another option for their mealtime insulin, and talk to their doctor about this choice,” he recommended.

‘Adds value’

The American Diabetes Association acknowledged the promise of the study findings in an email to Fox News Digital.

“We look forward to our Scientific Sessions every year to see data like the INHALE-3 study’s findings, which have the potential to expand diabetes care,” Raveendhara Bannuru, M.D., PhD, the ADA’s vice president of medical affairs and quality improvement outcomes in Boston, Massachusetts, told Fox News Digital via email.

diabetes CGM

“With continuous glucose sensing, glucose control has been dramatically improved,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“We are hopeful for the continuous development of alternative insulin delivery methods that could offer options for people living with diabetes,” the group also said in the statement.

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“The INHALE-3 trial demonstrated that inhaled insulin, combined with insulin degludec, effectively reduces A1c levels without increasing hypoglycemia or weight gain in people with type 1 diabetes. This adds value to the options in insulin therapy.”

Potential risks and limitations

While more people met their glycemic targets with Afrezza, some subjects saw worse readings when switching from usual methods to inhaled insulin — “potentially due to missing doses of inhaled insulin during the day and/or underdosing going into bedtime,” the researchers wrote.

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“We didn’t see any concerns,” Hirsch said when asked about side effects. 

“As expected, a few people coughed immediately when dosing their insulin, but no major concerns were seen and everyone continued on their inhaled insulin.”

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Insulin injection

“Not everyone reaches the target with multiple injections or pumps, and there are many pros and cons with each therapy,” a doctor said. (iStock)

The most common side effects noted in the study were hypoglycemia, cough and throat pain or irritation. 

Afrezza has been linked to a risk of acute bronchospasm in patients with chronic lung disease, such as asthma or COPD, according to the manufacturer.

“Inhaling insulin isn’t for everyone, but some did better than they did on their pumps.”

Before starting Afrezza, patients should see a doctor for a physical examination and testing to measure lung function.

Patients who smoke or who recently quit smoking should not take the inhaled medication.

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Fox News Digital reached out to MannKind requesting additional comment.

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