Waukesha County executive discusses cancer diagnosis
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow has received a huge outpouring of support since he announced last week that he was diagnosed with cancer. He spoke one-on-one with FOX6 on Tuesday.
Farrow is still hard at work and cracking jokes. He said he’s focused on his duties as county executive – like delivering a balanced budget – but knows this battle will be physically draining.
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"I feel really good today. I got a good night’s sleep," said Farrow.
Farrow said that has not always been the case since doctors diagnosed him with mucinous adenocarcinoma – a rare form of cancer.
Paul Farrow
"It is considered Stage 4," he said. "It has metastasized so much that it’s everywhere in the abdomen."
Farrow said he started having pain as far back as Memorial Day, and he went to the emergency room in early August. He said there is no cure, but doctors are aggressively treating it. He has lost 20 pounds in the past two months; he said chemotherapy zaps his appetite.
The cancer has not spread to Farrow's organs, he said. Instead, it has attached itself to the fibers of his abdominal wall.
The county executive is documenting his journey on social media. In three months, doctors will determine if surgery is necessary.
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"I get up every day and say, ‘god gave me one more day to drive my wife crazy and keep the county running smoothly and beat the cancer,’" he said. "If I can give a voice to what’s going on to let people know the way things happen, or why they might be a little bit different, that’s what I’m going to do."
Farrow is leaning on his family, faith, staff and trademark humor as he starts his most difficult chapter. He is married and has two sons and a grandson.
"We know that humor is the best medicine. Being able to fight through this with a good sense of humor is going to be important moving forward," he said.
Farrow has long embraced public service. He was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2010 and the Wisconsin Senate in 2012. He’s the former chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin and has served as Waukesha County executive since 2015.