THE SURVIVOR

Man lives through the Holocaust and even liver cancer
BY UCHE ABANOBI
In his blue and black striped shirt, gray sweatpants and snow-white tube socks, Henry Wegner cheerfully joked with his acupuncturist William Young, Ph.D.
&#8220In another 20 years, he is going to have to change his name from Dr. Young to Dr. Old.” To this Young quickly replied, &#8220And then to Dr. Poor.”
Only two months ago, this witty banter between Wegner and Young would not have been possible. Wegner, who was diagnosed in April with cancer of an unknown source that spread to his liver, was literally on his deathbed.
Wenger, 83, a Holocaust survivor, had been admitted in June to Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a non-profit facility originally set up for Holocaust survivors. At this time, he was so ill that he was sent to the second floor. &#8220If you're on this floor, you clearly don't have much time to live, maybe 10 days or less,” said Linda Spiegel, director of public affairs.
Wegner, who was on chemotherapy, was experiencing severe side effects like vomiting and diarrhea; he was very swollen and thin, could barely speak and had poor circulation. &#8220When he came in he had a Kennedy ulcer, a pre-terminal ulcer, which usually indicates death is coming in 48 hours,” said Dr. Gail Lowenstein, the chief medical officer at Margaret Tietz.
While Wegner was at Margaret Tietz, the deputy foreign minister, the consulate general and several other officials had flown in from Austria to present him a medal for all the work he had done helping other Holocaust survivors gain monetary restitution for the atrocities visited upon them. This usually takes about a year, but because of Wegner's terminal condition, they were able to do it in two weeks.
At this time, Wegner was put into the care of Young, a licensed acupuncturist from China, in order to try to offset some of the side effects associated with his chemotherapy. Acupuncture is a form of holistic medicine in which needles are placed in certain pressure points on the body to treat afflictions.
It was under Young's care that Wegner started improving. Young later told Wegner's son Ronald, &#8220Maybe God used my hands to help your father.”
Because of Wegner's improvement, he was transferred to the rehab unit. &#8220I didn't think he could make it through,” said Young.
Since then Wegner has gained seven pounds and with physical therapy is now able to get up and walk around with help. In the following week, he will be moving to Kentucky to live with his son Ronald. &#8220You can outlive your prognosis if you have the will to live,” Dr. Lowenstein said.
She said that Wegner was living for his wife. He was concerned that if he died first, then no one would be there to care for her. Now that his wife has passed, Lowenstein said that he is living for his son and granddaughter. &#8220Love is the ultimate healer,” she said.
Wegner, who lost his wife Gertrude to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) on July 15, said he felt right at home at Margaret Tietz, which was where his wife lived the final four years of her life.
During his wife's stay at Margaret Tietz, Wegner had been by her side everyday. He became friends with many of the people working there and even donated a musical organ, which was appraised at $25,000, to the 5th floor.
Wegner, who is sometimes referred to the mayor of the 5th floor, said that many wives told him, &#8220I don't think my husband could ever do for me what you do for your wife.”
Young, who Wegner described as a miracle worker, said with a chuckle, &#8220The one thing I learned from him was to be nice to your wife.”