Patrick Swayze: "I'm Going Through Hell"

Patrick Swayze, who has been battling pancreatic cancer for a year, sat down with Barbara Walters for an exclusive interview that airs Wednesday night at 10 pm on ABC. Swayze has defied the tabloids that had him at death's door when his diagnosis became public.

Swayze stars in a new show "The Beast," which he filmed while fighting his cancer, which had already spread to his liver before he was even diagnosed.

"You can bet that I'm going through hell," Swayze says to Walters. "And I've only seen the beginning of it."

"There's a lot of fear here," he adds. "There's a lot of stuff going on. Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm [asking] why me. Yeah, I'm all this stuff."

As for how he figured out something was wrong, it was exactly one year ago while celebrating New Year's:

"I tried to have champagne, and it would be like pouring acid, you know, on an open wound."
Soon he found "my indigestion issues got gigantic and constant. And then I started thinking, I'm getting skinny. I dropped about 20 pounds in the blink of an eye. And then when you see it in the mirror, when all of a sudden, you pull your eyes down and the bottom of your eyes go yellow and jaundice sets in -- then you know something's wrong."

He started filming "The Beast" despite the cancer, and in 5 months of filming missed only a day and a half of work, and he never took medicine for his physical pain.

"When you're shooting, you can't do drugs," Swayze tells Walters. "I can't do Hydrocodone or Vicodin or these kinds of things that take the edge off of it, 'cause it takes the edge off of your brain."

Tune in Wednesday at 10 pm for more of the interview. "The Beast" premieres on A&E on January 15.

Here's the trailer:

Comments

[LMPE]

I wish him well.

[Billie]

I wish Patrick well and I hope he believes that the soul is eternal. The body is just a shell. Our soul evolvement goes on and on. Live well and look forward to the next incarnation where all the good one has accomplished in this life is the foundation for the next.

[livesimply]

I have been following this story from the beginning because I really respect and admire Swayze and his work. The initial news was tragic. In October I found out my very talented and wonderful brother has colon cancer. If he had had his colonoscopy when recommended, it could have been prevented, but it has gone into his liver and soft tissue. Fortunately, he is a professor at a university that has one of the best hospitals in the country. There are lots of new treatments and more are discovered every day. Bless you, Patrick, and all the others afflicted with cancer. Many of us share in your battle with this disease.

[schatsie]

well I sure am sorry about your brother... frankly these issues are awful...I have a granddaughter with autism and my understanding is that we have only reduced the mercury in the immunizations by 60%... Trouble is the infants are getting at least twice as many immunizations as we did in the past... and we don't know what causes autism.... I am also concerned about mercury from the coal plants, that is polluting the fish that are fed to the chickens and the mercury is concentrated...

What a mess.

[ConfuciusSay-]

If we don't know what causes autism, taking potshots in the dark at possible causes isn't helpful.
It's one of many horrible problems that requires a breakthrough.

I've a nephew with this, and you have my sympathy.

[elthelight]

It's really sad---so many people need a (spiritual) heart transplant.

[DG3]

Agreed.

[Meah]

When my cousin was diagnosed with brain cancer, he worked as long as he could, and then when he couldn't work, he painted the house, and did everything he could to fix things up for his wife and four kids, even though it was very hard for him to do. That's probably why Patrick is working and not resting. To provide for his family. It makes me sad knowing that he has obviously suffered greatly with pain. You are in my thoughts and prayers, Patrick. You are quite a man.

[trendier]

Dear Patrick I will be praying for a full recovery. You are one great actor. One of my favorites.

[grata2ude]

I hope you beat this Patrick. My prayers to you and your wife.

[G-guy]

Saying "Rush to a doctor at first symptoms " doesn't always cut it,
when your dealing with pancreatic cancer. It's deadly, and its hell.......

My best wishes to a pretty good actor and guy.......

[sloreader]

Patrick is a major favorite from way back and everyone in my family wishes him (and his) a far better 2009. My Dad suffered from ALS for 5 years and died at the age of 49. He taught me the power of hanging onto a shred of your sense of humor, no matter how difficult the challenges life may present. It goes a long way. People may avoid Patrick and his family because of their own fears but his sense of humor should be the last casualty in his private war. Good luck Patrick. We are all thinking good thoughts.

[rasit]

My prayers and best wishes are with Patrick.....

[Arethirtypercentinsane]

I'm a big fan of Patrick and I wish him the best. I truly believe he is genuinely a good person. By the way, any time I'm channel surfing and "Roadhouse" is on it stops me in my tracks. It is a train wreck guilty pleasure of a movie and I love it!

[rockyersocksoff]

I'm very sympathetic to cancer battlers, as my mother is currently one, and I do have a lot of affection for Mr Swayze, as a fan of 80's movies. I wish him well.

But I can help but be struck dumb by some of the statements in his interview.

A glass of champagne felt like acid being poured into an open wound? And THEN you lost 20 pounds? etc etc

Jes*s Chr*st, Patrick, you're a wealthy movie star: GET TO A F&%$#@! DOCTOR before you have cancer everywhere!

It's 2009. Cancer treatment is amazing IF you catch it early. Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer in a matter of months, but that was in 1994.

[JulieKay]

I am sure Swayze has been to many doctors.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult to survive. People are living longer than the few months that was typical a decade ago; however, it is still a very mean cancer.

I watched my father die from pancreatic cancer. He went from about 285 to 125 pounds. He took experimental treatments that helped him live over a year, but the quality of his life was not good. Like Swayze, he tried not to take pain medication because it would make him sleep all the time.

Steve Jobs of Apple is also trying to survive the same cancer.

They both need our prayers.

[livesimply]

As does everyone with this disease.

[blondecuban]

Patrick,

You have to try everything you normally wouldn't if you want to beat this. Go see John of God in Brazil. I know of people who have been cured by going there. Also, meet with Marianne Williamson and talk with Louise Hay about the psycho-spiritual reason for the disease.

You are being courageous. Just know that God and you are one. If God is perfect health, then you can be the same.

[sloreader]

Hang onto every shred of hope.

[Meah]

Please. Spirituality is very comforting, but Louise Hay telling Patrick why he has cancer is rather beside the point by this time. Doncha think? Nobody can tell anybody else the psycho/spiritual reasons why they have what they have. That is arrogant and condescending. I am a nurse, and I also do energy work. Louise Hay is helpful in giving people things to think about. But a guru or healer she ain't.

[Hare]

Ghost still is my favorite movie. Thank you and remember you are not never alone.

[macbabe]

"Dirty Dancing" without a doubt is my favorite and have watched it dozens a times...

Great Actor and Dancer, even with his bummed knee.
My heart goes out to Patrick and his family.

[duze]

Dear Patrick. Thank you for everything you've done in the past and what your choosing to do now. Often times the general public think that a movie star has a life that superceeds
anything we can imagine. At least the problems we (the average) person has to face. However, your courage as well as your decision to share your circumstances with us speaks not only to your, person, but your humanity. Not everyone diagnosed with cancer has the strength to face the sacrifice and truth that you have shown. My brother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 6 months ago. As you discussed, his whole body changed. We thought as a result of his his active lifestyle. It was not. After his diagnosis, he changed dramatically, he just seems to resign himself to an unimaginable death. You kept your fight up and he noticed. Even in your illness, you reached out and touched someone (I'm sure not the only one) that never knew you and never will. You gave him hope, inspiration and the ability to face his fate like a man. He watches you constantly, and speaks about you when he can. He has not given up on anything that you have reminded others not to give up on. Again, thank you, thank you so much for being the outstanding human being we all know you to be. You proved it by illuminating life to a person, who thought his was over, long before its time. Much Love, Ted's family.