18) November 2004: In Memoriam
18 November 2004: In MemoriamPeter was born on August 10, 1958, as the youngest in a family with five sisters. He grew up on the Rue Royale in Druten, with plenty of space around it. There he entertained himself well. In tree climbing, raft building itself, removing toys to discover how it was put together-all like he did. He was very enterprising. If three years he walked alone to the fair. From the burning of a fido burned his beautiful dark lashes, thankfully one year or so have come back. As a toddler he once tried a tree ("really decent size") to be cut in order to build a raft. He was already well on stream for a police officer he knew to stop.
Peter was also a thinker. As a child he thought deeply about many technical issues but also on issues like the stars, life, death, God, the universe. Later, he read books and watched TV programs on various scientific topics. He came up with creative and efficient solutions for all sorts of problems. This ranged from a collective transport system for cars to reduce the environmental and the most efficient loading of audio equipment in an ingenious way to administer liquid food through his stomach tube.
Because Peter was smart, wanted his parents that he would like to learn. Wanted, he much preferred to the technical school. He understands the intent of his parents, but he did not do homework that he found a waste of time. He came to visit the secondary school where he without any effort in 1974 graduated. He spoke very good English, German and French, which he later in his illness has been very helpful. The transition to secondary technical school did not go smoothly.
The navy, with the combination of practical work, training and opportunity to explore the world, when he found a better alternative. His work as a telegraph operator (first class, he always said proudly), he quickly, accurately and with pleasure. The organization of the navy, he had great appreciation. With hierarchical relationships he had no trouble because he just looked like clarity about rules. The organization of the Navy is to him always remained the standard for other organizations, such as furniture, Philips and health assessment. The sailing itself in Curacao and the months he was fantastic. After six years (1975-1981) he chose not to renew his contract. He wanted to live in a peaceful manner, without any shift, with the church van Druten in sight, with time for his hobbies, and at times a "pot paraphernalia.".
Unlike the much anticipated, positive references from the Navy is not easy to find new work. For applications showed that his experience in the Navy was less important than a HAVO diploma. He thought it very stupid of the authorities and that he continued throughout his life to find. Even when he was unemployed, he remained cheerful and enterprising. He was on time and made many trips on his bike through the Land of Maas and Waal. At the Centre for Professional Training for Adults, he followed with great interest the carpentry training. The books of the training are often consulted later when he joined the renovation of his house stood for important technical questions. From agencies he works with many employers. Tasks he performed as a rule closely and very well. However, if the contract or how it had to be executed were in conflict with his views about fairness and justice, he was in opposition. With a stone processing plant two days after he had seen when it appeared that safety systematically ignored. With pleasure, he worked for a long time carpentry Cuppens in Nijmegen, where he was all sorts of complex carpentry projects that appealed to his great skill independently performed and where he received much appreciation. In 1996 he was hired at Philips Semiconductors Nijmegen as a Preventive Maintenance Technician. There he received excellent reviews: "Independent and round. Commits to maintain the most complex machines of his section. Versatile. May also orders that are not strictly belong to his job. Follow-MTS study. By growers, "said one in 2001.
Peter had from childhood hobbies. Crossen on his moped, a beer drinking, billiards, cycling, playing bass guitar. Peter has played in many bands and was the sound of other bands. He enjoyed music, but this was idiosyncratic. With as much dedication he played in an orchestra entertainment (including at the Meteors) and in a band withartistic ambitions. Disdain he found totally inappropriate: "Making music is always fun." For Peter had committed effort against the target of proportion. "It's pearls before swine," he sighed frequently as Do not Look Back once again did his utmost for a drunken, partying crowd and "slave drivers!" when the band after a break to his liking too quickly continued with the rehearsal. Was no doubt about his qualities, "nonchalantly sitting on his stool with backrest, he was always rehearsing his homework to know. As a bass player modestly in the background, but as a musician providing a rock solid base - as effectively as accurate, "said one of his fellow musicians.
Peter was a cheerful, kind, peaceful and contented man. But while he was a very strong personality with an independent spirit, that nothing and no one left to write the law and clear his mind came when he found meaningful. He had a broad social interest: he followed the news closely and had strong views on various issues. He looked happy to popular science programs and movies on one of his hundreds of TV channels (he soon had several satellite receivers). In addition, he read regularly. Science fiction, novels and stories about the cycling world, but also the stories of the Old Testament. In daily life, he got all kinds of fixed rules of life. During the week he usually drank no beer at the weekend he took the loss in full. For years he smoked shaggies quiet, he stopped in the autumn of 2001 when he started racing seriously again. A few months later revealed to his illness. Of smoking and drinking, he had no regrets: "It took me all tasted good." Some of his precepts:
His relationship with women was special. He always treated women with respect. However, he was cynical about male-female ratios calibrated. "The word dating I look suspiciously like the wrong thing," he said with some regularity. His skepticism was both women and men: "If you say you work in a furniture factory is quickly done with the interest of some women" and "A man who rubs his bread has nothing to complain about the siege." He suggested to others the same requirements as to themselves: others demanded that they themselves were thinking, that she felt responsible for their own behavior and its consequences and that they held to the rules.
The Copper Strangles in café met Peter and Lucy were there while enjoying a hearty beer of views in detail. In one of the first conversations, long before his disease was revealed, a song mentioned in the Small Orchestra, which a man on his deathbed, looks back on his life and regrets what he has not done. Peter said: "I want to live on my death bed I can look back satisfied." And he did. A deep friendship based on mutual respect, common interests and shared life that everyone simply must follow their own path. For years they had mutual satisfaction to a LAT relationship. In 1999 she married and lived from mid-2000 Peter, Lucy and Lara together. After a short period of adaptation that all three of them did fine. It was agreed that both Peter and Lucy would work part time so there would be both sufficient space for relaxed living. Peter went back racing and followed with support from Philips MTS training. The new millennium had begun promising.
Unfortunately manifested itself shortly after -1 January 2002 - his illness. Peter went with his illnessas he always lived. Conscious, rational, critical, fearless, dedicated, always looking for the positive side. Even now he was thinking and his own conclusions. That brought him into conflict several times with doctors. If he was not convinced of the necessity of a particular procedure or treatment, he refused. If he is convinced of the utility, he worked as precise as possible. He made use of both conventional medical treatments and more experimental. Right against the mocking attitude of various doctors, he disciplined every day orthomolecular medicine, and he was on the principles of the Houtsmuller Diet. Unlike doctors often suggest that no torture: Peter-mate when he could swallow all-plenty of tasty recipes. In other respects he remained spirited. He Exercise vigorously. In the summer of 2003 with his bike still several climbed mountains, including the Eiffel, the Dolomites and the Pyrenees. When the problems with swallowing and breathing increased, when he could not lie down and when he really saw no prospect of further improvement, he accepted death as inevitable. That he did on his own positive and laconic way. A week before his death he said: "If I had a little more power I have a good case for myself to carpentry." With help from their GP Peter died a peaceful death. Thanks, it was the last thing he said. Peter was not afraid of death.
The way he dealt with his illness is described as extensive experience on the site www.kanker-story actueel.nl, now under the keyword esophageal cancer.
The way in which Peter lived and its strategy to cope with difficulties, is still an example to us. "Your problems are not bigger than they are," he said. "Do not worry about what else might happen, but concentrate on the facts in the present situation and what you can do to the problems associated with the best possible deal. And above all look at each situation to the positive side. "
And in that spirit we try to live.
Lucia Boerma
Druten, November 5, 2004
