PITTSBURGH -- Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch is dying of pancreatic cancer, but his message has touched millions across the world.

Pausch, who gained fame after posting his “final lecture” on the Internet, has just released a new book titled “The Final Lecture.”

Pausch, who spoke with WTAE Channel 4 Action News over the phone on Monday, describes his condition as one step forward, one step back. But despite those difficult days, he said he maintains a positive attitude.

Writer of Pausch’s book, Jeff Zaslow, said his first face-to-face meeting with Pausch came after the famous September lecture.

About 53 hour-long conversations later, the book was complete.

The bulk of those conversations took place as Pausch followed doctors’ orders. He was able to ride his bike and spend time with his children through the difficult times.

“I was always aware of his time,” said Zaslow. “He said to me he was spending a large fraction of his time talking to me, so that was a responsibility."

“I really feel like my body is an old Chevy,” said Pausch. “Every day you wake up and there is some new rattle and you just say, ‘How much do I want to sink into this thing? How much longer am I going to keep it?’”

As for the book, Pausch said he wanted to do it not only to continue to raise awareness along with hopes, but he also wanted to pass along his thoughts to his children.

“There were a whole lot of things that weren’t in the original lecture that I wanted to make sure my kids heard, and this was a comprehensive way of sort of scraping the barrel to make sure most of what I had in my head would get to them,” he said.

Pausch said he hopes to begin new treatments in the next two weeks. Recently, he said he was asked what would happen if the treatments work and he lives.

“Well, a lot of people have said, ‘Well, gee, you're famous for dying. What happens if you live?’” said Pausch. “And as an old boss used to say, give me that problem."

Pausch’s book is going to be published in 19 different languages. The first run of 1.25 million copies has sold out. Now, the publisher is getting set for a second run.

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