Chemo Round 34

You know the drill on a chemo Monday by now. I get up, amped and ready to rock, hit the gym, head to Norris, hang out with Lenz, and start infusion time. After a solid basketball workout, I got ready and actually got to Norris early for once. Of course, this would be the one time that Dr. Lenz was running late, but it was all good: my buddy Annette was at Norris getting chemo, so we got to catch up while we waited. One of the greatest things about my diagnosis and my cancer-killing adventures has been meeting people like Annette, fellow patients who inspire me with their toughness and are awesome friends, too. I used to think that I was reaching capacity in terms of friends, but now I know that the number of friends that I should shoot for is unlimited. Why not, right?

Chilling out with my boy Lenz was great, as usual. My tumor markers dropped and we're still ridiculously close to that cancer-free number, so I just gotta keep chuggin' along which is my specialty. I made it a point to ask Lenz about how the rest of my blood work looked since I'm adamant about keeping my body as healthy and strong as possible. I'm focused on killing cancer but I'm also equally concerned about how all of my organs are functioning and how my whole body is doing.

His answer: "perfect."  

I wasn't too surprised given how great I feel, but it was still good to hear. I'm glad that I'm doing right by my body these days after all those years of not treating it as I should have. I know that some patients get offended or defensive when talking/asked about whether they "caused" the onset of their disease. It's not a singular issue of "what caused it" -- cancer is complex and so is its incidence in each individual -- but I do think there is a benefit in examining what I did before my diagnosis and considering how my behavior/choices contributed to the onset and the progression of my disease. I don't blame myself, but I do own up to the unhealthy things I used to do so that I can make sure that I never do that stuff again. You know the usual suspects: diet, fitness, stress management, sleep. All the stuff I used to suck at, and all the stuff I rock at these days. Old dogs can learn new tricks, especially when the threat of being put to sleep is a real one.

Back to chemo. As it has been for the last several rounds, it went extremely smoothly. I slept well, stayed hydrated, and tried my best to stay out of the crazy heat that gripped all of L.A. last week. I'm not sure if I've shared this on the blog, but there is pretty much nothing more uncomfortable than dealing with chemo when it's hot outside. Think about it -- what do you do when you want to beat the heat? Maybe jump in the pool or take a shower? Maybe just have someone turn the hose on you (or turn it on yourself)? None of those options are viable options when you're lugging the bag o' chemo around with that pesky needle in your chest. Trust me, though, the moment I detach, I turn the hose on myself.

Just like last Chemo Wednesday, I capped off the night with a concert. Instead of Nicki Minaj, it was Herbie Hancock at the Hollywood Bowl. It was a relaxing and inspiring show, and I was with some of my best buddies, which always makes a good time even better. By Thursday, I was back at the office and at the gym. And now, I'm in Vegas...soaking up Labor Day weekend with some non-alcoholic beverages and high hopes of hitting the jackpot.

The truth is, I already have.