Happy Colon Cancer Awareness Month!!

Well, it's March 4th, and as I expected, I've been very busy with The WunderGlo Foundation and our programming for Colon Cancer Awareness Month. We've got multiple events coming up and I'm knee deep into planning for all of them -- catering, publicity, working on speeches, etc. That should already answer your question about how I'm feeling. :) Seriously though, I'm feeling great. My energy levels are through the roof (ask Will, who has to deal with me waking up like a 5 year old every day at 8am), my incision wound is well on its way to being completely healed, and I'm pretty much ready to jump back into work at the firm and at the gym. My body has been a rock for me, continuing to grow stronger and kick some serious butt despite recent surgery and two post-op rounds of chemo. It's not lost on me how blessed I am in every way, and especially physically. This body of mine is a BEAST, and the vitality that I can feel every day is something I celebrate every day.

And even though my body's strength makes me feel like I can take on anything, there's something else that makes me feel the most alive: helping people and growing The WunderGlo Foundation. The fact that I can make a positive impact on people's lives through the Foundation is the biggest shot of adrenaline, energy, and joy that I can contemplate. So even though I'm busy, it's a happy busy. It's the happiest busy.

So what's actually going on in March, you ask? 

March 15th: Dress Up In Blue Day -- an event launched by the Colon Cancer Alliance (with whom we're partnering) where we all dress up in blue to raise awareness for colon cancer. An easy and fun way to raise awareness in our communities. Remember that Duke Blue is the preferred blue for Dress Up In Blue Day. ;)

March 17th: Colon Cancer Warriors, Unite!! An awesome event at Good Samaritan Hospital during which we'll unveil our major collaboration effort. Dr. Lenz will also be speaking at the event, and I'll be introducing my "Becoming WunderGlo" powerpoint presentation which details my journey with "the cancer." We'll also have a mini-health expo at the event with vegan cuisine, exercise tips, information on acupuncture, and much more. For more information, go to www.wunderglofoundation.org/2012/03/04/upcoming-event-colon-cancer-warriors-unite/.  The event is free to the public. 

March 28th: Screening of Forks Over Knives. A screening of the groundbreaking documentary at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood! Q&A with Executive Producer Brian Wendel and nutrtionist Julieanna Hever will follow the screening. Reception with delicious vegan fare to follow the Q&A. The event is free to the public. Get your tickets at: http://wundergloforksoverknives.eventbrite.com. 

Pretty sweet line-up, right? I couldn't be more excited for all of it. Please do me a favor and spread the word. You definitely don't have to be a patient to attend any of these events. Knowledge is power, and we're going to be spreading the knowledge in a fun, accessible way this month. I'm looking forward to seeing you, my dear readers, at these events!

Oh yeah, and Chemo Round 23 starts tomorrow. BRING IT ON!

Mini-magical Moments

Ever since my diagnosis, I've experienced these magical little moments that are hard to describe, but I'm gonna give it a shot and tell you about them. They don't happen too frequently, they come out of absolutely nowhere and, so far, I haven't been able to decipher a pattern as to when and why I experience them. But randomly, whether during the day or late at night, whether before surgery or during a chemo week or while I'm driving in the car of watching a movie, these moments happen.

In these moments, I am swept up in a wave of peace, happiness, and certainty. A certainty that all is well and that everything is going to work out alright for me.

As we all know, I'm consciously confident that I will win my battle with cancer. No doubt in my mind on that one. I mean, duh. But this is a different kind of assurance, a different kind of confidence -- it's not a feeling that I've brought on my conscious thought. Is it my subconscious? The cancer cells (or my non-cancerous cells) sending a quiet message to me? God?

Who knows, but I love those moments. And I just experienced one of them tonight.

Chemo Round 22

Yesterday, i turned up my jams, got my new t-shirt on, and headed to Norris for Chemo Round 22. Like mostly everyone, I too got a day off for President's Day -- a day off from treatment -- but by Tuesday, I was ready to get after those silly cancer cells. I knew Norris would be a packed house considering that all the Monday chemo kids were sharing time with the Tuesday chemo kids, but I don't think I was quite prepared for the onslaught of cancer warriors. Even though I showed up at around 11am, I didn't start my chemo until 2ish, and didn't get out of there until 6ish.  

But it was no big deal, because I had my buddies with me.

No, I'm not talking about my three nurses, although they were there. I'm not even referring to my sister-in-law, who made the trek from NYC to spend some quality time with me and Will. I'm talking about two of my friends who are also my fellow cancer warriors. Two chicks with Stage IV colon cancer who face their struggles with grace and strength. I'm not sure how cool they are with me using their actual names on the blog, so I'll go with A. and A. since those are the initials of both of their first names. I've known one A. for over a year now -- she found out about the WunderGlo blog through Dr. Lenz and we met randomly when we were both getting PET/CT scans. The other A. contacted me in September of last year, recently diagnosed and needing advice -- she took my advice and is now Dr. Lenz's patient, too. The three of us, entrusted to the care of our brilliant oncologist, doing everything we can to beat this disease.

Sometimes on this cancer journey of mine, it's good for me to focus on myself -- my attitude, my path, my challenges. But sometimes, it's comforting and empowering to share stories and strength with fellow cancer warriors, especially these two tough women. We inspire each other, make each other laugh, and compare notes. We travel along a path that most would never want to travel, but here we are: strong, resolute, determined to fight for our lives and determined to stay alive, for ourselves and for our loved ones. We don't give up, and we'll never give up. We show others what it's like to have true grit, even when the chips are down, the odds are long, and the treatment puts us through the ringer. Cancer is a real jackass of a disease, but the family of cancer warriors it creates is a truly special one. 

So was Chemo Round 22 long and laborious? Yeah, a little bit. But did I get by with a little help from my friends? Absolutely.

A Valentine for my Oncologist

It's Valentine's Day, and while most people are focused on flowers, chocolate, and fancy dinners with their significant others, I wanted to take some time to send a little love to my oncologist.

The bond between doctor and patient -- especially if that patient is battling cancer -- is one of those make or break relationships. This isn't like your dentist that you see once a year, or a doctor you check in with when you need a prescription for something. This is a person you see all the time -- for treatment, for check-ups, for discussions about scan results. This is a person with whom you discuss every aspect of your health -- your energy levels, your GI function, whether or not you're having heart palpitations, what you should and shouldn't be eating, how much you're sleeping.

Oh yeah, and this is a person ultimately tasked with keeping you alive. Without the care of an oncologist, a cancer patient is probably in some serious trouble.

As you can gather, the oncologist/cancer warrior relationship is not a casual one. In some cases -- like when the doctor's too cold and withdrawn or the patient's too angry or freaked out -- it's probably an uneasy relationship. But luckily, I know nothing about that. Because in other cases -- like when the doctor is Heinz-Josef Lenz and the patient is WunderGlo -- the relationship is nothing short of legendary. 

The thing with Dr. Lenz is he's way more than you think he'd be. His reputation as The best GI oncologist, as THE thought leader in colon cancer, precedes him. You can't think of Dr. Lenz without thinking of his brilliant career and the even more incredible things that he'll do in the future. You can't think of Dr. Lenz without being awed by him. 

But when I think of him, I quickly get past all that, because that's hardly what he's all about. Dr. Lenz is, without a doubt, one of the most compassionate and caring people I've ever met. And I'm not talking about "the most compassionate and caring" among medical professionals -- I'm comparing him to the thousands of people I've met and known in every walk of life. Dr. Lenz doesn't just care for his patients -- he cares dearly for them. He doesn't just want them to be well -- he wants more than anything for them to be well. And you can't spend one minute with him as his patient without knowing that just as surely as you know your name.

Of course, Dr. Lenz and I were fast friends. I remember the day I met him, fresh out of surgery with Dr. Ramos at Good Samaritan and a brand new entrant into the world of cancer. I knew my diagnosis was serious and my chances at survival were low, but I wasn't stunned or shaken by any of that. As I waited in a clinic room for him, I was totally focused on beating cancer and drafting a winning team. I knew that my oncologist would be the key part of that team, only second in the chain of command to myself. I heard Dr. Lenz coming down the hall -- the now-unmistakable sound of his marching feet -- and within seconds, he was at my side, rattling off diet and vitamin suggestions and his vision for my treatment. He didn't hesitate when discussing my diagnosis, and never made a sad face or apologized for what was in store for me. He never pitied me, nor did he treat me in a detached or distant way. He was right by my side, and he would continue to be if I chose him as my doctor. I could tell right away that Dr. Lenz was just like me in one important way: neither of us were afraid of cancer. I knew right away that he was my guy. 

It's been almost a year and a half since that day, and Dr. Lenz has become one of the most important people in my life. Far more than the doctor primarily responsible for saving my life (no big deal, right?), Dr. Lenz is my friend, someone that I can talk to and joke with about anything. He's also my partner in the fight against cancer, a board member of The WunderGlo Foundation and a tireless advocate for finding the cure. He's the same guy I'll argue with about vegan eating (don't worry, he'll come around soon), plan speaking engagements with, and smack in the arm after a good joke. I look up to him, I rely on him, I respect him, and I love him.

It's hard to truly quantify how much Dr. Lenz means to me, but let me put it this way: if i had to choose between never knowing him and never having cancer, or having cancer and knowing him, I'd pick having cancer every single time. Every single time.

So Happy Valentine's Day, Dr. Lenz. You inspire me every day.

12 Rounds for the Cancer Warrior

The night before every chemo treatment, I rummage through my closet and drawers, looking for the perfect t-shirt. The shirt that will inspire me and encourage me to be strong, happy, and focused on cancer-killing. My t-shirt is my uniform for the day -- it is both a reminder to others and to myself that cancer has nothin' on me. I've always been a huge fan of t-shirts (if you've seen my closet, you know that they comprise about 50% of my wardrobe), and I love how a shirt can represent something important to you, make people laugh or think, and generally serve as another way of expressing who you are.

A few months ago, I got to thinking: wouldn't it be awesome if there was a line of t-shirts completely dedicated to cancer patients and their supporters, comfortable and cool shirts that help express what it is to be a proud, tough, happy cancer warrior?

So then I designed it. 

Along with my friend Vinnie, founder of Lucky Soul Clothing, I'm happy to announce that I've released a line of shirts especially designed for cancer warriors and their loved ones called "12 Rounds for the Cancer Warrior." 12 rounds because a normal chemo protocol consists of 12 rounds, as does a boxing match -- clever, right? So far, we're debuting two shirts (our mock-up designs featured here), but we'll be releasing a new shirt each month as we go forward in 2012. Our official 12 Rounds website can be found here: www.cancerwarriortees.com . 

The quality of the shirts are great (I got a sample shirt yesterday and haven't taken it off), and the spirit behind their messages are exactly what I hope to instill and inspire in my fellow cancer warriors. What makes this venture even more satisfying is that a third of the proceeds of each shirt purchase goes directly to The WunderGlo Foundation. 

So dear readers, do me a favor and spread the word about 12 Rounds for the Cancer Warrior. And pick up a shirt for yourself if you're so inclined.

Now you know what I'll be wearing to my next round of chemo.