So How's Chemo Going?

I get this question quite a bit, presumably because I'm not posting about my cancer-killing adventures quite as much as I used to. Truth be told, working on The WunderGlo Foundation website and planning for our next event has taken up most of my non-work time, so I apologize for not checking in quite as often. I'll put "update the WunderGlo blog more frequently" on my ever-growing to-do list along with "enjoy the taste of wheatgrass shots" (I don't know how that's really ever going to happen). Updating the blog is definitely more delightful than those little green mouthfuls of sunshine.

So, back to the pressing question -- how's chemo going?

Really well, actually. This new cocktail of mine (FOLFIRI + Avastin) is actually easier on me than the cocktail I was on the first time around (FOLFOX + Avastin). The only drug that was swapped out was the OX in FOLFOX (oxaliplatin) and the only new drug swapped in was the IRI (irinotecan), but I can really feel the difference. Instead of a hangover-like headache/queasiness for a day or so that I used to get with FOLFOX, FOLFIRI only gives me a bit of fatigue which generally translates into a day or so of relaxing in bed and asking my three nurses to do everything for me. As usual, I start to feel the effects of chemo on the Wednesday after infusion, the day I'm detached from my bag o' chemo. So Wednesday is sleepy day, Thursday is "hey, I'm feeling less sleepy and more like myself" day, and by Friday, I am back to my old tricks at the office and at the gym (and running all over town). 

I'd go so far as to say that FOLFIRI has been downright pleasant. Think about it with me. I infuse on Monday, chill out during that week, work from home, take naps, eat well, sleep late, and bounce right back a few days later. No headache. No poop issues. No aches or pains. No appetite issues. And I'm killing cancer! That sounds like a mighty good time to me.

As anyone who has followed me on this journey from the very beginning of treatment knows, I've done remarkably well with chemo. I've largely sidestepped any difficult side effects, and I've maintained my weight and strength through it all. Actually, that's incorrect -- I've gotten bigger and stronger while on chemo. 

You could say that I've just gotten really lucky, but I think it might be more than that.

People generally think of chemotherapy as this debilitating, death-accelerating, super scary thing, but I never thought that way. I wanted to partner with chemo. I embraced its presence and purpose in my body. We were going to beat the hell out of cancer together. And when you think about it, it's totally true. Chemo is largely responsible for saving my life. It worked last year, with FOLFOX taking a big bite out of the massive amount of cancer I had lurking in my belly which made it possible for my surgery to be the success that it was.  

And it's working now, deftly and efficiently killing off those half-dead cancer cells just like I want it to. I'm relishing this rout of "the cancer" and I'm celebrating the medicine that's helping me beat this disease into oblivion. There's no stopping the two of us. 

Chemo Round 17 and Lots of Good News

On Monday, I celebrated Halloween in a way I never before thought I would -- at Norris for Round 4 of FOLFIRI (which brings my grand total to 17 roundsof chemo ). Never one to miss the observation of a major holiday, I suited up in a hot dog costume with a sign on the front and back of the bun that read: "Warning: May Cause Colon Cancer (Trust Me, I Should Know!)" -- yep, I was a carcinogenic hot dog. Seriously, don't eat hot dogs, people. Not unless you want to end up like yours truly.

Not only was Monday a chemo day, it was also a results day. I had PET/CT scan last Friday and would be getting the news about the extent of my cancer-killing prowess. It wasn't really a question of whether chemo was working and cancer was dying -- the issue was really how much. The answer? A lot. Dr. Lenz was pumped, I was pumped, my three nurses were pumped -- everyone but "the cancer" was pumped, to be honest. Cancer, it turns out, is pretty upset about the news.

Chemo itself went well -- quickly and smoothly, and I had a blast making all the other patients crack up with my costume. I'm starting to think that I should wear a costume to chemo all the time with how well it went over this time. Just bringing a smile to a fellow cancer warrior's face while he or she is getting chemo was thoroughly heartwarming and satisfying.

These days, I'm so focused on helping other people that I hardly remember that I'm in the middle of my own fight. Don't get me wrong -- I'm still focused as ever on beating this disease of mine into not only remission, but complete submission. I am still hell bent on being cured of this silly, idiotic cancer. But I care so much about enhancing others' experiences and empowering my fellow warriors that the focus isn't so much on me any more as it is about helping them -- and it feels wonderful. I've always wanted to help people -- heck, that's the reason I became a lawyer and that's why I want to run for office one day -- and the opportunity I have now to help people in such a profound, personal way is...quite honestly, a dream come true. I used to think I was living the dream, but now I really am.

I got some more good news today, too. My CEA tumor marker continues to plummet, further cementing the fact that cancer is on the run and fading fast. From a 37 at the height of my heightened CEA to...wait for it...a 10 as of yesterday. That's a long way for the CEA to fall, and I'm not finished yet. I'm taking no prisoners this time. Seriously, how dare cancer pick a fight with me?!

Finding Kinship and Inspiration at The Veggie Grill

As a devout vegan, I firmly believe that every cancer warrior can help beat their disease by shunning animal protein (that's all meat and dairy, folks) and embracing veggies, legumes, nuts, fruit, and all the other foods that form the bedrock of a healthy vegan diet. There's no doubt in my mind that the animal protein that I consumed -- and consumed frequently -- prior to my diagnosis contributed to the growth of my disease. Cancer loves meat and dairy -- there's just no getting around it. And because of that fact, I stopped eating it entirely on January 2, 2011, and have been far, far better off ever since. People like Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn, who have spent much of their careers promoting a diet of plant-based whole foods ("whole foods" means non-processed foods (processed foods include refined sugar and white flour)), are my heroes. They have provided the guiding light for my eating habits and helped contribute to my blueprint of killing cancer. The documentary Forks Over Knives, which elegantly summarizes Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn's work and shows how a vegan diet can stop and reverse various diseases (including cancer, in some cases) is a triumph. It's a documentary that every single person should watch -- not just my fellow cancer warriors. And we should all take its lessons very seriously.

Now before you think I've gone into WunderGlo preacher mode, I'll say three things: 

1) I know it's hard to conceive of the fact that what you're eating might be hurting you -- or killing you. But we all need to give a good, hard look at the things we consume every day and make a decision about whether this is how we want to treat our bodies or not, and whether it's worth the risk of getting sick. It took me a while to realize and to be completely at peace with the fact that what I was eating was indeed killing me. GI cancers like mine are regularly linked to a diet with an excess of red meat or processed meat, and I ate enough red meat, hot dogs, salami, and bacon to last a lifetime. I can almost taste the stuff when I think about it, which is good enough for me. 

2) I know it's hard to "go vegan" or even conceive of it, and I'm sure I wouldn't have made the decision to swear off delicious steaks and shrimp cocktail if I hadn't been smacked in the face with Stage IV colon cancer. But keep an open mind. Read Dr. Campbell's book, The China Study, or at the very least, watch Forks Over Knives. This stuff is legit. And to all my cancer warriors, stop messing around and become vegan already. Don't give your disease any opportunity to grow and thrive.

3) There is a story -- a pretty awesome story -- that goes with this introduction, so thank you for coming this far with me.

The story begins a couple of weeks ago, when I met up with a friend who lives in Seattle but has been a big fan of the blog for several months -- probably since the beginning. This friend of mine, Dan, wanted to hang out in person and asked me to talk to his young daughters about my story. Of course, I jumped at the chance, and spent a couple of hours with them. After shaking my hand upon first meeting me, Dan pulled out a card -- on it was the name Kevin Boylan, the co-founder of The Veggie Grill. The Veggie Grill is one of my favorite vegan spots in L.A., with locations all throughout the city which makes it quite convenient to pop in and grab some of their delicious food whenever I have the urge. Dan said that he chatted Kevin up about me and that he wanted to meet me and perhaps collaborate on a fundraiser for The WunderGlo Foundation. 

Wait a second, I thought to myself: Not only do I get to meet the King of The Veggie Grill, but we might become partners, raising money for the Foundation and getting the word out about the benefits of a vegan diet?! Yeah, I was pretty stoked.

I became a lot more stoked a couple of nights ago when I actually sat down for dinner with Kevin and his wife Liz at the Veggie Grill on Sunset. These two are not only heroes -- bringing delicious and nutritious food to my fair city of Los Angeles -- they are both lovely, wonderful people. I could feel their support of my Foundation -- and more so, their support of me -- from the minute I met them. We chatted for a couple hours but the time flew by, and at the end of our dinner, we had some plans. Fundraising plans for the Foundation, larger ideas for the future, and -- now this is where I couldn't contain my excitement -- an upcoming dinner with the Executive Producer of Forks Over Knives, Brian Wendel. 

The titans of the vegan world and your pal WunderGlo are making some solid connections, and I'm expecting great things for all of us.

You know, this whole O'Melveny attorney/WunderGlo Foundation president/cancer warrior things is working out. I'm loving this new life of mine. 

Busy Busy, But Mindful

I know it's been a minute since I've posted, and even though I'm living it up in Vegas right now, there's no time better than the present for an update.

Everything is going great. I'm feeling fantastic, busily buzzing at work, and making moves on behalf of The WunderGlo Foundation. Every day is filled with activity -- from working on my DJ set list while I shower and get ready for work (yep, the DJ side career is coming along nicely) to putting in good hours and good work at O'Melveny, to hitting the gym with Tim and spending quality time with my three nurses.

Normally, Monday would be another round of chemo, but I've earned a week off for good behavior and because we want to get the best possible scan result next week without my body's reactions from chemo mucking up our PET scan. Round 17 is now set for Halloween, which couldn't be more perfect. I am certainly wearing a costume to chemo.

All in all, I really couldn't ask for more these days. Chemo has been a total dream -- I didn't have one headache or tummy issue this last time -- and sometimes, I even forget I'm in the middle of treatment for Stage IV colon cancer. My body is as strong as ever, my energy levels make most people's heads spin, and I wake up every morning feeling incredibly happy and grateful for the day ahead and all the days that came before.

It's not lost on me that I'm lucky to be alive. And I am so, so alive.

Chemo Round 16 (and more)

Yesterday, after I closed the books on Chemo Round 16, I headed to the gym and beasted out a serious legs routine. I felt the burn, but loved pushing my body when it clearly had no problem handling it. A new trainer was on shift at Educogym, and when he asked about why I needed to modify my workout (I do cable squats and cable hamstring curls when I'm attached to my pump), I felt a certain pride in saying: "I have cancer." It's funny -- most people would hate to say those words. But I feel nothing but unmitigated pride in being a cancer warrior. I'm working full time, launching a non-profit, fighting my disease with courage and strength...and I'm helping people in the process. As a recent article about me (written by the amazing Amanda Pouchot of the Levo League) begins: cancer's got nothing on me.

Today, I got further confirmation of this fact. My CEA is still dropping steadily, going from a 37 to a 14 in about a month and a half. That's called beating the hell out of cancer, my friends.

FOLFIRI is agreeing with me in a serious way, I've got the best family, friends, and colleagues in the world, and The WunderGlo Foundation is growing and thriving by the day.

Life is sweet for this cancer warrior. I have no complaints and I couldn't be happier.

And planning for my grand 30th birthday party bash (in December) is already underway. I plan on finishing 2011, my favorite year of my life (so far), in a big, big way.