Back Home At O'Melveny

On Monday morning, with a heart full of pride and a brain just itching to be put to work, I made my glorious return to O'Melveny. But before I got there, I made sure I drank my green juice - my new morning ritual.

I was greeted by a huge sign on the 13th floor that read, "Welcome Back, WunderGlo" and walked in on a surprise celebration for me. My colleagues were all gathered around a massive breakfast spread (with vegan options for me, I'm glad to report) and applauded as I approached. I've never stopped feeling the love and support of my OMM family and this was just one of those beautiful displays of it. What a way to come back to work!!

Throughout my first day, lots of my colleagues came by to "check on me" (so cute - what did they think was going to happen to me?), called with well wishes, and sent "welcome back" emails. It became clear to me that my OMM family was just as happy to have me back as I was. And that's what I call true love. :)

Being back at OMM has been wonderful, but different. I will forever be marked by my experiences, and the way I live my daily life at the firm and everywhere else is not as it used to be. I am extremely conscious of my energy levels (which are great, as always), what food and drink I put in my body, and when I need to give myself a rest by talking with colleagues or walking outside. I am determined to be an even better lawyer this time around, but more so, a more complete and centered person.

So far, so good.

Back to my Previously-Scheduled Life with a Brand New Attitude

Ten months ago, I did one of the toughest things I've had to do in my life: I sadly parted with my cases and my colleagues as I went on an extended medical leave.

While on that leave, I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. I've lived, laughed, loved, and learned. I've had more fun in ten months than most people have in ten years. But during that time, OMM was always close to my heart, and reuniting with my colleagues never stopped being one of my greatest motivating goals. Thankfully, almost miraculously, I've achieved that goal and will be back in action on Monday morning.

I'll be returning to my office a few organs short and several pounds lighter, but with the same love for work and my work family as when I left. I was Gloria Borges when I left the firm last September, and even though I'm still good old G.B., I'm WunderGlo now, too -- a healthier, happier, more grateful person.

Tonight, as I fall asleep, I'm closing a chapter of my life. And when I wake up, I'll be starting a new one. But I'll never forget what I've had to do to earn this life of mine.

And I'll never stop being a cancer warrior.

Last Day of Medical Leave

Well, folks, today is my last day of medical leave. I've been away from my work and my previously-scheduled life for about ten months now, and while I've been pretty busy -- killing cancer and traveling around the country and writing my book and starting the Foundation, etc. -- I'm excited and a little anxious to get the show (and my legal career) back on the road. I will return to my O'Melveny family a stronger, wiser, healthier person, and I think it's actually going to make me a better lawyer.

But no more work talk for now -- there will be plenty of that soon enough. Today, I'm going to soak it all up with some of my favorite activities -- lunch with my high school BFF Erin, hitting up both of my gyms, working on book and Foundation stuff, and a Law & Order:SVU marathon with Will and Winston. I'm proud of what I've done and who I've become during my medical leave, and even though I beat the hell out of it, I have to credit cancer for helping me transform my life and my outlook.

Some people think a cancer diagnosis is a curse but it's not. It's a wake up call and an opportunity to live a richer, better life. And that's what I'm doing every day.

Where Is WunderGlo?

The answer: all over the place.

I spent time with my out of town buddies (Morgan and Crystal) who flew in for my victory party festivities. I continued planning my upcoming charity 3-on-3 basketball tournament and silent auction and had a great chat with my buddy Ben Basloe of Fight Colorectal Cancer. Along with my friend (and creative genius) David, I started mapping out the plan for The WunderGlo Foundation website. I had an amazing chat with a literary agent, Gillian MacKenzie, who is now MY literary agent. I pumped iron and swam laps and danced in the shower. I took my vitamins and my Lovenox shots, had lunch with my friend Piper, and enjoyed an amazing vegan Japanese dinner with my friend Anna. I rocked my DJ lesson and bonded with my OMM colleagues and had breakfast in bed with Will. I emailed with Dr. Lenz and Stuart Scott and my mommy. I hugged Sabrina and kissed Winston and high fived Timmy.

As you can gather, life is full and fun and beautiful for me these days, but that's nothing new, really. And it's not just because I have exciting things going on and wonderful people surrounding me. It's also because, on a daily basis, I try to seek the joyful moments from each day. I don't expect my day to be great without my 100% participation in achieving that goal. It's sort of like how I took ownership of this disease -- there was no sitting back and letting anything "happen to" me. I got up every morning and tackled treatment and killing cancer head-on. And I think that same drive -- that same passion to own my days and my daily happiness -- is now leading me through a particularly rich, meaningful, and exciting time in my life. It seems as if everything -- the book, the Foundation, the tournament, my soon-to-be-restarted career at OMM -- is bubbling over with possibilities, and I'm hungry for all of those possibilities.

Only now, after really reflecting on what I've been through over the past 10 months, and how high the odds were stacked against me, do I truly realize how miraculous my recovery has been. I've been given more time on this Earth, and I intend to make the most of it. That's what a cancer warrior does.

And even if you aren't battling cancer or any other disease for that matter, consider this: no matter who you are, you've only got one life to live. Why not go for it?

A Party For The Ages

Almost since the minute I was diagnosed, I dreamed of it: my victory party. The culmination of months of hard work, lots of chemo, a couple of surgeries, and scars that tell a tale of strength and survival. The moment I could celebrate the fact that I'm alive and well, and I'm around to live and love for the rest of my long, healthy life. The night I would celebrate my triumph over cancer.

Last night, that dream became a reality. About 100 of my favorite people joined me at Crewest Gallery in downtown L.A. for my big bash. It was an amazing night, filled with joy and revelry. Dr. Ramos and Dr. Lenz were in the house, receiving everyone's thanks for doing such an awesome job with this body of mine. My friends from high school and college and law school and O'Melveny were in the house. My tag-team partner in cancer-killing, Howard, was in the house. My family, my three nurses, and Timmy, Morgan, Sabrina, Anna, and Aymee were in the house. We danced, we sang, we laughed and cried, we ate vegan food and sipped on wine and bubbly. It was a magical night filled with fun, and I couldn't have asked for more.

It's funny -- without my diagnosis, last night never would have happened. I would've spent the night working or chilling out with Will or going to a Dodger game with Tim. But instead of my normally-scheduled life, something utterly extraordinary happened. Dozens and dozens of my loved ones gathered in love to celebrate life -- my life!

It was an incredible feeling to be enveloped in so much love, but it wasn't new. The same people who partied down with me last night, and many more, have wrapped me in their love from the moment we learned of my diagnosis.

Who's the luckiest girl in the world? No need to answer. :)