I’ve noticed a strange sensation when I eat meat, especially fish. It feels like the flesh is adhering to my bones, building muscle. My muscles have all come back at least 25%. Two weeks ago I had no deltoids, pectorals, forearms, or biceps. These all have now made modest reappearances, like Spring’s first buds, eager to bloom.

I’m no longer getting winded on stairs and actually feel 100% healthy.  Which leads me to a very disturbing paradox – the concept of having my organs rearranged to work better seems counterproductive to the better health I’m feeling now.

This week has been completely and totally normal. This continued (and admittedly irrational) doubt about the continued presence of cancer due to my good health was fortified throughout the week as I continued to eat three meals a day, including various kinds of meat. Adding to my sense of well-being and this state of feeling cancer-free are my utterly normal-looking stools, dookies, numbers 2’s. Trying not to say poop here.

I even ended up working a bit this week.

Went to see Dave Chapelle at The Punch Line With Mike O’Reilly and his French designer Gerard Pronko. Although Dave is still hilarious, I was reminded that some of the best times I have laughing are with Mike and Gerard, whom I look forward to recuperating with in Hawaii after the surgery.