My Thoughts on Gratitude

Hola beloved friends and family!

One week ago at this time, I was just getting out of surgery.

Now that I’m feeling a bit better, I wanted to send you an update.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all the love and support I’ve received.

Thank you—for stopping by to help with curtains, for listening, or for simply texting to let me know I was on your mind.

I’ve been reading Lance Armstrong’s book “It’s Not About the Bike,” and there’s a quote from early in his cancer diagnosis that struck me:

“You don’t know it yet,” a fellow cancer patient wrote to him, “but we’re the lucky ones.”

I think that quote refers to the growth and lessons these kinds of experiences can offer. While it’s not entirely clear yet what this will mean for me, I already know I’ll look back with a similar perspective.

Some positives that have come from this so far…

  1. All the love I’ve received from y’all šŸ„°

  2. It gave me the perfect excuse to finally take the sabbatical I’ve been craving for years—though looking back, we really shouldn’t need to get cancer to do what we actually want to do šŸ‘€

  3. I’ve developed a growing interest in epigenetics, gene expression, and Joe Dispenza meditations

  4. A new appreciation for good pain – over the last six months, I pushed myself hard in track workouts thinking, “I’d rather endure this pain than that of chemo. Who knows how my body will respond post-treatment?” It reminded me that sometimes it's better to take on the hard things now—on our own terms—before life forces us to

  5. I’ll be back running toward my 5-minute mile and completing a Hyrox soon. Hopefully, it inspires someone else to treat themselves better šŸ˜Š

  6. I’ve learned so much about advocating in the medical system—I could probably teach a masterclass

  7. I’ve got a badass scar!

How am I doing?

I’m definitely swollen. Comparing a photo of me five days before surgery to one five days after—in the same bathing suit—is pretty wild.

(If you’re curious, I’m happy to share the photo. I assume most people don’t want to see the scar just yet. But everyone will see it eventually—I’m just as curious to see what it’ll look like a year from now.)

Seeing myself sparks a range of thoughts…

“Did I really let the surgeon do this? What if this never goes back to normal?”

To…

“Plenty of guys have recovered fully. The body is amazing. We’re all kind of like Wolverine—it just takes time.”

The hardest part has been sleeping and getting in and out of bed.

Luckily, my amazing girlfriend is nurturing and lifts weights. A winning combo right now šŸ˜„

I’ve been told to walk and keep everything moving, but not to overdo it.

As you probably know, I usually operate better with specifics and pushing my body according to a coach’s plan. So I’m doing my best to feel my way through this one.

And honestly, I’m excited. These last several months were filled with tough decisions, conflicting expert opinions, and constant research. While I was lucky to catch this early—giving me choices—it also meant I had to navigate a lot on my own.

Now that the decisions are behind me, it feels like a weight has lifted, and I can finally think about other, more exciting things šŸ™‚

Prognosis:

  • After my first surgery in March, the chance of cure was about 50%.

  • The “suspicious” MRI in July dropped that to 2–15%, depending on which expert I asked.

  • After last week’s surgery, my chance of being cured is now between 80–90%—the highest it’s been since this all started.

  • Chemo offers a 97% cure rate, so it remains an option if necessary. However, my goal—and my doctors’—is that surgery alone will be enough. It offers high chances with fewer long-term side effects.

How you can continue to support:

  1. Come visit! That’s what I love about the meal train. Feel free to bring friends. We can play board games, brainstorm creative AI-generated tattoos for my abdomen, whatever. My new home has a guest room—come stay from out of town too!

  2. Real estate referrals: While I’m taking time off, Lee and the amazing Shapiro Group team are still hard at work. They’re ready to support you or anyone you refer with the same level of service you’d get from me. Please keep us in mind. Here’s a helpful intro about Lee you can use: [Lee Intro and Contact Info]

  3. Leave us a Google review: No need to write a novel. Mention “Lee” or “the team,” and use ChatGPT if you’d like help wording it šŸ™‚ [Here’s our Google review link]

How I can support you:

Though I’m stuck on the couch, I’ve got free time. So if you want to talk—I’m here.

Happy to help with real estate advice, spreadsheet reviews, negotiations, or anything else you’re working through. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Let’s stay connected.
❤️ You can read more updates or connect with me here:

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