Fighting Cancer at a Bachelor Party
This past weekend, my future brother-in-law celebrated his bachelor party. There are so many occasions I can’t attend these days and being there for this one was special… It’s what I fight for every day. Jordan has been like a brother to me for years. I couldn’t be more excited to have him officially join the family.
As much as I looked forward to this, part of me was wondering how the hell I would get through a bachelor party while trying to be as healthy as possible. Was I walking into The Hangover? Would someone go Charlie Sheen on us? And what about Jordan’s friends who don’t know me at all… Would I feel like the outcast not being able to commit to partying at the same level?
I can happily report back everything went well. And I’m not just saying that because my sister will probably read this. I not only survived, but even thrived. It was an incredible weekend and one that will go down as a cherished memory.
Jordan opted to rent out a MTV Cribs style farmhouse, the Galusha Hill Farm Lodge for just under 20 of his closest buddies. The Lodge has a commercial kitchen (these guys made incredible feasts each night), theater room, bar, gym, steam room, sauna, and hot tub. It’s a private 600 acres on an organic farm! For someone in my position, I couldn’t have gotten luckier.
It still took careful planning, starting with ziplock bags of all my supplements and vitamins. I also brought healthy snack options and prepared a grocery list so I would have my staples around. It was important that I set myself up for success because there were endless temptations of chips, sweets and alcohol laying around, testing my discipline… and who doesn’t want to grab that chocolate muffin to have with your morning coffee? (If you’re curious what I brought, I put together a list at the bottom.)
Aside from a drink or two and indulging in some eggplant parm (I’m only human), I navigated all the meals smoothly. It helped that the group was super accommodating to my needs and situation. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be a jerk, but Jordan and his friends went above and beyond to help me with little things here and there. Harris, the best man, picked me up right at my apartment so I didn’t have to stress about logistics, and each day, Max, who took the lead as chef, made healthy adjustments like preparing homemade tomato sauce with no added sugar and cooked up eggs and salmon for me - always seeming happy to help out. Even if I wasn’t able to join in on the rest of the food, they made me feel right at home and well fed.
My spirits were mostly sky high thanks to all the gracious hospitality, but there were a few unavoidable moments that stung. When I used the stairs I realized how slow I moved compare to the others - sometimes even holding up traffic - and felt embarrassed at the noise of my cane announcing my every move (I’d make a terrible serial killer). I also had to bow out of hikes, softball, and missed being able to enjoy beer during the day and late night whiskey with everyone. All reminders that my body and life have changed forever.
Fortunately, there were so many people that if I had to sneak away to regroup it mostly went unnoticed. And my other brother-in-laws, Dan and Evan, took great care of me behind the scenes, always checking in to see how I was doing or if I needed anything.
I spend most of my days around the apartment focused full time on healing, and this weekend’s fresh scenery and new faces were a welcome break from the norm. It reminded me how shared experiences bring people closer together… Whether it’s listening to music and podcasts on a road trip, or watching the NBA playoffs with a group of crazy sports fans in a home theatre, I’ve really missed this stuff. There’s not a juice, essential oil or vitamin in the world that can replicate the health benefits of great times with great people.
Grocery List
Snacks: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, Biena Chickpea Snacks, Mary’s gluten free crackers, Ezekiel bread, Lind 90% cocoa dark chocolate
Produce: organic carrots, celery, cucumber, green apples
Protein: organic cage free eggs, wild salmon