Hi Friends,
It’s time for our next grand adventure.
Next week, we’re moving back to the desert.🌵
Yes… again.
Hard to believe, especially since I moved to Northern California to be part of its thriving plant-based community—which I’ve loved every minute of these past four years…
(Well, except for the lung cancer part. 😂)
I’ve made wonderful friends here whom I’ll miss terribly. I’m also leaving literally the BEST doctor in the world, Dr. Neil Nedley, along with an excellent oncologist at Stanford, to start all over again.
So naturally you may be asking:
Why would anyone leave all that?
Because for at least six months of the year, Sacramento, or as I like to call it, The Frozen Tundra, has felt like living inside a walk-in freezer.
And frankly… my lungs don’t like it here.
I breathe so much better in the desert climate. And when you already have asthma, COPD, and lung cancer, breathing becomes a fairly high priority. 😂
People assume I’m cold because I’m thin.
I assure you, I was freezing when I weighed 180 pounds too.
Here’s a photo of me from just a few days ago!
Believe me, this was neither a snap decision nor an easy one.
Last year we actually tried to sell our home so we could move back to Lincoln and live in a 55+ community again. But the buyers canceled, the market was tough, and we stayed put.
Then fate intervened.
On December 22, I flew to Palm Springs to meet with Dr. Thomas, who would later perform my PEF ablation. It was Day 10 of a 14-day rainstorm up here.
When I stepped off that plane, it felt like I had walked through the gates of heaven.
Blue skies. Mountains everywhere. Warm sunshine.
And for the first time in a long time…
I WASN’T COLD.
I could breathe.
I hadn’t realized how important daily sunshine and warmth were to both my physical and mental well-being.
Since my consultation lasted only an hour, I had extra time before my return flight, so I asked our previous realtor, Gracie, to show me a few homes.
There was a beautiful brand-new Del Webb community, but they no longer put soaking tubs, or any tub, in the primary bathrooms.
And as a lifelong bath enthusiast, I thought, “Absolutely not!”
Then later I had an epiphany:
The main reason I require a soaking tub is that I’m always cold.
And if I move some place warm, do I even need a bathtub at all?
Honestly, I don’t remember taking a single bath during the three years I lived in the desert before.
When I returned a month later for my ablation, I looked at the house again. This time they were offering huge incentives, including waiving the hefty lot premium. That meant we could buy a beautiful new home with 12-foot ceilings in a gorgeous 55+ community—for much less than what we’d pay here.
And pay cash. NO MORTGAGE!!!
It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. And frankly, I was tired of repeatedly flying down to Palm Springs for my medical appointments.
Charles flew down a few days later to make sure he also loved the house, and thankfully, he did. We made a contingent offer, sold our home, and closed on Wednesday. Many people suggested we become snowbirds and live in the desert only during the coldest 3–4 months.
Believe me, if we could afford two homes, we would. What we can afford is being reverse snowbirds—renting up here during the three hottest months. So if our Northern California friends still remember us, we may return in the Summer of 2027. 😄
If you’re unhappy that we’re moving, please direct all complaints to Lynda, my dear friend and wonderful VA, who answers the help desk emails. She’s the one who told me about Dr. Thomas. 😂
My time in Northern California has been bittersweet. Only four months after moving here in April of 2022, my lung tumors were discovered. Much of my time since has been marked by anxiety, uncertainty, and unbelievably painful treatments. So to be honest…I’m ready for a new chapter.
One with sunshine.
One with warmth.
And one where I can feel my fingers and toes. 🤣
I’m excited to get back into live comedy, doing plays, seeing shows at Fantasy Springs and Marvyn’s Magic Theater, teaching cooking classes at the fabulous Kitchen Kitchen (first class is June 12th!), volunteering, and maybe someday opening a Scooby Museum where all proceeds go to Animal Samaritans.
Honestly, I’m ready for a fresh start and I hope you’ll share in our joy.
I know that sunshine may not fix everything, but it will sure make me feel a whole lot better while I’m trying to.
So when you see a new mailing address soon…
you’ll know Chef AJ has molted and migrated.
Love & Palm Trees🌴,
Chef AJ
🐾 🦴 From the Puppy Files
With all the rain we’ve been having here, Shiloh and Trixie are more than happy to trade in their raincoats…
…for the sunshine.
On the Health Front:
My oncologist called me Tuesday evening (WHY do they ALWAYS call at night???) to tell me he had discussed my case with the Stanford tumor board—comprised of five medical oncologists, two radiation oncologists, an interventional pulmonologist who performs PEF ablations, and a radiologist.
Their recommendation is that I begin radiation immediately.
Frankly, I’m scared of the potential side effects, and I haven’t yet been shown clear evidence that it will help me live longer.
Dr. Thomas was kind enough to come on my show the very next day to explain why he believes I actually had a good response to the PEF ablation.
Because this is nuanced, and I don’t want to oversimplify or put words in his mouth, I think it’s best to hear it directly from him in our conversation:
👉Did My Lung Cancer Treatment Work? My PEF Ablation Results with Dr. Justin Thomas
If anyone has had lung cancer and undergone radiation, I would truly love to hear from you.
Remember in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island when they said, “This time the monsters are real”?
That’s how I feel right now. This time, the cancer feels real… and I’m honestly scared.
I stumbled upon this song, and I keep listening to it for strength: