February 2, 2026
Hi Friends,
I was really out of it after waking up from anesthesia—so much so that I don’t even remember the 45-minute rambling video I made!
As promised, here is a more thorough update.
The lung ablation went well, but I experienced way more pain and side effects than expected. I guess I’m just one of those medically sensitive patients. (Think: Princess and the Pea.)
The day after the procedure I had a fever of 101 that lasted for about four days, and a fair amount of pain in my chest—especially when coughing… which I’ve been doing a lot of. (They were in there for three hours poking around apparently.)
There’s something called post-ablation syndrome, where you can develop chills, fever, and malaise after a procedure like this. I also had to make several trips to urgent care and go on an antibiotic for an infection. So I basically spent four days in bed with a heating pad and two of the best 24-hour private duty nurses in the business.
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to tell you for three months whether or not this procedure was successful because we have to wait that long and repeat the imaging. Dr. Thomas says that because my tumor has been growing (as have the metastases), if the next CAT scan shows no growth, that’s a win. If it shows improvement, that’s even better. The only third possibility… let’s not even think about that.
It’ll be very easy to tell you what I did all week because—except for my live shows—I did nothing but rest.
What I really want to talk to you about this week is facing your fears. After 43 years, I finally faced mine.
Since the age of 22, my greatest fear was general anesthesia. It actually turned into a phobia that ruled my life. Even thinking about it would cause terror in my body. And I couldn’t figure out any kind of treatment for it because you can’t exactly do exposure therapy with general anesthesia, can you?
I remember in my 30s I was taking a metaphysical class with the late, great Rev. Dr. OC Smith (of “Little Green Apples” song fame). I was telling him I really wanted to take an improvisational comedy class at The Groundlings, but I was too scared. And he shared with me a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain.”
So if you’ve been avoiding something because you’re scared—whether it’s a test, a conversation, a change, or a first step—maybe this is your nudge. You don’t have to feel fearless. You just have to do it scared.
The way I interpreted that quote was: the only real way to not be afraid is to do the thing you’re afraid of… and then you’re not afraid of it anymore. Not so easy with general anesthesia though.
They say the only way out is through. And there was no therapy that could mentally help me with this fear. I just had to do it.
But I was so blessed that I had my own Guardian Anesthesia Angel, holding my hand—literally and figuratively—through the entire process. His name is Dr. Michael Kessler and you’ll get to meet him on my show this week.
He’s the handsome guy who looks a bit like Neil Diamond (on the far left) and I had lunch with him at a fabulous vegan restaurant called Chef Tanya’s Kitchen in Palm Desert the day after my procedure.
The handsome guy on the right is Gerry Wendel, and to the right of Dr. Kessler is Gerry’s wife, Diane. They are philanthropists who donated the actual machine to Eisenhower Health that was used in my lung cancer ablation to make it possible. If their last name sounds familiar, that’s because they are the parents of Brian Wendel (Forks Over Knives fame).
The lovely lady in the middle is Lynda, my longtime dear friend and virtual assistant who you might know if you’ve ever contacted the help desk.
So… I got through the anesthesia with no complications other than the usual sore throat. And while I still don’t love it (or want to do it again), at least I know I CAN if I have to. I’ll just take Dr. Kessler with me! 🤣💕
But seriously… what if we looked at courage not as something we need to “get,” but simply as a way of living?
What if FDR was right and there really is nothing to fear but fear itself? I’m beginning to realize that the fear of something is far worse than the actual thing… and it’s been driving the bus most of my life.
I want to leave you with the most important thing I’ve learned since being diagnosed with cancer almost three years ago:
Life is finite… and most people I meet are not even present in theirs.
The more your smartphone shows your daily screen time and social media usage, the fewer minutes you are actually living YOUR life.
Perhaps the most famous line from Thornton Wilder’s epic play Our Town was uttered by Emily when she says:
“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?”
Sadly, I think not.
We regret the past, worry about the imagined future, and completely miss the present. Present also means gift… and it is one. The joy of living is in the present moment.
Are you truly present in your life?
I think that’s why I love animals so much. They know this. They don’t need a mansion or a Tesla to be happy. An old sock rolled into a ball will make them happy.
And they always say remember to take time to rest!
I hope you get some much-deserved rest today, and that you make time for what truly matters.
Love & Propofol 😂,
Chef AJ