I’d broken my ankle at a bachelor party and hadn’t noticed the cut on my leg. I went septic in Montana and was put on a strong antibiotic. It marginally worked so they put me on a stronger antibiotic and said there might be side effects. We didn’t expect one of the side effects to be my heart in a flatline.
Of course, I should have stayed home taking care of myself, but was on a book tour and on the first leg of a St. Louis – Toronto – Houston part of the tour, I lost consciousness after giving a speech and, fortunately, I was sitting signing books when the “asystole” happened (a word I’d never heard before that means being flatline). The experience of going to “the other side” was enlightening, to say the least, and led me to transforming my life at age 47. I didn’t know it at the time, but this period of my life from 46-50 planted the roots for creating MEA.
In many ways, I’m learning a lesson again. I chose to move to part-time as Airbnb’s modern elder in 2017, partly because I could feel my body falling apart given the 70-hour-a-week regimen and crazy travel. I relaxed into Baja as my second home and my writing refuge. And, as many of you know, that’s where the MEA idea sprouted.
A year later, I was diagnosed with stage-1 prostate cancer. If I could have done it over, I would have slowed down, put MEA on hold, and probably had a radical prostatectomy at that time. But, I thought I could outrun the cancer (as I have often tried to outrun my emotions and fears) and my doctors didn’t think it was as serious as it’s become. Here I am six years later, at stage-3 cancer, after two surgeries, 36 radiation sessions, and a year and a half of hormone depletion therapy. All while doing a book tour and launching our ambitious ranch campus. Thank God, my meditation, sleep, breathwork, and hiking regimen has helped me to respect my body during this time.
I found out this week that my chances of living another ten years are far less than I thought. Isn’t prostate cancer one of those nicer, better cancers?! Yes and no. It can move slowly, but there’s only one other cancer that kills more men annually in the U.S. (lung is number one). It’s ironic (and very painful) to be the guy who each week is reminding our MEA compadres that they have far more life ahead of them than they think. I want to be like so many of you and live into my 90s or beyond (it looks likely my parents may make it to that age). I’m taking this news with a dose of reality and a grain of salt.
It’s time to take even better care of my body and defy the odds. With all your love and support, I feel I can do it.
Do you override or outrun your body’s messages? What’s your biggest fear if you slow down enough to listen to your body? What if your body was your wisest friend who could offer you life-affirming advice?
-Chip