The staples are out. I can wash my hair again.

It’s funny how the simplest joys can feel like the biggest victories.

The wild part? Even though it felt like a month had passed, this surgery was only two weeks ago. Two weeks. And yet, what an emotional whirlwind these past 14 days have been—not just for me, but for the incredible community around me.

This was never a solo effort. It took an army. Two worlds came together and united around one mission: Project Get Tumi Out.

And now, onto the next chapter.

Regardless of what the pathology reports say, I’ll be moving forward with chemotherapy and radiation to go after the remaining 10% of Tumi that couldn’t be safely removed during surgery. I don’t know exactly what this next leg of the journey will look like, but I do know how grateful I am to be standing here today.

The outcomes so far have been remarkable. No temporary paralysis. No major setbacks. Life has returned to a surprisingly familiar rhythm so quickly that I’m pretty sure I’m stressing out everyone around me.

The truth is, I’m not very good at being passive. I’ve spent my whole life moving, building, creating, teaching, and doing. So I know my friends, family, and community have essentially been tasked with containing a feral animal for the last two weeks—which is no small challenge. Sorry about that.

Just know that beneath any frustration, impatience, or restlessness is an overwhelming amount of gratitude. I see the love. I feel the support. And I appreciate it more than I can properly express.

I love you all.

So what’s next?

I want to build the proof of concept for the feature I’ve been writing about throughout this experience. I want to get back to creating. Back to teaching. Back to making things that matter. I’m ready to jump in and go.

I have no idea what my energy levels will actually be like, so I’m taking it one day at a time. Thankfully, I have the best friends, family, and community anyone could ask for. I feel incredibly lucky.

Thank you for walking alongside me through this transformational journey.

And while we’re at it... anyone want to help me find some funding?

If there’s one thing this experience has reinforced for me, it’s this:

Strive every day to have a positive impact on someone’s life.

Not because it will come back to you—although sometimes it does, in ways you never imagined. Do it because community matters. People matter. Love matters.

The support I’ve received over these past two weeks has been one of the greatest gifts of my life, and it’s a reminder of what’s possible when people show up for one another.

I love you.

Thank you for every opportunity, every message, every visit, every meal, every ride, every prayer, every act of kindness.

And I hope that when your moment of need arrives, I’ll be able to show up for you the way you’ve shown up for me—and then some.

Staples Out | Falling Forward Part 6