Michael Douglas has been cancer free since January 2011 and he has made sure not to take life for granted. He and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones spoke on Sunday before 3,000 doctors at the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies Fifth World Congress opening ceremony.
The couple, who split for a small period of time, spoke about Douglas’ battle after being misdiagnosed three times before being told he had stage four throat cancer, reports the New York Daily News.
“I am very fortunate to be here today,” stated Douglas after cracking a joke before the doctors with, “As long as nobody tells me to bend over and touch my toes and cough we're all going to be just fine.”
Zeta-Jones even confessed to how distraught she was after the final diagnosis was announced as she said, “I was a mess. I'll be quite frank, I was a mess,” notes People.
As she reflected back on his treatment she spoke highly of her husband, “When I'm married to a man who has such a conviction for life … he fights to make the wrongs right. For the first time, he was fighting for his life," she said.
Seven weeks of intense chemotherapy has brought Douglas where he is today, which makes him eternally grateful for the doctors who saved his life.
“I'm very happy to be here this morning with my husband. I mean that literally. I'm very happy to be here with my husband,” said Zeta-Jones with intense gratitude that such progress has been made in the medical field and more importantly, that her husband is still with her.
image courtesy of ACE/INFphoto.com