In a brand new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, former WHITESNAKE and DIO and present THE DEAD DAISIES guitarist Doug Aldrich supplied an replace on his well being, practically seven months after he underwent a “very profitable” surgical procedure following a throat most cancers analysis. Relating to how he’s feeling in the meanwhile, Doug mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): ”I really feel nice. I am doing actually good. It is taking me time. I am nonetheless getting there, as a result of in sure conditions, after they’re working in your neck, you possibly can’t eat superb. After which, getting radiation, you are not hungry, actually. They’re frying your neck daily and ultimately you lose your style and you’ll’t swallow so good. And so that you shed pounds. So I am engaged on bulking again up a bit bit. However, fortuitously, my neck healed. The scar is nice. Generally I received a couple of little points, however I really feel actually good and I am grateful.
“The silver lining is simply — I used to be residing fairly laborious for a very long time and I believe that now I am realizing I have to reside a bit extra more healthy,” he defined. “In order that’s a superb factor,
“I believe earlier than, once I was in my forties, it was straightforward [ to stay in shape]. ‘Trigger for people who find themselves on the market which might be of their forties, that is like being in your twenties now. That is the best way individuals come off. However ultimately your physique begins to decelerate. You have gotta work a bit tougher at it. And it was tougher, up to now couple of years, to essentially keep in form. I attempted to, however I wasn’t residing as… I used to be undoubtedly ingesting loads and consuming not great things. Clearly, since most cancers, I have been one hundred percent making an attempt to be higher — not drink and eat cleaner and stuff like that. However the issue is that you just shed pounds with most cancers more often than not, and so you have gotta discover a technique to construct that again. So it simply takes time.
“However anyway, I really feel nice, man. I am grateful,” he added. “And I might simply stress to anyone, particularly male listeners of yours of their fifties or sixties, going to the dentist is an efficient factor to do, total wellness of your mouth and throat, as a result of the dentist checks that each time earlier than they do something. And I wasn’t going to the dentist. I might take my children there, however I had no downside with my enamel. I used to be, like, ‘Why spend the cash?’ However then this factor occurred and I spotted, effectively, had I gone to the dentist, they in all probability would’ve saved me a bunch of cash in medical payments. Nicely, they’d’ve caught it. And it will’ve been a matter of — after they catch stuff early, when it is most cancers, they will simply both do some sort of minimal remedy or minimal surgical procedure. However because it progresses, in the event you wait six months or a 12 months or longer, and you then discover it, then it progresses and it goes deeper into your physique and it might probably go to your liver, it may go to your coronary heart, no matter, your mind. So I like to recommend, in my state of affairs for that sort of most cancers, neck and throat, getting checked. It is value it as a result of even at 60-plus, there’s a whole lot of time left to reside, so you do not wanna be getting hammered by some well being downside.”
Two months in the past, Doug instructed Ernest Skinner of Canada’s Border Metropolis Rock Speak how he discovered concerning the seriousness of his analysis: “As soon as I met with the oncologist, he mentioned, ‘Hey, that is very treatable. You are gonna be high-quality. It is gonna be a ache within the ass, however it’s very treatable.’ However previous to that — it was about two or three weeks [earlier] once I received the information that it was cancerous, it was undoubtedly most cancers — I did not know what sort of most cancers [it was] and the way superior it was. That is the scary half, as a result of, man, I used to be, like… It was only a nerve-racking state of affairs as a result of I’ve received children. I’ve lived an incredible life, I am tremendous blessed and fortunate, and if it is my time, I will go, however I do not wanna depart but as a result of I’ve gotta assist my children get by means of life a bit bit.”
Doug continued: “It was undoubtedly a setback mentally. And I simply needed to sort of go, ‘Look, I am gonna depart it in God’s arms and simply no matter it’s, it’s, and I will simply cope with it my greatest I can.’ After which the physician mentioned it was very treatable and it will be a ache within the ass. It could be a surgical procedure and likewise radiation. And I assumed, ‘Okay, the surgical procedure is the worst a part of it,’ however really radiation is [the worst]… Thankfully, I did not must have chemo, in order that was good. They took out my tonsil the place it was, after which they took out a bunch of lymph nodes proper right here. And the scar is fairly good, really.”
Elaborating on the unfavorable results of his remedy, Aldrich mentioned: “One of many largest issues was I misplaced all my style, so you could possibly odor stuff, however you could not style it… On one facet, for some cause, it was actually metallic… I might gargle all day with salt water and baking soda, and that helped a bit with a whole lot of points. However anyway, the underside line is I received my blood take a look at the opposite day and it is zero, whereas previous to my surgical procedure, it was 277, no matter that’s. Now it is zero. In order that’s good. I’ve nonetheless gotta get scanned on my full physique to verify there is not any organs that received something in ’em, however I believe I am fairly good. I am hoping so.”
He added: “Going by means of that remedy, I misplaced a little bit of weight, and so I am making an attempt to construct again a bit bit with out gaining within the different spots. I like that I misplaced some weight.”
Earlier in February, Doug instructed Ralph Rasmussen of Radio Bypass that “all the things” was “good” following his remedy. “I received finished with all of the radiation therapies in December, after which it is simply been a fast six weeks or no matter,” he mentioned. “It is simply flown by. However I have been feeling good. The whole lot’s sort of getting again to regular. I am beginning to go to the gymnasium a bit bit and work on my muscular tissues and stuff and getting going once more like that. So I am good. I have been taking part in loads. There’s a couple of little points that pop up — I get some swelling generally. After they do this surgical procedure on you, there’s some restructuring of your nasal cavity and stuff like that in your throat. So there’s a bit bit to get used to, however I am unable to complain. I am doing actually good. And after what I went by means of, I am undoubtedly feeling blessed.”
Doug went on to say that he felt some fatigue as a facet impact of his radiation remedy. However “it went away fairly fast,” he defined. “Actually, you’ll do radiation daily for quarter-hour after which they’d provide you with Saturday and Sunday off, and, man, I used to be simply so blissful when it was Friday and I may sit up for Saturday simply not having to go there. After which by Sunday, I might begin to really feel a bit higher. I imply, I used to be undoubtedly taking naps daily. However after a few weeks of being finished with it, I really feel my vitality is again. I have been taking it straightforward within the gymnasium ‘trigger I do not wanna pressure something. I’ve finished that previously the place I used to be preparing for a tour and I began to do some heavy weights and I might pull one thing, and it is like I received a difficulty for six months for it to return again. So I am taking it fairly straightforward. However I am feeling good, and, yeah, total, I am unable to complain in any respect.”
Requested if he’s now “clear” from most cancers, Doug mentioned: “I do not know if I am clear. I assume it takes 5 or seven years earlier than you are really clear, however the docs — the surgical procedure was actually good. The whole lot was constructive, and so they fried me actually good for six weeks, so I am fairly certain all the things else that was left over is gone. However I received some blood work finished final week. We’ll see what that claims. After which I’ve received to get a PET scan, and that is a full physique scan once more to find out if all the things’s good.”
Requested if there was any injury to his vocal cords, Doug mentioned: “No. I believe I sound fairly much like what I did. It was on my tonsil. In order that they eliminated my tonsil on one facet after which the lymph nodes on the within of my neck — they took 30 lymph nodes. However, yeah, my voice sounds fairly related and I can sing — not that I do a whole lot of singing with THE DEAD DAISIES, however I can do it.”
Aldrich beforehand mentioned his most cancers battle throughout an look on the December 16, 2024 episode of SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”. Relating to how he received recognized with throat most cancers, Doug mentioned: “I by no means thought I might get most cancers. It simply by no means occurred to me. I’ve all the time been tremendous wholesome and — knock on wooden — I by no means had a significant something. And someday, I believe it was in Might, I used to be about to go on tour with THE DAISIES and I used to be shaving and I noticed a bit lump on my neck. And I used to be, like, ‘Nicely, that appears if you’re sick, you have received swollen glands or one thing.’ It was on one facet. And I assumed, ‘That does not harm in any respect. My throat does not [hurt]. Nothing hurts.’ And I went on tour, and I mentioned, ‘Hey, one thing like that could possibly be a viral factor. Let it roll for a pair weeks, and if it does not change, then make an appointment to see your physician.’ And so I went and did the dates — it was, like, three weeks of dates or one thing within the U.S., I consider. And I received house and received an appointment. It took a bit time. As you already know, to get a health care provider’s appointment it takes a minute. So it was one other few weeks earlier than I received in. And instantly they checked out it to ensure that me to get a CT scan, [and] after studying that they had been involved there was one thing in there. It wasn’t a significant concern. Then I did a bit MRI of the neck, and that is after they may measure the bump, and so they realized that this was actually regarding. [And they told me] I ought to go see an ear, nostril and throat physician. And my physician was, like, ‘Hey, it could possibly be most cancers. It could possibly be cancerous, however it could possibly be benign. It could possibly be no matter. Don’t fret about it but.’ However already my thoughts was beginning to get a bit bit nervous. So I’m going to the ear, nostril and throat physician, and he goes, ‘I see it. It is in your tonsil. And in the event you do not thoughts, I am gonna seize a bit of it with the tweezers and I will ship it in for a biopsy,’ which, really, only for these those that care about these items, you could possibly go get a biopsy and it will price you 1000’s of {dollars} or insurance coverage or no matter. The way in which this man did it was old-fashioned — he simply ripped a piece off my tonsil and despatched it in and it saved me a ton of cash to do this. So it got here again constructive for HPV 16 throat most cancers. Undoubtedly not good. So, proper you then begin freaking out, like, ‘Oh, man. Okay, what stage is it?’, no matter. And it is very tough to get definitive solutions on stuff, ‘trigger no person actually is aware of till you do all these exams and all these items. So there’s in all probability three or 4 weeks earlier than you discover out what stage it’s or no matter.”
Doug continued: “In order that’s the way it began. After which I went and began going by means of the method. By that point, I used to be doing a whole lot of exams and stuff. I’ve insurance coverage for me and my household, and I maxed out my deductible. In order that was good. However insurance coverage is a complete one other factor. Docs’ payments — you get payments; daily there’s payments from this and that, and you do not know what to pay and what to not pay. It is very complicated. However anyway, that is the way it began. That is the way it was recognized. And I instantly received in with… My spouse received me into a health care provider at UCLA Medical Middle, which is shut in L.A. After which my sister’s boyfriend is a plastic surgeon, and he received me in with a health care provider for a second opinion from Cedar Sinai in L.A. And that is the man I went with, a man referred to as Dr. Ho.”
Requested by host Eddie Trunk to make clear that he “had no signs” past this little bump and that he wasn’t “in ache or something”, Doug mentioned: “Nothing. Generally individuals shed pounds. I had no signs — nothing. It was only a bump, and it was not tremendous noticeable, however then, after all, when you see it, you possibly can’t unsee it. And one other factor that is vital for individuals [to know] is that a very powerful factor you are able to do to guard your self is get checked. Nicely, this specific most cancers, it often will get found by a dentist. However I haven’t got many issues with my enamel, and a dentist is pricey. So I might be, like, ‘Look, my children, I wanna ensure they’re checked, and [they have] braces and no matter they should do. That is what I am gonna spend my cash on.’ I used to be, like, ‘I need not go to the dentist. I simply brush my enamel and floss. That is it.’ However had I gone to the dentist, he would have seen this earlier than it… It is referred to as metastasizing when it switches from the precise tumor to a lymph node, and that is what my neck bump was; it was a lymph node that had gotten swollen. So a dentist would have seen that factor on my tonsil loads sooner and it will have been a lot simpler to cope with, or my remedy would have been a lot simpler to cope with. But it surely received found when it was already metastasized within the lymph node after which the query was, what stage is it? How large is it? How far did it go?”
Doug added: “So the underside line is you have gotta get recognized of the place you are at, and you’ll want to go to an oncologist. And I might suggest [for you to] go to an enormous hospital in your space and make an appointment, begin making appointments with whoever you possibly can. And that is what my spouse did. She reached out to UCLA as a result of we have used them earlier than for teenagers and stuff. And so she received me that one. And the man, he had been there a very long time, had an incredible document, and UCLA is nice and all the things, however he mentioned, ‘We do not actually do levels anymore. It is sort of an previous factor that they did with most cancers. They name it stage 1 by means of 4, no matter.’ Principally, he goes, ‘I do not know what yours is precisely. It could possibly be 2, it could possibly be 3, it could possibly be 1 and a half, no matter. However you are gonna want surgical procedure.’
“When it is in your throat, you have received all this stuff which might be related in there. In order that they’re wanting down your nostril, wanting in your throat, X-rays and scans and all these items. And by the best way, round that point too, the physician ordered a PET scan, which is a full-on physique [scan] to see if the most cancers has unfold to love your lungs or your liver or kidneys or no matter, and that is scary. Once you begin considering, like, ‘When is my appointment? Oh, it is in two weeks. It could possibly be proper now rising anyplace.’ And you do not know, so you have gotta get this PET scan. However, fortuitously, thus far and at the moment, I used to be all clear all over the place apart from that spot. So he mentioned, ‘You have gotta function,’ and he goes, ‘The nice factor is I am an incredible surgeon. I can do the surface half in your lymph nodes, however I am unable to do the within, which is gonna be a robotic surgical procedure. I would like any individual else to do this.’ After which once I met with Dr. Ho at Cedar Sinai, he was youthful. He had in all probability had extra up-to-date sort of coaching when it comes to robotics. And he goes, ‘I am gonna do each surgical procedures myself.’ And he was very assured.”
In accordance with Aldrich, one other problem had come up throughout that point which affected the best way he went about his surgical procedure. He defined to “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”: “There is a nerve in your neck that connects your shoulder that is concerned on this space. And after they do the surgical procedure, in the event that they clip that nerve, you then’re have an actual laborious time lifting your arm, which would not have an effect on my guitar taking part in, however I would not be capable of carry my arm up very effectively. And I am considering not nearly taking part in guitar, however I am enthusiastic about, like, capturing a basketball with my children or one thing. So I requested him about it, and he goes, ‘We’ll do our greatest. I believe we will save that nerve.’ And he did. So very first thing [they did was the] surgical procedure, after which after surgical procedure, they determine what sort of therapies, whether or not they received all of it and also you need not do something, or if it’s important to have radiation, or chemo, or each. And I needed to get radiation.”
Requested if he’s now finished with all of the radiation, Doug mentioned: “They instructed me that I wanted radiation simply to clear it up, as a result of it had gone to the lymph nodes on my neck and it regarded prefer it was fairly contained, however there could be a bit piece or some fragments that may come off, so they should zap them with radiation simply to verify. And I began studying about what radiation was gonna be like, and my spouse did, and it is not enjoyable any method you do it. It is principally frying sure elements of your physique, and there is a whole lot of negative effects that occur from that, so I wasn’t wanting ahead to it. And I assumed possibly as a result of the surgeon did a superb job, and I’ve received a whole lot of mates which have gone by means of [similar] stuff … I hoped I may get a bit little bit of a much less radiation than what I received. I received six weeks. However they mentioned, ‘Hey, you might be eligible for a scientific trial the place you could possibly get three weeks radiation, however you have gotta get three doses of chemo as effectively. And it really works out rather well.’ And I used to be enthusiastic about that, and I certified for it, however the issue with the chemo if you’re coping with head and neck is it makes your ears ring and you’ll lose listening to. And I already received one ear that is ringing actually unhealthy with tinnitus or no matter you name it. So I wasn’t a superb candidate for that. So I went for the six weeks of radiation, which is 5 days per week. It takes quarter-hour underneath the microwave factor or no matter, the laser, no matter, that proton factor, and also you do it 5 days per week. Then they should provide you with two days to relaxation for six weeks. So I simply wrapped up.”
Requested if he has been given the “all clear” now, Doug mentioned: “The most important problem from the radiation was I might get nauseated and main fatigue, after which little by little your neck on the surface begins to fry and my neck now’s like child pores and skin. It is all model new pores and skin. And so I used to be fortunate. I am feeling nice. I received finished with it. I am beginning to consider attending to the gymnasium. And I in all probability misplaced 10 kilos, which some individuals lose 40 or 50 or 100… So I simply attempt to eat wholesome and eat protein, and so they simply mentioned, ‘Hold your energy up.’ And I have been actually fortunate, man, however there’s a whole lot of negative effects. There’s a whole lot of stuff that is a ache within the ass. I nonetheless cannot open my mouth to take a pleasant large chunk of a hamburger, after which my jaw will get actually drained, as a result of… So I’ve received this fibrosis — it is like referred to as TMJ or no matter — so I am unable to actually eat; it is laborious to eat, it is laborious to chew. That is one factor. After which I’ve received no style, as a result of that radiation principally fries your style buds. In order that hopefully will come again. As a result of that is one of many issues that is loopy, man, is with out style… After I received COVID a pair years in the past, I did not lose my style, so I by no means knew what it was like.”
“So to reply your earlier query [about whether I have been given the ‘all clear’], I am principally finished with the remedy and the surgical procedure and all that stuff,” he continued. “Now I’ve gotta wait three months and so they’re gonna do a PET scan once more and see if there’s something left. Likelihood is they received all of it. If not, then I will simply cope with it, no matter it’s. And also you begin getting freaked out about it, however there’s so many individuals that undergo varied levels and issues of most cancers and so they’re nonetheless round and so they’re nonetheless combating and kicking ass. And so they actually are warriors. The secret’s simply to attempt to catch it early, in the event you can.”
In late September 2024, Doug‘s spouse Daniela “Danni” Aldrich mentioned that his surgical procedure, which she described as “5 lengthy hours of a number of steps”, “went extremely effectively”, including that “Doug pushed by means of just like the fighter he’s. Even the nurse referred to as him a superhero for his power and dedication proper after!” she wrote. “He’s the strongest individual I do know.”
On account of Doug‘s surgical procedure, he was not in a position to participate in THE DEAD DAISIES‘ current European tour and was quickly changed by Reb Seaside (WHITESNAKE, WINGER).
Aldrich performed with DIO for a brief interval between 2002 and 2006. He was additionally a member of WHITESNAKE from 2002 to 2014 earlier than leaving to spend extra time together with his household. The guitarist performed on two WHITESNAKE studio albums, 2008’s “Good To Be Unhealthy” and 2011’s “Forevermore”, and appeared on a number of reside releases, together with 2013’s “Made In Japan” and “Made In Britain/The World Data”.
Aldrich left WHITESNAKE 10 years in the past, saying in a press release that he “had a number of recording and reside commitments,” so he “wanted a extra versatile schedule to conclude these earlier than going full pressure as regular.” He added: “Sadly, my schedule was not workable.”
