Michael Douglas has spoken candidly about his struggle with stage four throat cancer, detailing the intense treatment and its profound effects in his newly released memoir, "One Helluva Ride." The 82-year-old actor revealed that he lost 40 pounds during his battle with the disease.

Douglas described his experience with seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy, which began after his diagnosis in August 2010, as akin to "the seven circles of hell." He noted that by the third week of treatment, the pain became difficult to manage. He appeared "sallow and gaunt" after only four weeks.

Family Impact

The Oscar winner emphasized the challenging nature of his cancer battle for his entire family. Douglas shares two children, Dylan, now 26, and Carys, now 23, with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones. During his treatment, headlines falsely claimed he was close to death, which he said was "traumatizing" for their young children who were too young to understand the media's tactics.

Douglas's primary goal during this period was to "maintain normalcy" for his children. He recounted taking his youngest daughter, Carys, to school daily, despite being so exhausted that he had to lie on the couch for the remainder of the day. He described the couch as having become his "chair, my desk, my table, my bed, my life raft on a sea of complete exhaustion."

A Father's Support and a New Perspective

He also recalled the support from his late father, Kirk Douglas. While his father maintained stoicism during his son's illness, he brought a moment of levity by dressing as a clown at the hospital on Halloween. Douglas stated that this act was "the best gift he could have given me."

Douglas previously revealed that his cancer was caused by the HPV virus, often contracted through oral sex. After completing his seven-week treatment, he received the news from doctors that his cancer was in remission. He described this moment as shocking and tearful, saying, "To say cancer humbled me would be an understatement. It made me more thankful for everything in my life."

A Rebirth and Changed Priorities

Despite the physical hardships, Douglas found an unexpected positive outcome: a sense of freedom. He described the experience as a "rebirth," leading to a shift in his priorities. "Cancer showed me what family is. It made feel a love that I never knew really existed," he wrote. This period of intense vulnerability brought a clearer, brighter perspective on life, making him more conscious of how he spent his time.

Douglas's memoir, "One Helluva Ride," is now available at bookstores and online retailers.