Chris Lyman's Cancer Sucks Fund!
My husband, Chris Lyman, has been bravely (and aggressively) battling cancer for over 3.5 years. He has been Stage 4 for some time now... a number no one wants to hear. I'm sharing his story below, in the hopes of increasing awareness about early onset cancer - and the need for earlier screening. I personally ask that YOU please read and SHARE our story.
I'm also restarting our fundraiser (from long ago), to see if we can hit our original goal and take some of the stress off. Battling cancer for 3.5 years has really taken a financial toll on our household... If you find it in your heart to give, please accept our sincere thanks in advance.
We truly want to help others understand the importance of being your own health advocate and preparing for the unexpected. Even when you think you are prepared for anything, you're just not. The world works that way sometimes. Thanks so much for adding us to your prayer chains, and for all the other "little things" you have done that we may not even be aware of. There are no words for what you mean to us...
Challenge is nothing new to Chris. He has dealt with difficult circumstances throughout his life... Despite this, Chris has always remained positive, worked harder than most, and truly expressed more concern for others than himself. That's one of the things that really attracted me to him in the first place. He is a small town guy - and one of the good guys for sure!
So many people have commented on Chris' positive (and remarkable) attitude while battling cancer. He really is amazingly positive and VERY strong willed! Stubborn, determined... if you know Chris then you've likely already seen those traits firsthand. I know Chris works hard to stay this way, to stay himself. A cancer diagnosis (and your own mortality) are not easy things to face - no matter who you are. You miss your old life and your old self. I do think the past hardships in Chris' life only further prepared him for THE BATTLE we have been in. Although I'm not certain of the reason, I do believe it must be a good one to put an amazing man through so much pain and suffering. Chris is really proud of the fact that many people have gotten colonoscopies "because of him." Stage 4 metastatic cancer, and liver cancer in particular, are really challenging to fight - physically and emotionally. I swear the statistics alone can stop your heart from beating, if you let them. We don't believe in statistics.
Over the years, it has been surreal to continually be catapulted right back into the battle - over and over again. It can be overwhelming... at times it's hard to catch your breath. Please know we are always aiming to do our best in keeing everyone informed of how Chris is doing. That is a challenge at times, and sometimes it feels like a full time job trying to keep others from drowning while your trying to save yourself too. We respectfully ask for your patience... we are often still trying to absorb new news, gather / verify information and navigate appointments / perscriptions / procedures / travel with medical staff. Not to mention all the red tape of insurance, etc. If you would like too keep up on our journey, please feel free to submit a request to join the Team Lyman group on facebook.
Thank you!
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Chris started out battling Stage IIIC rectal cancer for ten months in 2014. Chris was diagnosed just before his 41st birthday (far too young!) with a colorectal tumor that had significant lymph node involvement. So much so the doctors asked for a recount. Chris fought incredibly hard through every step of his first treatments (colon resection surgery, 4 sessions (176 hours) of chemotherapy solo, around-the-clock chemotherapy plus daily radiation, and then 4 sessions (176 hours) of chemotherapy again solo.) Chris also fought through an unexpected life-threatening pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs) during treatment. Not to multiple kidney stones during this timeframe. It was such a long year... but the day Chris rang the bell at the cancer center, to signify his triumph over rectal cancer, was absolutely one of the happiest days of our lives! We naively thought we were done, it was a moment of pure bliss. Proudly, Chris successfully return to working full time at the job he loved. Chris and I have been very lucky to have great support and understanding from our respective employers (Kinze Manufacturing and Transamerica) throughout our journey. This has been very touching and we are forever grateful.
Cancer is a hard reality to face and has a way of putting a lot of things into perspective. It reminds you to focus on enjoying family and all of the little things in your everyday life, so many other things simply become unimportant. Chris' children were 11 and 17 when all this started, they are now 15 and 21. They really are Chris' heart and soul... they are sensitive, loving, and caring kids who worry a lot about their Dad. They are also growing up day-by-day and absorbed in their own lives like most kids their age. At the end of 2014, we took our very first vacation together as as family - to celebrate the end of Chris' cancer treatments. We skipped the "traditional" Christmas and were on the beach in Ft. Myers, Florida, together on Christmas day! It was a great and memorable trip - although it wasn't quite the tranquil white Christmas we typically experience in Iowa. Chris and I married, in Aug. 2013, four months before the C word rocked our world. So, we never actually fit in a reception or honeymoon. The best laid plans...
So, to get back to our journey... all routine medical follow-up to this point was indicating the rectal cancer had been defeated. With the theme of "living life" in mind, we took a leap of faith and started working on setting things in motion to move to a house in the country closer to Chris' family. This was a big dream of ours - and for those who don't know, Chris is a small town guy and I'm a "reformed" city girl. We have a lot of fun with that! The move became something we wanted even more together after battling cancer... so much we could taste it. We were craving a slower simpler life with room to enjoy kids, dogs, family and friends. Our "happy place" to grow old together in. We needed to nurish our souls. However, life once again took an unexpected turn for our family... I know many of you can relate! In late August, 2015, at age 42 (and just days shy of our two year wedding anniversary) a routine one-year CT scan ultimately lead to a liver biopsy and a new diagnosis of Stage 4 metastatic rectal cancer for Chris. The rectal cancer cells had spread to Chris' liver. Pure devistation. We were utterly crushed.
It took time for our family to fully absorb, and adjust, to this news. Chris' one-year colonoscopy was great, blood work was still looking good, and overall Chris was working hard and feeling good. Despite all of this, the cancer "seeds" spread and grew while we went about our days. Chris' medical team was able to confirm there were four areas/spots of rectal cancer initially within his liver. Cancer is just so darn sneaky!!! It makes you want to just scream - and sometimes I do. Cancer cells often have aggressive tendencies, and will invade other areas, despite throwing everything plus the kitchen sink at them. Which we certainly did! Secondary, or metastatic, tumors begin as primary cancers in other organs such as the colon, rectum, pancreas, stomach, lung or breast. Because the liver is supplied with nutrient-rich blood from the intestines, cancers affecting the gastrointestinal tract frequently spread to the liver... unfortunately this is how the journey goes for many cancer warriors. (We do know, through genetic testing, that Chris' cancer is not hereditary or Lynch syndrome. Apparently, just the luck of the draw - so to speak. Isn't that nice.)
Chris started a different chemotherapy regmine, in September 2015, and continued treatment until April 2016. His amazing oncologist tried various combinations of chemotherapy drugs, to see if they would have any effect on the cancer in his liver. Some of the newer (and very expensive) drugs Chris received have the ability to work in amazing ways and help keep cancer at bay. They are also very high risk, such as Avastin. We've discovered a pattern following treatment. Essentially, we hit a period of "the great unknown." Having to wait, to find out if something is working or not, while you are suffering through endless side effects is impossibly hard - as you might imagine. It is the worest part for us, but also a framiliar part of the battle. We cope the best we can, and we swear a lot more and sleep a lot less. This second chemo battle also included a VERY big surgery. BIG. Chris' first liver resection. Without being too graphic, it is the same surgical cut as a liver transplant. Your body is never the same. It took a lot of time to heal, and forever changed Chris' appearance. Chris got through it all, just as determined as ever. The picture I took of Chris walking that night of surgery ... true grit. I'm still in awe of my own husband most days of the week. Other days, I'm trying to be a mother hen. .
When we later found out cancer returned to Chris' liver AGAIN (second time), we were pretty much in total shock. This was discovered on a scheduled MRI of the liver. I mean REALLY?!?! Nothing prepares you for this. It's total crap. Chris had to endure a second BIG liver surgery - with a large hernia repair thrown in for good measure (an area high on his abdomen that was weakened by chemo, and literally sticking out about the size of a football). To say Chris has fought more aggressively than most ever would even consider is a huge understatement!!! I've had the honor of being by my husband's side through it all. We aren't the same, yet we are better than ever. It's a strange sense of knowing so much - yet knowing nothing at all. I do know a really big part of Chris' motivation has been being around for his kids as long as he possibly can. That's what good Dad's worry about when they lay in bed at night.
As if all of the above hasn't been enough... Chris experienced lots of other "annoyances," such as very painful fistulas (in areas weakened by radiation) that required pretty nasty surgeries of their own. So many procedures your body certainly must start to feel like it isn't even your own. Privacy, dignity... maybe a little on a good day. As you might expect, Chris has still been having lots and lots of follow-ups with his medical team. A team that has grown in size and in our hearts over time.
In July, 2017, we learned cancer had once again returned to Chris' liver - for the THIRD time. Unbelieveable!!! (This is the part where my brain starts rattling off more swear words than I can count.) Chris was VERY fortunate to ever have gotten his second liver surgery - a third liver surgery is not an option. Or so we have been told. That's a little deflating, when you are supposed to be the Hero of the story. You are supposed to fight forever and you are supposed to win. We consulted with an expert in radiology, and did more testing, to determine if Y90 would be an option for Chris. Another one-shot deal, so we are told. It has been made clear to us that, at this point, that any additional measures we take will not be a means of curing Chris' cancer. They are simply to buy a little more time. How much time??? Well, there is no way to know. That doesn't settle well, we know. We are aware this disease will be what takes Chris' life in the end. That is a very sad, and exteremely painful truth. Although we have faith, and determination, we are also trying hard to cope with the reality that people aren't made to live forever. What does living life really mean? How do you measure quality of life? How much suffering is too much? How much time is enough? Lord help us all.
Please join #teamlyman in the fight... sincere thanks for your continued friendship, prayers, and well wishes! We certainly couldn't get through this life without all of you. xoxo
Chris' medical team at Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Physician's Clinic of Iowa, Gastroenterologists PC and Radiology Consultants of Iowa are all beyond amazing - and truly family. As have They have been fighting alongside our family every step of the way, something we are grateful for... we ask the Lord to continue to guide them in their work. We've gone out of our way to make many friends during treatment... doctors, staff, cancer warriors, and caregivers - all people just like us! Chris is a social butterfly during many visits. We truly have more than one home away from home. No matter what you might be going through, you learn that you are never really alone... simple things like a smile, hug or simply being called by name often make all the difference. Be that difference for someone else.
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#ColorectalCancer #MetastaticCancer #StandUpToCancer #StupidCancer #MoreBirthdays #Cancer #LiverCancer #Faith #FamilyValues #GoBoldly