Bryans Journey

We are fundraising for our family/friends.  Bryan
and Lindsey and their two sons Blake and
Walker.   Bryan and Lindsey wed in 2005 and in
2010 they had their first Son Walker.  After a
courageous battle with cancer Bryan and
Lindsey lost Lindsey’s mom in 2012.  They were grief struck but knew that they had to cope and
try to enjoy life because it was a precious gift.  A little less than a year after Annmaries passing
Bryan was experiencing discomfort.  He wasn’t
quite feeling himself and  could not pin point
what was wrong.  Bryan was diagnosed with
colon rectal cancer.  Days later they were
blessed to find out that Lindsey was  pregnant
with their 2nd son Blake.  

    Bryans cancer journey had just began.  The
family found out that Bryans tumor was the size of a grapefruit in his colon.  Doctors decided
they would remove the mass, reconstruct his
intestines and create a stoma where Bryan
would be fitted with an ileostomy bag.   Once
Bryan was strong enough he would undergo
radiation and chemotherapy .  Bryan had a long
road ahead but doctors were confident  that his strength physically and mentally would help him recover.  

    Chemo exhausted him and made him ill, but he
continued to work and at this point care for his
wife and two sons under the age of 5.  Scan time
was right around the corner, good or bad news.  A cancer patient always fears that scan.  Good
news came to the Heblers.  The scan was clean
no sign ofcancer.  Life was good, Bryan was free
for at least 6 months, the family was enjoying  
each other, friends, family and their home. Bryan had found his dream job doing what he loved.
Things were looking up. 

    6 months came quickly, Lindsey and Bryan
we’re confident good things were ahead.  The
couple remembers the call clearly.  The
oncologist  himself phoned Bryan at 4 in the
afternoon on a Friday.  They new it wasn’t a sign of good news.  Bryans oncologist confirmed that
the cancer was back and had spread to his liver
and his lungs.  Bryan and Lindsey were
devastated.  The  family met with a team of
doctors where it was determined Bryan would
under go surgery.     Surgeons did not typically
perform surgery at the same time because it can be very hard on a patient but Bryan was
confident he could handle it.  Bryan underwent
an intense 5-6 hour surgery.  Lindsey struggled
to stay strong.  She had two children a husband with stage 4 colon cancer and no mother 
to lean on.  Lindsey describes the wait as 
the longest time of her life.  Bryan came out of  
surgery strong.  He would gain more strength
and then begin another round of chemo,
stronger and more potent.   He was Superman
and was going.  to continue to fight this battle.

Last  year Bryans cancer began appearing In the liver and the lungs and he again started
chemotherapy. Lindsey and Bryan visited Dana
Farber, smilo and Helen and Harry Gray.   Bryan
is currently trying to get into a trial and has
taken what they call a  chemocation.
 Chemotherapy has been very difficult on Bryan.  He can not function during treatment and days
after.  Each time is a little harder than the last.

 Bryan and Lindsey have finally started telling
people  about their journey.  When faced with a disease like this it’s hard to ask for help and let
people know how hard things are.  They felt to
proud  to admit they were drowning at times and
often  felt  that their were others out there  who
still had  it worse.   Lindsey has exhausted all her
time at work and goes unpaid for any time she
needs to help Bryan, her kids or herself when
sick  The couple has decided that it would be
best to sell  there home and prepare for the
future.  Bryan wants to know his family will be
okay. It is Bryans hope that he can pay down
some debt and go on a planned romantic
vacation with his wife this summer. He will
continue to fight this fight for as long as he can.
Lindsey and Bryan thank everyone of you for
your love and support.  Without this community of strangers, friends,  family, coworkers and
peers this journey would be impossible.