That time cancer messed with Tyler
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About a month ago, our dear friend Tyler Mills started having some trouble eating. After a week or so of stomach issues, he went to his internist and was ordered to have some blood work and ultimately a CT scan. The doctors thought he might have a colon blockage. No one was prepared for what came next. On October 28th Tyler was diagnosed with a large abdominal tumor. The doctor’s speculated that the tumor, roughly 15 cm long, had likely been growing there for a long time.
After three excutiating weeks of tests and few answers, we got confirmation that Tyler's tumor was indeed malignant and a carcinoma, but the tumor cells were too poorly differentiated to determine a finite diagnosis. Tyler was sent to an onoclogist at Vanderbilt three hours away in Nashville.
On Novemeber 21 the team at Vanderbilt determined that the cancer is agreesive. It has begun to seed in the apron of Tyler's stomach and some fluid has begun to pool in Tyler's abdominal wall. Additional genomic testing is underway to determine if the cancer originated in the stomach or pancreas and a targeted treatment plan will start after that diagnosis is final. While we wait, Tyler will begin standard Chemo in Nashville. His first treatment will be December 2.
The doctors have been very honest that this is a difficult situation. No matter what from this point on, it is going to be a tough, tough fight for Tyler and Brooke and all of us who love them.
Despite that, we know thatTyler is young and otherwise extremely healthy. In fact he has never even had the flu until now. There are also amazing advances happening every day and technology is making it easier than ever to match patients with rare forms of cancer with the right clinical trials to give them the aboslute best chance of beating the disease.
All of this is terrifying, stressful and extremely expensive. Brooke is already halfway through her three weeks of paid leave from work and while Tyler's company provides short term disability, they will be (and already are) dealing with costs for out of network treatments, travel and lodging.
We are asking friends, family, strangers, everyone to help chip in to alieviate some of the Mills family expenses so they can spend their energy focusing on getting Tyler well. This GoFundMe page is a place you can make a direct donation to #TeamMills. All donations will go directly to helping them offset expenses while Tyler seeks treatment.
So many of you have already done so much to help out and we are so thankful for that.
Lots of love to #TeamMills,
Friends of #TeamMills
After three excutiating weeks of tests and few answers, we got confirmation that Tyler's tumor was indeed malignant and a carcinoma, but the tumor cells were too poorly differentiated to determine a finite diagnosis. Tyler was sent to an onoclogist at Vanderbilt three hours away in Nashville.
On Novemeber 21 the team at Vanderbilt determined that the cancer is agreesive. It has begun to seed in the apron of Tyler's stomach and some fluid has begun to pool in Tyler's abdominal wall. Additional genomic testing is underway to determine if the cancer originated in the stomach or pancreas and a targeted treatment plan will start after that diagnosis is final. While we wait, Tyler will begin standard Chemo in Nashville. His first treatment will be December 2.
The doctors have been very honest that this is a difficult situation. No matter what from this point on, it is going to be a tough, tough fight for Tyler and Brooke and all of us who love them.
Despite that, we know thatTyler is young and otherwise extremely healthy. In fact he has never even had the flu until now. There are also amazing advances happening every day and technology is making it easier than ever to match patients with rare forms of cancer with the right clinical trials to give them the aboslute best chance of beating the disease.
All of this is terrifying, stressful and extremely expensive. Brooke is already halfway through her three weeks of paid leave from work and while Tyler's company provides short term disability, they will be (and already are) dealing with costs for out of network treatments, travel and lodging.
We are asking friends, family, strangers, everyone to help chip in to alieviate some of the Mills family expenses so they can spend their energy focusing on getting Tyler well. This GoFundMe page is a place you can make a direct donation to #TeamMills. All donations will go directly to helping them offset expenses while Tyler seeks treatment.
So many of you have already done so much to help out and we are so thankful for that.
Lots of love to #TeamMills,
Friends of #TeamMills
Organizer
Brooke Ward Mills
Organizer
Memphis, TN
