Tyler's journey

Hi friends - Tyler here. It’s been a relatively calm few weeks over here, which I’m very thankful to be able to say. I had chemo round #3 on August 13th, and it definitely kicked my butt a little more than the first two. The first week was pretty bleh, but after about 7 days I turned the corner and have felt almost entirely back to normal since.

We also had the Together With Tyler event at Blinders on August 15th. A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out, donated, supported, and showed our family so much love. I was at home because it was two days after chemo and, respectfully, there was absolutely no shot I was making it out - but I felt the love from home. Thank you to Blinders for hosting, everyone who helped put it together, and every single person who took time out of their day to show up for us. It means more than I can put into words!!

As I gear up for chemo round #4 this Thursday, I’m feeling really good physically. My pain has almost entirely subsided. I’m eating, exercising, spending time with the fam, getting outside, and even got out to golf twice. Thank you Jesus!!! I don’t take a single good day for granted anymore. My labs have been mostly stable too. My liver enzymes have bounced around a bit after treatment, but the elevations have been transient and are being monitored closely.

It’s been an odd but welcome adjustment entering this little period of “normalcy.” So much of life feels normal again, while at the exact same time, so much absolutely does not. I think that’s one of the strangest things about grief, cancer, or any life changing circumstance. The world just keeps spinning. Work happens. Birthdays & weddings happen. Football comes back. Your daughter keeps growing. Life keeps moving, even while this massive thing is still sitting there in the background. That’s been a challenging thing to navigate, but I’m incredibly grateful to be navigating it while feeling as good as I do.

The next big milestone is another scan - which we expect within the next few weeks before round #5. Please keep praying for an incredible scan. I pray all the time for the day when my oncologist walks into the room and says, “There is no evidence of disease on your scan!” Maybe that day comes sooner than anyone expects - which is exactly what I’m praying for. One day at a time!

Naturally, the biggest question bouncing around in my head lately has been: “What comes next?” What happens after these six rounds of chemo? We know the general direction and we know some of the options that could be on the table, but a lot will depend on what the scans show. That’s also where all of the second opinions and conversations with specialists become especially valuable. Not because one doctor is “right” and another is “wrong,” but because cancer treatment becomes much more individualized once you get past that initial treatment plan.

One of the doctors at MSK explained it to me like this: You choose a treatment. You give it time to work. Then you scan. Every scan becomes your next “decision point.” Trying to map out every treatment decision months or years in advance is almost impossible because each move depends on what the cancer does next. Metastatic cancer treatment really is a game of chess.... You absolutely want to think several moves ahead, but you also have to see what happens on the board and thoughtfully react to it. You can’t script the entire game before you play it. For better and for worse, none of this is black and white (which is very tough for me to buy into).

So for now, our move is simple: keep attacking what’s in front of us and controlling every single thing within our control. And thankfully, we know we’re moving in the right direction, which is a HUGE blessing.

On another note, something I am VERYYY excited for: we’re starting to ramp things up for the Together With Tyler Golf Tournament on October 22nd in Fort Mill, South Carolina! The signup page is live and we’ll be sharing a lot more information this week. We also have Together With Tyler T-shirts available online, plus hats available locally - and I’m happy to ship one if you want one! All proceeds will go toward supporting our family throughout this fight, including treatment related expenses, travel for care and second opinions, and helping us absorb some of the financial curveballs that come along with cancer. We're incredibly grateful for every bit of support.

So, that's where we are. Going into cycle #4 strong, feeling good, and incredibly grateful. I thank God every day for the ways He continues to work through the people around me - friends, family, complete strangers, doctors, nurses, coworkers, neighbors, and this entire community. And I pray that somehow He can use what I’m going through to reach somebody else who needs a little hope or positivity in their own life.

I’ve heard the mantra “people suck” about a million times throughout my life - but one of the biggest things I’ve learned over the last two months is that people can actually be pretty freaking awesome. God bless you guys.

Tyler here… it’s been a busy and meaningful few weeks: I got baptized, went to NYC for a second opinion, and continued obsessively researching every nuance of my health situation. This week in particular has been huge! I had my first restaging scans since starting treatment, and we got the confirmation we’ve been praying for: treatment is WORKING!

After just two cycles of chemo:

• My largest liver tumor shrank from 9.4 × 8.5 cm to 6.1 × 4.5 cm.
• The primary tumor in my chest shrank from 4.9 × 3.2 cm to 3.9 × 2.1 cm.
• Depending on how you run the numbers, that’s a 31% shrinkage in the problem areas.
• The smaller tumors throughout my liver also decreased in size, and no new areas of metastatic disease were found.

There is a term I’ve seen others use frequently: “scanxiety.” I had a lot of it. I like to think I’m pretty even-keeled and have been mentally tough through this, but it felt like there was a lot on the line waiting for these scan results. When I read the results out loud to Danielle, I couldn’t help but bawl my eyes out sitting at the kitchen counter. It was a sense of relief that I have not felt in quite some time. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU JESUS! It’s a win that we’re going to keep building momentum with!

Best of all, I’ve been feeling noticeably better. My liver pain is gone, my energy has been improving, and I’ve been able to feel mostly like myself again after the chemo hangover subsides. We hoped those were signs the treatment was doing its job. Now we have the scans to prove it.

Today, I completed my third cycle of chemo and met with my oncologist. He was really happy with what he saw on the scans and is hopeful for continued response. There’s still a long road ahead, but this is exactly the kind of response we were hoping for this early in treatment.

As for what’s next, we continue treatment for at least three more rounds and see how I respond. From there, the options range from local therapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and more. It’s important I have a deep response to the current regimen I’m on—that will only increase the options for my second phase of treatment. Time to grind!!!!

Outside of getting to spend some quality family time in NYC, meet a special friend who is fighting a similar fight, and get 15,000+ steps in daily, the NYC and second-opinion trip was mostly uneventful—in a great way. The doctor I saw confirmed that he agreed with my current treatment plan. We’re now established and can quickly coordinate follow-ups and reviews of scans and labs. Just assembling one Avenger at a time!

Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for me, check in on us, support my family, and fight alongside me. I feel it every single day, and I’m not sure how I’ll ever be able to repay you. I thank God for working through my community every day. One day at a time, we will beat this thing.

With so much love and gratitude,

Tyler

P.S. my super nerd friend Ryan made me an incredible website (in like 20 minutes) where you can buy a t-shirt and find updates + details about the golf tournament (coming soon). TogetherWithTyler.com

P.S. Thank you to The Patient Story for giving me a platform to share my story. Watch the video below.

Tyler here with a quick update after cycle two. The last few weeks have included a full slate of new appointments, providers, coordination, and a lot of work on getting as healthy and strong as possible. I had a really solid stretch before treatment—eating well, exercising, and feeling more like myself.

The encouraging news is that my liver enzymes have continued moving in the right direction and my labs are back in the green. My doctor sees that as a promising early sign, though the next scan will tell us much more.

Cycle two went smoothly and recovery has been moving in the right direction. We are also expanding the care team through Memorial Sloan Kettering and the NIH while planning the next restaging scan.

Our friends and family are building even more ways to show up: shirts, hats, the August 15 Blinders benefit, and the October 22 golf tournament. Above all, our faith is strong. Please keep praying for healing, continued response, wisdom for the doctors, and strength for our family.

One day and one win at a time.

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a quick update and, more importantly, say thank you.

The last couple of weeks have been an absolute whirlwind, but the good news is that I'm home now and recovering well from the procedures last week. It's been one week since my first chemotherapy treatment. The side effects definitely caught up with me earlier this week, but thankfully I'm feeling better every day. I'll continue treatment once every three weeks for the next four and a half months to start.

This week has been full of appointments and putting together the best possible plan moving forward. While there's still a lot ahead of us, I genuinely feel good about the path we're on. I have an incredible medical team, and I'm feeling very confident in the treatment plan we've started.

I honestly can't put into words how grateful we are for the love and support we've received. Every prayer, message, meal, and donation has reminded us that we're not fighting this alone. God has been our anchor and has blessed us with the best community. I don't know exactly what the road ahead looks like, but we have comfort in knowing Who walks it with us.

Your generosity has lifted such a huge burden off our shoulders and allowed us to focus on what matters most. We're taking this one day at a time, and we're still so confident we're going to kick cancer's ass. Please keep the prayers coming. We believe God is doing big things, and we're trusting Him every step of the way.

With so much gratitude and positivity, Tyler

An update on Tyler: in one week, we've moved from being in the ER with abdominal pain and testing to a diagnosis and treatment.

Tyler's cancer has officially been diagnosed as Thymic Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Liver Metastasis. This cancer is incredibly rare and quite aggressive. Tyler is starting palliative chemotherapy today to shrink the problem areas on his liver and in his chest. It's going to be a long journey, but he is ready to fight.

A few requests

1. No Googling or AI'ing or anything. The statistics don't matter because Tyler is not the typical demographic for this cancer. He is otherwise healthy and going to handle treatment like a champ.
2. Most important: hold the “I'm sorrys” and bring positive energy only. Amp him up and boost his spirits. If you know Tyler, he has probably been your biggest supporter or hype man at some point. Now it's our turn to return the favor.

“The energy and positivity and motivation I get from my community during this will carry me. We're not doom and gloom over here. We're ready to fight, and I know God got me. So let's go do this thing. Pray, pray, pray for me. There's nothing He can't overcome.” — Tyler

We love you guys and are so grateful. Thank you for being with us throughout this, and thank you to his nurses and doctors for the great care.

I am completely floored by the support, generosity, and love I've received over the last 48 hours. It has been an exhausting and terrifying few days, but from the very bottom of my heart, every single message, call, prayer, and donation has made an unimaginable situation just a little bit easier. I could not be any more grateful.

I wanted to share a quick update on where things currently stand.

Last week I went to the ER with abdominal pain. After several scans, doctors found widespread lesions throughout my liver that present as cancer that may have originated elsewhere. I was later admitted to the hospital and underwent additional scans and testing, including a CT scan that showed another mass in my chest area. Yesterday, I had a liver biopsy, and we are now awaiting results and a diagnosis. I'm still in the hospital, which has helped expedite further testing and care. There are still many unknowns, but we expect to have more answers in the coming days. Those answers will determine the treatment plan and the road ahead.

The good news: I'm young, otherwise healthy, and covered head to toe in the armor of God, ready to take on anything. My spirits are high, and my support system has shown up for me in ways I never honestly could have imagined.

I know there is no sickness, disease, or ailment greater than God's power. I believe wholeheartedly that one day this season will become part of my testimony, and I can't wait to pour back into others with the same love and support that has been poured into me.

There is a long road ahead, but I am fighting for my wife and my baby girl, and I know I won't be walking it alone.

Thank you again. Seriously. Please continue to pray for me, for wisdom for my doctors, and for complete healing. Please continue to keep the faith.

From the absolute bottom of my heart, Tyler