PureDWTS Guest Blog: “I am alive today because of Chelsie Hightower”
PureDWTS reader Byrl Alexander has sent us a guest blog telling us of his scare with Cancer recently and how pro dancer Chelsie Hightower has helped him. He feels he owes Chelsie a lot. Read on to see why. This is a great and inspiring story for us all. Thank you Byrl and lots of positive thoughts and prayers set your way!! Keep on walking!!
This is a true story and I am alive today because of Chelsie Hightower. Update on me, I go in on the 31st of December for my 11th treatment of chemo and have one left on Jan 14th 2014 and then run a scan and I’m done with my treatments, so far I am beating cancer.
I have been a fan of Chelsie Hightower for many years. Back in January 2013 I was talking to her online,I asked her a question and Chelsie told me that I spend to much time on the computer, which I had all ready heard this from my wife and daughter as well. She offered three things I could do and I took her up on take a walk. Since I had started my own diet on Jan 1st 2013, I thought this was an ideal idea, as exercise and diet go hand in hand when losing weight. Chelsie told me to report to her daily on everything I did that was productive, and held me accountable. I never missed a day. If she had not mentioned walking that day, I would have waited until warmer weather, but by starting back in January, I was making good progress by the time the weather did turn warm. Chelsie Hightower saved my life, and I don’t know if she realizes that when she suggested I take a walk and report in daily, that she saved my life. These words saved my life (Take a Walk)
On June 21st I was admitted to the North Kansas City Hospital, in my hometown, for unusual symptoms. I ended up getting a colonoscopy and the doctors found a tumor on my colon, which was malignant. When the doctor delivered this news, I looked at him and told him I would beat this; at the same time he told me if I had not been walking and lost 75 lbs., that I would not be alive today. Walking saved my life, and I had an operation on June 25 to remove the tumor and some of the colon. I also have cancer on the liver as well, but the last visit to my Doctor he said that my liver had not increased in size which made he and I both happy. I have had 9 Chemo treatments and will have a PET scan on some time in January to see how my condition is progressing, . I still walk and will be walking all year as both of my doctors told me walking is my key to good health. I do everything I’m told to do.
I had went from 275 to 196, but both of my Doctors want me to stay at 205, so you can say I lost almost 80# my goal was 100# but that may never happen.
Chelsie needs to be recognized for saving a life, I have told her many times thanks for saving my life, but the world needs to know this and her family as well. I even sent her a bouquet of flowers thanking her. Chelsie is my angel. As a footnote, Chelsie knows me, I met Chelsie here in Kansas City, Mo back in June of 2012, and I also went to see her dance in person at Prior Lake Mn this past May.
I still will have to report to the doctor ever so often for lab work and scans the rest of my life.
John’s Update:
A friend of Bryl made this YouTube video of his story:
