Life and Test Results

February 27, 2025February 27, 2025 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 15 Comments

I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been tracking my cancer journey, you know that I am a surgeon. I then became a patient and began documenting my journey in this blog. After undergoing surgery, I completed a yearlong treatment plan of chemoimmunotherapy infusions. I had my last infusion on June 29, 2022. This blog recounts my story with a focus on a surgeon who became a patient. It also highlights melanoma awareness. Additionally, it explores the intersection of medicine and faith.

The great news is that my scans this past November (right hand and arm, chest, abdomen, pelvis) revealed no evidence of any recurrent cancer! My next round of scans and bloodwork is in May, 2025. I am blessed to have survived 3 years, having been told my 3 year survival rate was as low as 40 percent! I still remain high risk until year 5, when my prognosis will improve.

I was remiss in waiting so long to update my blog. This past Fall, the busyness of life seemed to take over. I had several trips to medical meetings, some vacation, a wedding of which I was the officiant in Dallas, and then the holidays. Reflecting back on this past year, I realized that it is very easy to fall back into the busyness of life and slip away from work, life, and health balance.

Let me go back to the summer of 2021 before my cancer diagnosis. The absolute craziness of the life of a busy surgeon was taking its toll. I was in the peak of my career, performing as many operations as ever. My hands were so overworked from operating and typing that I started getting trigger fingers and had multiple hand surgeries to repair them. In addition to being President of our large medical practice, I was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of my medical center; a consultant for a large medical device company lecturing and traveling all over the country; Chairman of the Deacon Body at Brook Hollow Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee; singing in the church choir; leading a young adult small group at our house on Sunday nights; helping my father manage our horse farm; and lastly training for a triathlon! Whoa! And why? Was I getting greedy? Was I happy? Was I spending enough time listening to God and His plan for my life? I stopped…reflected….and actually prayed about it. Let me tell you something…be careful for what you pray! I prayed God would somehow slow me down and help me find some balance in my life. If you go back and read or have read the very first couple of my blogs in 2021, you know what happened. God did answer my prayers to slow down! He did it …His way…not mine! I was diagnosed with a deadly melanoma under my thumbnail that resulted in a partial thumb amputation, a year of chemo, and the process of learning how to operate again! Be careful for what you pray!

That very day that I got the depressing call from my pathologist about my diagnosis, something else happened, likely providential. Pastor Jack Foster is my dear friend, neighbor, and one of my spiritual mentors. Unbeknownst to me, he also had been worried that I had been going too hard in life. That very day, as he was driving by my house, he felt something tug at his heart strings; he slowed his vehicle down; and he almost pulled into my driveway to confront me. He felt called by the Lord to intervene. Interestingly enough, I called him shortly thereafter with my devastating medical diagnosis. He now has walked with me on this cancer journey. Together, we have felt the process of genuine sanctification taking place in my life. God has also given me a testimony and maybe this platform to encourage others.

As I reflect on 2024, I realize that the busyness of life is creeping back in. I am now a national officer in the American Academy of Otolaryngology. I am again one of the Deacons at Brook Hollow Baptist Church. My work load is closer to the busy old days. All of these are good activities in and of themselves. As I get further removed from that year of treatment, I feel myself gaining confidence in my prognosis. In turn, I feel myself losing that sense of humility and selflessness that weighed upon me heavily going through treatment. In 2025, I am challenging myself to strive for a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep. I plan to read more and try to spend more time in prayer. I have always made time and will continue to do so for my wife, kids, and 4 beautiful grandchildren. If you are in the same situation, I ask you to re-assess your life and schedule. Prioritize your Heavenly Father, your family, your friends, and your health! Life can change quickly. Be content with today. And don’t waste another day!

Overcoming Melanoma: A Survivor’s Story

September 28, 2024September 28, 2024 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 15 Comments

Recently, a large group from our office, a total of 23 participants, completed a 5K walk/run called Sherry’s Run. It is near the Lebanon office of our company, Allergy & ENT Associates of Middle Tennessee. Sherry’s Hope is an organization that raises awareness and money for families of cancer patients in Lebanon, Tennessee, and surrounding communities. It helps these families with all types of expenses, particularly non-medical expenses. Several hundred thousand dollars of assistance were provided this past year. Here is an excerpt from the Sherry’s Hope website:

“What started as a love for one woman has turned into an explosion of grace for this community. No one that gathered together on that Saturday in September 2004 could have ever imagined that one 5K event called Sherry’s Run would grow into a Christ-centered, grassroots, non-profit organization called Sherry’s Hope that works year-round to serve our neighbors in Wilson County (TN) and the surrounding communities who are battling cancer.”

Along with so many of my employees, my wife Kellee also participated with me. Participants may choose to not only have a race number, but they can also place names of people who hold a special place in their lives and have battled cancer. I got the “honor” of wearing a “Cancer Survivor” number in lieu of a number. Although I had not been training much secondary to some tendinitis, I was able to run the entire race on adrenaline. I have recently passed three-year mark from my diagnosis, and I felt very blessed to be alive. I was also grateful to be able to run 3.2 miles. I got tears in my eyes several times as runners noticed my “Cancer Survivor” status and gave me words of encouragement. Over the past 3 years, my staff walked and prayed right along side me through my cancer journey. They took time out of their Saturday to participate. It was great to feel their love and encouragement. There were over 2800 participants, and it was great to feel a sense of community.

As I write this blog, I am reminded that as I get further away from my cancer diagnosis, I have slowly returned to a more normal life. This life is no longer centered around treatments and round after round of imaging and surveillance. I have also discovered that is easy to get wrapped up in the usual activities of daily living and lose focus on some of the balance and priorities that gave me such peace even though I was going through treatment. I apologize for getting out of the habit of updating my blog. So many of my patients follow along and have inquired about my health status lately.

As I mentioned in my last blog, cancer patients have a lot of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual stress. They endure this stress going through “cancer surveillance,” which involves regular checkups with physical exam, lab work, and imaging studies. One term I learned was “scanxiety,” which is a real emotion. My last battery of tests was on May 2, 2024. I was blessed to be cancer free at that time! My next round of tests is on November 7, 2024, and the “scanxiety” has returned! It is hard to turn my mind from the fear and anxiety of what those scans may find. I keep wondering if I will get a clean bill of health or not. I know my hope rests in God Almighty. He is in control, regardless of what happens here on earth. My human side has a hard time giving it all up to Him like I should.

I don’t believe I ever shared the gravity of what I was facing 3 years ago. The type of melanoma that I had is called acral or subungual melanoma and is very deadly. With the depth of my tumor and the histologic features, my overall prognosis at the time was very poor. Typically, with the stage of my tumor, only about 60% of patients survive one year. About 40% of patients survive 3 years. The advent of some of the newer immunotherapy drugs are improving survival rates. If my next round of tests reveals no evidence of recurrent disease, then I will be past the 3-year mark! So, this next round is a HUGE milestone for me. I will still be high risk, but with an improved prognosis! Typically, if a patient with my diagnosis makes it 5 years, then the long-term survival rate is much better.

So, in just a few weeks, I will again undergo a comprehensive battery of tests, all in one day. No matter how well I feel…no matter how confident I am that my surveillance will turn out favorably…there is a strong wave of anxiety that hits me about 1-2 weeks before the testing. My mind tends to turn toward the statistics, my own mortality, the “what ifs,” and thoughts of receiving terrible news. With this day approaching, I continue to rediscover the peace of Christ. I also find the ability to live in the present. I appreciate one day at a time. I appreciate your love and support. For those who follow my cancer story, you know that it is still being written. I continue to be completely transparent with you. So far, I continue to be cancer free. I feel like God is restoring me to share my testimony. He is giving me the ability to comfort other cancer patients.

May God bless you!

Dr. B

Melanoma Update

March 15, 2024September 28, 2024 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 24 Comments

I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that I am a surgeon who became at patient and then documented my journey in this blog. After undergoing surgery, I completed a yearlong treatment plan of chemoimmunotherapy infusions, having completed my last infusion on June 29, 2022. This blog recounts my story with a focus on a surgeon who became a patient, melanoma awareness, and the intersection of medicine and faith.

This blog was started to keep my patients informed of my progress. As I have continued to feel better, my surgical practice has ramped back up to normal. And I have taken on some additional work responsibilities. I was elected as the Secretary of the Private Practice Section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery.

But as is typical of any major health crisis or really any major life crisis that effects behavioral changes for the better in our lives, it is easy to get busy with work and fall back into old habits. I have not been updating my blog lately, but plan to keep it more updated. Also, when one feels better physically and spiritually, it is easy to drift into old habits. I teach a young adult group in our home on Sunday nights. I always tell my group that you never drift into good habits, only bad ones. Anything you do to improve yourself is intentional, not something into which you drift. So in this new year of 2024, I have tried to refocus on wellness to help my body continue to battle this melanoma. I have been intentional on getting enough sleep. I have been working out more regularly and giving up sweets. Lastly, during the Lenten season, I have tried to refocus spiritually.

Things we can control such as our sleep pattern, our diet, our exercise pattern, our stress level, and our spirituality can work together to reduce chronic inflammation in our bodies. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, science has shown that chronic inflammation in the body aids and abets tumor biology, helping tumors either develop or progress more rapidly. Some of the inflammation caused by tumors is from genetic mutations and intrinsic factors of the tumors beyond our control. But a lot of extrinsic factors can also cause chronic inflammation such as chronic infections, an inflammatory diet high in sugar, autoimmune diseases, obesity, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption.

My last two rounds of laboratory work up and extensive imaging were in May and November of 2023. They revealed that I continue to have no evidence of recurrent melanoma cancer. Because of the stage of my melanoma and the tumor biology (acral type with high mitosis and ulceration), I remain at very high risk for recurrence. My type of melanoma tends to be very aggressive and many do not survive the first three years. However, the risk for this type of melanoma is more “front loaded,” meaning that as time goes on, my risk starts to drop. I have another round of imaging on May 2, 2024. I am praying for continued good news, because that is near the three year mark, when my risk begins to drop some, and my prognosis improves.

I am planning a big celebration that weekend if all is good…more on that later. I pledge to keep all those who are following more informed! And let’s all focus on wellness. Let me know if you want me to start writing about more specifics.

Lastly, for those in the Nashville, Tennessee, area and beyond, feel free to tune in to Morningline with Nick Beres on Monday, March 18, as we do a one hour live show discussing Springtime allergies and impact on our health. (https://www.newschannel5.com/plus/morningline)

I appreciate all the love and support!

My Melanoma Story

May 3, 2023 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 17 Comments

Recently Momentum Magazine, a publication of the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, featured my story in an article. I am posting the link below for anyone that has not had a chance to see the actual magazine. I appreciate your continued support and prayers. My next round of scans are in 3 three weeks.

Good Save

Another Round of Tests

February 25, 2023February 27, 2023 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 27 Comments

When I see a new patient in the office, I typically review their list of current medications, any drug allergies listed, past medical history (conditions such as hypertension or diabetes), past surgical history (previous operations), past family history, and social history (marital status, occupation, habits such tobacco or alcohol). Knowing about the whole person enables me to treat their head and neck condition better, because everything is connected. For instance, if a patient presents with epistaxis (nose bleeding), it is obvious that I need to know if they are on any blood thinners and the condition for which they take them. In the past, before I became a cancer patient, when reviewing the past medical history, I would often note that a patient had a history of cancer. I would make a mental note, but not really let that diagnosis sink in or identify with the emotional and physical stress through which that patient had endured. I would just assume they were a cancer survivor and doing well. It simply did not resonate with me. Even with my own head and neck cancer patients that I followed for years, I never really grasped the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual stress they would endure as I performed my own “cancer surveillance”, which involved regular checkups with physical exam, lab work, and imaging studies for years. One term I learned was “scanxiety,” which is a real emotion.

So, I just completed a comprehensive battery of tests, all in one day. Here is how it goes in the day of the life of patient being monitored for recurrent cancer. No matter how well I feel or how confident I am that my surveillance will turn out favorably, there is a strong wave of anxiety that hits me about 1-2 weeks before the testing. My mind tends to turn toward the statistics, my own mortality, the “what ifs,” and thoughts of receiving terrible news. I think about my family, my career, and the prospect of having to undergo more treatment. My mind will turn to terrifying thoughts of not being around longer with my wife Kellee, or to see my kids thrive in their careers, or see my grandchildren grow up. This time, I felt different. Leading up to my big day, I had so many patients stop and ask how I was doing or tell me that they were praying for me. On a particular Thursday at our office location in Lebanon, Tennessee, just one week before all my tests, an unusual amount of patients expressed their love and concern all day long. My final patient of that day, a pastor who was being scheduled for an extensive sinus operation, said that he wanted first to hear about my progress and my own health. Next, after reviewing his sinus CT scan and discussing risks and benefits of his upcoming surgery, he prayed over me at the end of his visit. My nurse Jasmine and I talked after clinic how reassuring that day had been, and how we had felt the hand of God. For those of you who have been following my journey, you have read about my faith and how, out of nowhere, old hymns just fill my head, comforting me when I need it most. Just 2 days prior to my testing, the hymns returned, and filled my head for two solid days and nights, giving me some of the best sleep I had experienced in days. I honestly felt that I had some providential signs that all would be OK.

On the big day, I reported early to the hospital, to the cancer lab where I received an IV. From the plethora of IV infusions and IV imaging studies, my veins are scarred, making IV access difficult. I always dread the IV placement. Next, a battery of lab tests are drawn, assessing my blood counts, my electrolytes, my kidney function, my thyroid function, and my liver function, among others as abnormal bloodwork can sometimes be a marker for recurrent disease. My next stop was the MRI scanner where my brain would be scanned. I am claustrophobic, and I typically prefer an “open air” scanner. When I arrived at the MRI suite, much to my surprise, I was scheduled for a brain scan in a closed scanner. With this type of scanner, one is slid up into the scanner, with your head being nearly completely enclosed, with what feels like just a couple inches of space around your entire head, worse than being in a coffin. I was terrified, so I just began to pray, holding a small wooden cross that has accompanied me to all my treatments and tests. I drifted off into sleep very quickly as I prayed, a very deep sleep, again experiencing what I felt was the peace of Christ. I woke up just as the scan was finished, as if the whole process was just the blink of an eye. During this scan, intravenous contrast was injected into my veins, and one feels a warm rush as the contrast dye feels your body, highlighting the blood vessels on the images.

Next, still with the IV, it was off to the CT scanner, where I received yet another round of intravenous contrast, and I underwent imaging of my right arm, the side of my melanoma, looking for any evidence of recurrent disease in my hand all the way up to the area in my axilla where typically a cancer may spread to the lymph nodes. Next, remaining in the CT scanner, I underwent scanning of my entire chest, abdomen, and pelvis. For acral melanoma, the most likely places where the cancer cells would recur would be locally, in the regional lymph nodes, in the brain, in the lung, or in the liver.

My next stop that day was to see my Oncologist to review all the lab work and all the imaging studies. As a patient, I have begun to realize how stressful this process is for my own patients, who live from scan to scan to scan….

So…… I was so happy to receive the good news that all of my bloodwork was perfect, and that the imaging studies of my brain, my right upper extremity, my chest, my abdomen, and my pelvis demonstrated no evidence of the presence of any cancer!

I appreciate your love and support. For those who follow my cancer story, you know that it is still being written, and I continue to be completely transparent with you. I continue to be cancer free, and feel like God is restoring me to share my testimony and to give comfort to other cancer patients. My next round of testing is schedule for May 25, 2023, where the process repeats itself!

May God bless you!

Dr. B

A Christmas Message

December 21, 2022December 21, 2022 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 25 Comments

I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that I am a surgeon who became at patient and then documented my journey in this blog. After undergoing surgery, I completed a yearlong treatment plan of chemoimmunotherapy infusions, having completed my last infusion on June 29, 2022. So far, I have remained free of any recurrent cancer, and my next set of comprehensive imaging studies are scheduled for January 26, 2023.

For Christians like me, the Advent season, in preparation for Christmas, brings lots of emotions. This past weekend, I was overwhelmed with many emotions, one of which was simply gratitude for another year. My wife Kellee and I attended a Zach Williams concert this past Saturday, like the Zach Williams concert we attended a year ago, on November 28, 2021. However, the circumstances were very different a year ago: I was in the middle of chemoimmunotherapy infusions and had just been involved in an accident with broken ribs and a collapsed lung for which I spent 3 days in the hospital. I was weak and barely able to even walk, but I was not going to miss Zach Williams, whose music had been so comforting to me during my treatment.

For those of you who know me well, you know I love the state of Tennessee and that I love music. Living in “Music City USA”, we have a great place to hear live music, and Kellee and I have taken full advantage of that this Christmas season. Music sometimes helps us see life through a different lens, giving us a different perspective. Kellee and I have been blessed this year by the hearts of entertainers we have heard this year. Starting the week of Thanksgiving, we heard Tracy Lawrence and friends at his annual Mission Possible Benefit concert. Tracy Lawrence has a big heart, and raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to help a population of people who are less fortunate. He believes that in the United States that no one, no matter what their circumstance, should go hungry or without a roof over their head.

Next, we were in Las Vegas at the National Finals Rodeo, usually an annual trip for us. Kellee and I first started going with my buddy Daryle Singletary, a great singer and good friend who we lost in 2018… I still miss him dearly. In Vegas, we saw George Strait live. The lyrics of his song “I Saw God Today” always move me:

“I’ve been to church
I’ve read the book
I know He’s here
But I don’t look
Near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should

His fingerprints are everywhere
I just look down and stop and stare
Open my eyes and then I swear
I saw God today”

On that same trip, we also attended an Aaron Watson concert, whom I have heard several times. He always talks about God in his concerts. He sang a song he wrote about one of the best bull riders ever, Lane Frost, who died in the arena at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is called “July in Cheyenne (Song for Lane’s Momma),” and he shared that Lane’s mother’s best memory of Lane had nothing to do with bull riding, but about Lane’s decision to become a follower of Christ before he died.

Our musical journey this Christmas season continued this past week back in Nashville at Christmas at the Ryman with Amy Grant and Vince Gill. At one point, the whole audience stood up and sang Christmas hymns together at the “Mother Church” of Country Music. Finally, we attended the Zach Williams concert this past weekend at the beautiful Fisher Center at Belmont University. Ben Fuller opened and shared his testimony. Zach Williams always shares his testimony at the concerts we have attended. They both talked about finding God and their faith after trying just about everything else for satisfaction to no avail. But a unique event happened at the end of the concert. Celebrating the end of their tour, they closed with a Communion service for the whole audience and the band onstage. Wow!

All this is to say that I am grateful for another year, grateful for music, grateful for singers with big hearts, grateful for my health care providers, grateful for my family, and grateful for God who gives me peace and reassurance. Christians are far from perfect people, but we do have comfort in Christ who was born to live in perfection, and save us for from our sins, with the promise of an eternal life. Christians come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but really are together as one in the body of Christ. If you are hurting, suffering, feeling ashamed of your past, or whatever it is, just know that God is way bigger than all that, and can wipe it all away and give you peace and comfort. This past Sunday, at Brook Hollow Baptist Church in Nashville, TN, Pastor Tom Gholson preached from Matthew 1:18-25, a passage where the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, told him not to be afraid, and revealed the coming birth of Jesus, Immanuel, “God with Us.” During the Christmas season, I choose not to live in fear as we celebrate the birth of Christ.

Thanks for all the kind words and prayers. I will continue to keep you updated on my progress!

Scan Results…365 Days Later

July 21, 2022July 21, 2022 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 30 Comments

Exactly one year ago today, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that my life changed suddenly at that time. Three weeks ago, I completed my 10^th and FINAL infusion of a drug named Keytruda, marking a full year of chemoimmunotherapy.

This week, I have again reflected on the past year, and it seems almost surreal the course of my life over the past year. It is completely and transparently chronicled in my previous blogs, all of which are available on this website. As most of you know who have been following my journey, it all began with a pigmented spot under my thumbnail of my dominant right hand. Exactly 365 days ago on this date, I received a phone call while I was in the operating room performing procedures on my own patients. The call revealed to me the pathology to be acral subungual malignant melanoma.

The following days, weeks, and months were a blur of imaging studies, doctor visits, surgery, and IV infusions. In addition, there were major life decisions and rebalancing of my life. I underwent surgery on August 4, 2021, an amputation of half of my dominant right-hand thumb along with a sentinel node biopsy in my axilla. Then I started the Keytruda infusions. I battled the fatigue that goes along with chemoimmunotherapy. Over time, the process becomes more burdensome in many ways. An example of such is the simple (or not so simple) process of finding veins for the infusions because my arms developed so much scarring from all the IVs. Along the way, I survived a terrible bicycle wreck that put me in the Trauma Unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

In addition, I retrained my hands to be able to perform surgery, and my patient population was so supportive. I get emotional thinking about the patients for whom I have cared over the years. For many years, I remember how I revealed various diagnoses to them; how I walked with them through valleys and mountaintops; how I was a part of helping many head and neck cancer patients achieve victory over their cancer; and how I have laughed, hugged, and prayed over them. And I cannot express how supportive they have been to me, now returning the favor. Many patients follow this blog, and I have been hugged and prayed over too numerous times to count in my clinic since my diagnosis. The physician-patient relationship was transformed and deepened in many circumstances. It has been an interesting period of my life, in which I am a patient for a few days, then I regroup and become a physician again for a short time, and then repeat the process.

I cannot begin to express my love and gratitude for all my family and friends who continue to support me and Kellee. My immediate family and extended family have been there all the way. To Kellee, Alex, Brad, Gray, Molly, Bradley, Jack, and soon to be Caroline…. my love for you has given me the strength to battle every day. I cannot thank enough my Brook Hollow Baptist Church family, Pastor Tom Gholson, and Pastor Jack Foster for the spiritual support. And many thanks to The Heimerdinger Foundation for the all the healthy immune boosting meals, and of course to Sally Bars for making my favorite post infusion meal every time (best chicken parmesan around!) I want to thank my work family, my physician partners and my medical staff, all of whom really are like family to me. Finally, I express sincere gratitude for all the physicians, nurses, and support staff who have been a part of my stellar healthcare team!

Now for the good news, my whole-body imaging studies at the one-year mark revealed no evidence of recurrent disease or any evidence of metastatic melanoma. For now, I am clear! Praise God! And I promised Him that if He restored me to health that I would do my best to honor Him in every word, every thought, and every deed. I am human, but I continue to strive to keep that promise.

I feel extremely grateful. I am going to try to regain strength (takes a few months for Keytruda to completely leave the system). I will play some golf with my Dad, finally get to travel a little bit with Kellee, spend some time on the farm (picture below is worth a thousand words), and hopefully wet a line soon. And of course, I will keep taking care of patients, keep being thankful, and keep praying for those in need. I have felt your prayers and will return the favor!

I have repeat labs and whole-body imaging again in 3 months.

Bradley and I walking Duke back to the barn!

One Year Later

July 3, 2022July 3, 2022 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 22 Comments

I am a surgeon who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that my life changed suddenly at that time. This past week I completed my 10^th and FINAL infusion of a drug named Keytruda, marking almost a full year of therapy. I would like to share a synopsis of my journey over the past year.

This week, as I have reflected, it seems almost surreal the course of my life over the past year. It is completely and transparently chronicled in my previous blogs, all of which are available in this website. As most of you know, it all began with a pigmented spot under my thumbnail of my dominant right hand, for which I sought medical treatment and for which an initial biopsy was found to be benign. But after several years of non-healing and seeking medical care, I decided, as an ENT surgeon, to biopsy my own finger on July 16, 2021. This process was described in my very first blog. The pathology was revealed to be acral subungual malignant melanoma. I was notified of my diagnosis on July 21, 2021, between cases on a day I was operating.

The following days, weeks, and months were a blur of imaging studies, doctor visits, surgery, and IV infusions. In addition, there were major life decisions and rebalancing of my life. Finally, there was a lot of soul searching and search for truth, as I was facing the worst form of melanoma (acral) that had grown very deep, and potentially with a grim and terminal prognosis.

The ensuing days brought some great news as all my imaging studies came back free of obvious spread of metastatic disease. Prayers continued to be answered. I was scheduled for surgery on August 4, 2021, underwent amputation of half of my dominant right-hand thumb along with a sentinel node biopsy, which revealed my sentinel lymph node to be clear, another answered prayer, with an interesting reveal of that path which is explained in my blog dated September 30, 2021.

Personally, my wife Kellee has been such a rock for me through this whole process. Words cannot describe her strength, support, faith, and unconditional love for me. We made some major life decisions to sell our house, downsize to a smaller home, rebalance our financial picture, reconnect with our family and friends, and focus more on heavenly things, not knowing what my future might be. WOW! What a sense of joy and peace entered our lives.

My journey included the process of retraining my hands as a surgeon, and relearning surgical skills, allowing me the awesome privilege of returning to the operating room, to allow my hands to heal others. It also included revisiting a healthier lifestyle as it relates to diet and exercise, some of which I have shared and more to come. I continued to try to exercise as much as possible to combat the side effect of fatigue from the Keytruda, complicated by a terrible road bicycle wreck. I was admitted to a Trauma ward for multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung requiring a chest tube, bilateral pulmonary contusions, and a mediastinal hemorrhage!

My Last Infusion:

I described my first IV infusion in the blog dated October 31, 2021. I mentioned how a wonderful nurse named Melissa showed such compassionate care for me and Kellee. She sensed our anxiety and fear, realizing the emotional toil we experienced from not knowing my medical prognosis, not knowing whether my surgical career would be impacted, and not knowing our financial future. She prayed over us at a time that we really needed it. Both Kellee and I have been more aware of providential moments that maybe we did not recognize in the past. We really felt Melissa was sent to us from God above at a time when we needed it. At the infusion clinic, we usually have different nurses assigned to infuse my chemotherapy based on many factors, usually nurse availability. They are not pre-assigned. Well, this week, at my 10^th and final infusion, guess who was assigned to administer my IV infusion of Keytruda…Melissa! Sometimes God winks at us if we only would stop long enough to realize it!

So here I am, almost a year later! I feel somewhat awkward writing about myself and wondered if anyone at all would even have the least bit of interest in reading it. Upon receiving my diagnosis, I was immediately out of the office for a couple of months, and my patients were informed that I was on “medical leave.” After 24 years of having a physician-patient relationship with many of them and their families, they really cared to know what was going on; therefore, I decided to be completely transparent and basically make my journal public in the form of this blog. I was just a personal decision, and debatable as to whether it was smart professionally. I decided that if I could give peace and comfort to one patient it would be worth it. To date I have been overwhelmed by the responses of my readers. Collectively, my blogs have been read almost 10,000 times by several thousand readers all over the globe.

I cannot begin to express my love and gratitude for all my family and friends who continue to support me and Kellee. There are way too many to mention, and you know who you are. As a Christian, I believe in God, and a life in heaven after this worldly life. I believe that all one must do is to accept Jesus Christ as the One who atones for all our past sin, with the immediate gift of salvation (justification). However, sanctification is a process of becoming more Christ-like over time. This past year has not caused me to question, but has actually further affirmed my Christian world view. It has effected in me a more profound, deep process of sanctification. May God bless you all!

I have my one-year whole body scans this coming Friday and will let you know!

Anti-Cancer Lifestyle Part 2 and My Medical Progress

June 10, 2022June 10, 2022 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 8 Comments

I am a surgeon who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that my life changed suddenly at that time. I underwent amputation of half of my dominant right-hand thumb, underwent a sentinel node biopsy, and now am receiving a year of infusions of a drug called Keytruda.

I underwent my 9^th out of 10 planned infusions of Keytruda on May 19, 2022. I am nearing the finish line! For the melanoma cancer patients following along, I have begun to experience more side effects from the Keytruda than in the past, but overall, I continue to tolerate treatment well without any major complications. I have more fatigue, more gastrointestinal side effects, elevated blood pressure, and some skin sensitivity. The drug which I am receiving has a “half-life” of 22 days, which is a medical term that us doctors know means that it is slowly building up in my system over a year and will take 3-4 months to get completely out of my system when I am finished. I am continuing to perform my work as an ENT surgeon without any issues, albeit with a slightly reduced patient load. Finally, as my life has gotten back to some normalcy, I continue to rest in my faith in God…that He has a purpose and plan for my life. Spending time reflecting on Him is a task that required me to be more intentional as my schedule has gotten busy again. I do not want to forget my mindset early in my treatment plan when I was trusting in Him only and just living each day in the moment.

I continue to strive toward my goal of the healthiest lifestyle I can achieve to boost my immune system and decrease inflammation in my body. Despite the fatigue associated with my Keytruda infusions, I strive to exercise 6 days a week. My passions are walking/jogging, bicycling, strength training, Pilates, and golf! I would like to share with you some of the benefits of exercise. Then I will close this blog out with some personal updates.

Cancer outcomes in general are greatly improved by daily exercise, as are many diseases. The National Cancer Institute (branch of the NIH) notes that exercise lowers levels of hormones and growth factors that have been associated with cancer development and progression, prevents high levels of insulin, reduces inflammation, improves immune system function, and helps to prevent obesity (a major risk factor for many types of cancer). A study in 2019 reviewed 45 reports comprising hundreds of epidemiologic studies with millions of participants. It revealed that there was strong evidence for an association between higher levels of physical activity and reduced risks for bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, kidney, and stomach cancers. The same study found that there were also moderate associations between greater amounts of physical activity and decreased mortality rates in people with a diagnosis of breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer, with relative risk reductions ranging from 40-50 percent! (Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jun;51(6);1252-1261, lead author out of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA)

From the book “Anti Cancer, a New Way of Life” by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, the author describes the body in motion: “There are many different ways to tell our body it matters, that it is loved and respected, and to get it to sense its own desire to live. The best way is to let it practice what it is designed for: movement and physical activity. Several studies have demonstrated that the regulation and defense mechanisms that contribute to fighting cancer can be directly stimulated by exercise.” So get out there and move folks!

Personally, Kellee and I have had a couple a happy life events this Spring. Our son, Gray, got married to his new bride, Molly, on April 23, 2022. Then, on Monday, May 9, 2022, both Molly and Gray graduated from medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. They are now Dr. Gray Bryant and Dr. Molly Hanna Bryant. Gray will be training in Internal Medicine and is interested in specializing in Oncology. Molly will be training in Pediatrics and has for many years felt the calling to care for the health and well-being of children. Kellee and I also have had the opportunity to spend a couple of vacations with our daughter Alex, son-in-law Brad, and grandsons, Bradley and Jack. My happiest time on earth is spending time with my family.

New Medical Doctors Gray and Molly with parents and grandparents

I have my last Keytruda infusion on June 30, 2022, followed by my one-year imaging studies (CT scans of my right upper extremity, chest, abdomen, and pelvis) on July 8, 2022. Thanks to all of you for following my journey. We have become a community, and I have had lots of feedback from others following this blog on their cancer journey, some with grateful highs and some with disappointing lows. I will continue to pray for you guys. I continue to be blessed with the love and support of my family and friends.

When Life Gets Tough

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 / Dr. Lee Bryant / 20 Comments

I am a surgeon who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that my life changed suddenly at that time. I underwent amputation of half of my dominant right-hand thumb, underwent a sentinel node biopsy, and now am receiving a year of infusions of a drug called Keytruda.

I have not put a blog out in the past few weeks, the reason being that I just have not felt well. To date, I have been very transparent with my readers; and at the encouragement of Pastor Jack Foster, I have decided to share with you all my progress with complete honesty. Most of my blogs have been uplifting and encouraging because I share the truth. But sometimes life gets tough. Please read all the way to the end today to find out my current status.

After my last infusion of Keytruda on February 23, 2022, I had a few good days, and then completely lost my energy. For those who read my last blog on my “Anti-Cancer Lifestyle,” I will say that when one feels bad physically, it is so easy to “fall off the wagon” with regard to healthy routines. I found myself tired and wanting to sleep more, foregoing my early morning workouts. I found myself wanting to eat more comfort foods and less of the nutritious, immune boosting foods mentioned in my last blog. I found myself cutting back on my quiet daily devotionals and on my commitment to read more and be online less. As a physician, I have always known this intellectually; but I now have experienced firsthand how a physical setback can really alter healthy routines and simply give one a bad attitude. I was in a state of fighting through the workday and coming home exhausted. And my usually positive attitude took a turn for the worse. In hindsight, much of my physical setback was related to a 10-day upper respiratory infection right after my last infusion along with a cracked tooth that caused fairly intense pain for a month. As an ENT surgeon, I know that odontogenic issues can make one systemically ill. Thank God for my good friend and dentist, Dr. Matt Gorham, who made a special trip into the office to give me complete relief on a day outside of his regular schedule!

Well, I am feeling way better now, and my attitude has improved. I tried to think back in time to another period of my life when I had a bad attitude that got corrected. Let me share with you a true patient story from over 20 years ago in 2001. There is a letter I have kept in my Bible since 2001 to remind me how sometimes things are not always what they seem, and how we do not always know God’s plan for us. Here is the background:

I was called late one day to the ICU at Summit Medical Center in Nashville, TN, where I had staff privileges. Over the years, I have served in various leadership roles there, including 5 years as Chief of Surgery, 6 years on the Board of Trustees, and 3 years as Chair of the Board of Trustees. This time, I was called to see a man named Dale. He had been in the ICU on a ventilator for many days with multi-organ system failure. These were his conditions: 1. lungs were failing (ARDS- acute respiratory distress syndrome); 2. Heart was failing (CHF- congestive heart failure); 3. Kidneys were failing (ARI- acute renal insufficiency); 4. Abdominal issues; 5: Overwhelming infection from his abdominal issues (abdominal sepsis); and others. The only organ system that still functioned was his central nervous system, his brain. However, because he was on a ventilator, he was sedated with medication to be able to be comfortable (pharmacologically paralyzed and sedated) so he was unable to communicate with anyone. I was called to see him in consultation, and to place a tracheostomy to make him more comfortable on the ventilator and prevent long term sequelae of an endotracheal tube sitting in his throat. And I am being completely honest, I had a terrible attitude! I told his ICU nurses that this man had no chance for meaningful survival, and that me performing the operation was not only very risky but ultimately it would make no difference in his outcome. To be completely honest, I made the most horrible and crass statement that brings tears to my eyes now as I type it. I said, “this man has one foot on a banana peel, and one foot in the grave,” and in my opinion I should not be performing this operation. Obviously, my words were only to the medical care team, and I showed kindness to his family, from whom I obtained informed consent for the operation. The procedure went flawlessly and allowed the patient to be awakened, and communicate with his family, which he did. And as I predicted, he died a couple of weeks later, and I had that “I told you so” attitude. So how did my attitude change?…..READ ON…because this is worth reading.

A couple of weeks after the patient passed, I received this letter in the mail. I will share it verbatim.

“Dr. Bryant-

I wanted to thank you for the care, concern, and Christian witness you were willing to share with me prior to the successful tracheal operation you performed on my father. As you are probably aware, he passed away on Tuesday. What you are probably not aware of is that he was an unsaved man. Just prior to his death on Tuesday morning, I was able to go over the plan of salvation one more time with him. Just one hour before his death he accepted Jesus Chris as his Lord and Savior. God worked through you to give my father the extra time he needed.

Thank You-

Scott ___, son of Dale ___”

Wow! From then on, I NEVER EVER questioned why I was called to trach a patient. I took that letter and read it to the ICU nurses, and I apologized to them for my bad attitude preoperatively. This story exemplifies how joy comes out of circumstances that we deem to be terrible.

About my treatment, I feel like the letter expressed… that God is giving me the extra time that I need, and I need to be good steward of that time, with a good attitude. The great news is that I underwent extensive imaging studies earlier this week on Wednesday, April 6, and my scans were all completely clear now 9 months out from my diagnosis. I had an infusion of Keytruda just yesterday, April 7, and have had no side effects from it. I have now completed 8 infusions with only two more to go. I am back on track with my wellness lifestyle. May God bless you all!

Thank you Molly!

Thank you for the update Lee! You have given even your suffering to God and He has used it to…

Thank you for the wise words, brother. I pray God continues to use you for His purposes. Justin

Thanks! And blessings to you!

Amen. Thank you. Many of us needed to hear this. Be content in each day. Blessings to you Dr. Bryant.

Dr. Lee Bryant

Physician Becomes the Patient

Physician Surgeon Patient