March 6, 2024A Life-Changing Diagnosis
A two-time, hall-of-fame collegiate athlete, Michael Emerick appeared the cliché of health. And until late 2021, the co-owner of 30A rental management company Oversee, husband and father, was living the good life.
But in late 2021, an intruder threatened to take everything from the 34-year-old.
Over the course of six days, Michael went from reporting stomach pains to being diagnosed with stage 3C retroperitoneal primary nonseminoma germ cell cancer. Or, in fewer words, testicular cancer.
Though his disease was not your average testicular cancer and the most advanced of its kind, Michael’s optimistic disposition helped him face his new reality without (too much) fear. “Testicular cancer has a high survival rate,” he said. “I thought, ‘I have to go through this terrible experience, but I’m healthy. I can handle it.’”
The Battle Begins
Soon, Michael was reclined in a chair overlooking Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, while a strong cocktail of chemotherapy coursed through his chest port for five hours. He did this 28 times over 12 weeks — every day managing to walk four miles (give or take) and squeeze in as many push-ups and air squats he could find the energy for. Through the stress — and nausea — he even cooked meals so his wife, who was pregnant with their second, didn’t have to.
Upon ringing the bell after his final treatment, Michael’s blood work indicated the chemo did its job. But follow-up scans showed otherwise. “There were masses all over my abdomen,” he said. “Everywhere. I was like, ‘Oh no.’”
A Grim Prognosis
The facility had the reputation of being top-notch, yet Michael’s disease was so rare, they had never actually treated a case of it. And the most recent study on it was 30 years old. With that, they sent Michael to Houston.
There, Michael underwent what was supposed to be an exploratory surgery to identify the remaining masses. “I was told there were three scenarios. The masses could be dead tissue from the original cancer; they could be teratoma tumors, which are rare in adults and need to be removed surgically; or they could be some unlikely and wildly deadly cancer mutation.”
Cut to surgery day and Michael was told it was indeed the worst-case scenario: His original cancer had transformed into deadly adenocarcinoma. “It’s diffused…It’s everywhere,” the surgeon said. “There’s nothing we can do.”
Michael’s medical team gave him one year at best, with “very few good months remaining.” The findings were so grim, they explained, that a second opinion would only waste valuable time.
Seeking Hope
A lifetime with Michael would never be enough, said his family, let alone a “few good months.” So, they went against the doctors’ advice.
After many calls, and many pleas for help, one name kept rising to the surface: Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, a legendary oncologist who discovered the cure for testicular cancer more than 40 years ago. “We were grateful to have a lead,” Michael’s sister, Jaclyn Byrer, said. “But we also knew there was a possibility that Dr. Einhorn wouldn’t take Michael’s case on, or worse, he would come to the same conclusion as the other doctors.”
Meanwhile, Michael tried to return to daily life. “I remember watching my daughter put Easter eggs in a basket, thinking, ‘Is this the last Easter I get to spend with her?’”
Not long after, Dr. Einhorn called and cut right to it: “I’m looking at Michael’s records, and they’re not adding up,” he said. The pathology report showed Michael had teratoma tumors — and lots of them — but that they had not mutated. As long as they were extracted surgically, they wouldn’t carry a death sentence. “This is a stay of execution,” Dr. Einhorn said.
Less than a month later, Michael woke from a 10-hour surgery performed in Indiana by Dr. Einhorn’s surgical team. They extracted three-and-a-half pounds of teratoma tumors around his aortic and mesenteric arteries, spinal cord, liver, kidney and other vital organs.
For the first few days, he couldn’t open his eyes without them fluttering.
For six weeks, he wasn’t allowed to pick up his daughter.
For two months, he couldn’t walk around the block without needing to sit.
Today, he deals with Raynaud’s syndrome, unpredictable blood pressure dips, and shortness of breath.
“Recovering from that surgery was much, much harder than chemo,” Michael said. “Last year was easily the most difficult period of my life. But also completely worth it to no longer need to think about how to create reminders for my daughter of what her dad was like.”
Giving Back
Michael’s second chance at life has inspired him to do what he can to support others affected by cancer. This includes donating to Dr. Einhorn’s research through Indiana University as well as working with Lighthouse, a small and compassionate charity that covers the cost of vacation rental homes so families affected by childhood cancer can enjoy a free vacation.
“Our Oversee homeowners provide Lighthouse with homes so families can rest, laugh and reconnect for a week or so,” said Michael. “We hope it’s more than a vacation, that the experience brings families closer.”
A Bright Future
It has been a year since that life-saving surgery, and Michael is — incredibly — in medical remission. He’s also one of the more than 300,000 young, otherwise healthy men who have been saved as a direct result of Dr. Einhorn’s discoveries.
Michael’s son will celebrate his first birthday on August 18th. His name is Rook Lawrence, after Dr. Einhorn. And while Michael’s future looks bright, the reality is it’s as equally unpredictable as anyone’s. His past, on the other hand, offers much more clarity: Second opinions — and advocating for yourself and loved ones — can save lives.
