The challenge, it seems, never ends.
For more than 30 years, former Newtown resident Adam Hyman has been battling health issues while trying to maintain a somewhat normal lifestyle.
By normal, we mean the ability to run again, whether it’s three hours to complete a marathon…or six.
Due to a rare disease — Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome — he first suffered as a teenager, Hyman has learned to make do without essential body parts.
In 2018-19, he required a kidney transplant and was lucky enough to find a donor.
However, these types of cures usually are only somewhat temporary.
Now he’s going to require another healthy kidney and that’s a new mountain to climb.
Six years ago, Hyman explained what this sort of situation entails.
“You have no choice, you have to overcome it,” he said. “It’s a stumble in the road and you just have to go over it.
“I’ve been through so much in my life. Doctors have already presented (kidney) dialysis as an option and there’s no way I want to deal with that. They said, ‘why?’ I said I’ve been hooked to machines my whole life. I’m totally over that. I don’t want to do it.”
In a recent telephone interview, Hyman expressed similar feelings.
“It seems like this has been going on forever,” Hyman, 51, said with a sigh.
Prospective donors who might be a match can get information by going to the website pennmedicine.org (800-789-7366) and filling out the necessary form.
Hyman is hoping to find someone with a match within the next six months to a year. If not, the situation will only get more dire.
“If something can happen sooner, that’s obviously great,” said Hyman, who is employed at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “This all stems from my prior GI (gastrointestinal) stuff over the years which is the root cause.
“Basically I have such little intestinal matter left, nothing gets absorbed. That makes for a lot of trips to the bathroom. I get dehydrated and lose electrolytes. That can be damaging to a kidney and it can only take so many injuries. You have no choice but to replace it.”
When Hyman was about 13, doctors at CHOP discovered an inoperable tumor that secreted so much acid, it was literally eating the boy alive.
Surgeons had no choice but to remove his entire stomach. If not, he would have bled to death. Five years later, the condition worsened and Hyman had to undergo another series of operations. This time, large portions of his intestinal system were removed.
In his darkest hour, Hyman thought his life was over. The operating team was so uncertain of which way he was going, they left his abdomen open to save time in case of an emergency.
He recovered enough to complete his studies at George Washington High School and Beaver College.
Over the years, his fabulous race times (10 miles in an hour, half-marathon in 1:18, 10K in 36 minutes, less than three hours for the marathon) have slowed a bit but he’s still as competitive as ever.
“I’m running and walking right now,” he said. “I signed up months ago for the Philadelphia Distance Run (which was this past Sunday). I wasn’t sure if I should do that or the (accompanying) 5K. But I probably have to realize that those days are long gone.
“Until something happens (with a possible transplant), those days aren’t going to happen anymore.”
Hyman does still keep up with his running club, the Bucks County Roadrunners. He and good friend Jim Barger occasionally get out to Tyler State Park in Newtown for a run along some great roads and trails.
The outpouring of support for Hyman by fellow runners, coworkers and friends is greatly appreciated.
“It’s amazing,” Hyman said. “People say they will be happy to donate. That just gives you a sense of positivity that there are people out there who will go ahead, do it and get tested (for a match).
“That’s all you can do, have them go and get the process started. There’s a little bit of hope there. That’s what you need to see.”
One thing is for sure. The days of being tethered to a machine are over.
“I’ve said numerous times my thought process is quality of life vs. quantity of life,” Hyman said. “I just want to enjoy each day. I don’t know what’s going to happen…three months from now, six months from now. I just want to enjoy every day.”
Hopefully another miracle will happen. This is a person who deserves all the help he can get.
