Kansas City Bucket List

 Mindy Hargesheimer (00:00:00): 

Hey guys. Welcome back to the podcast. I am Mindy, your podcast host, and today I have a really special  episode. I have Matt and Chrissy Stewart, a local Kansas City couple who have a story that is, um, both  hard to think about, but also incredibly inspiring. They're a married couple, three kids, and both of them  are facing cancer. Um, I was referred to them to hear their story and it is one for the books. Literally.  They're authors. Um, they're storytellers. They have the most positive energy, and we talk about them  really grabbing life by the brains embracing it and spending the time that they have doing all the things, of  course, that they wanna be doing the most. Um, they're funny in their storytelling. They are, um,  straightforward in how this approach and journey has been for them. Um, and they are truly contagious in  the way that they are looking at life and how to make the most of the time that they have. And there are so  many ways that we can support them. And I hope that you guys listen to this episode. I hope that you  enjoy them as much as I did, and that you can support them in all the things that they're doing. Um, 'cause  they're an incredible couple with an incredible family that, um, I can't wait for you to hear their story. 

(00:01:21): 

Well, thank you so much for coming in for the podcast. We have Matt and Chrissy Stewart here. So  excited to have you guys in. Thanks 

Chrissy Stewart (00:01:26): 

For having us. Thanks for having us. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:01:27): 

Yes, So shout out to Brandy Russell, mutual friend. Um, really good college friend of mine who  referred me to you guys. She's 

Chrissy Stewart (00:01:36): 

The best. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:01:36): 

She is the best. She's so smart. She's so smart. She's a 

Matt Stewart (00:01:38): 

Genius. I mean yeah. Recommending us. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:01:41): 

You heard it here, Brandy. Yeah. She is a genius. Yeah. She's the best. But she genuinely is like one of  the most thoughtful, intentional, um, people. And she's also very much a hype front, even in this realm for  me, where she'll yes, the truth. She'll send me a sweet message. Just being, I'm like, I'm loving listening to  the podcast. I'm like, thank you. That means a lot to get that. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm  And no  doubt that she's done that with you guys, you know, over the years. So shout out to Brandy for getting me  connected to you guys. Good. Yeah. Well, do you guys want to kind of introduce yourselves? So on  Instagram, you guys are all the things memoir mm-hmm  Correct. Which you started a little  under a year ago. 

Matt Stewart (00:02:15): 

Yeah.

Page 1 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:02:15): 

So do you guys wanna go ahead and kind of introduce yourselves, um, how you'd like to, of who you are  and what we're gonna talk about today? 

Matt Stewart (00:02:22): 

Sure. Ladies first. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:02:24): 

Oh gosh. Okay. I guess we'll get started. Yeah. Um, well, Matt and Chrissy Stewart, uh, we've been  married 23 years. Uh, I had to look at 'em just to make sure That's 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:02:34): 

What we decided before me. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:02:35): 

Yes, exactly. Like right. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:02:37): 

Before, uh, do you 

Chrissy Stewart (00:02:38): 

Remember? And we had three kids. We've been in the Kansas City area for over 20 years and we just  love it here. Um, but how this story came in and the Instagram and all of that is, um, I was diagnosed with  a really rare, uh, sarcoma in October of 2021. Mm-hmm 

Chrissy Stewart (00:02:54): 

Um, and Matt has been working, uh, as a TV anchor reporter in the Kansas City area for over 20 years. So  he's fairly well known in the community. Yeah. And it was one of those things that when we found out 

(00:03:07): 

It was, we had a decision to make mm-hmm  Like, do we tell everyone about it? Like, do  we go public Sure. Or do we make it really private? Like we weren't, you know, we had to, we had a real  conversation about that, especially because it was me and not him. Yeah. I mean, 'cause like, I'm more of  a private person, like I am, you know, before cancer, I would never have done a podcast with you. You  know, know what I mean? Yeah. , um, uh, but times are, times have changed. Yes. Uh, so, uh, we  decided to go ahead and be public and knowing that if our story or my story, our story now could help  anybody mm-hmm  Then it was worth it. Yeah. And, uh, yeah. So we dove in and we have  shared this for four and a half years. Um, all of the chemo and the trauma and the doctors and the, you  know, family life changes mm-hmm  And the care care caregiving and all that. Like, it's so,  um, yeah. So then, you know, Matt got a little jealous 'cause I was getting all this attention, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:04:06): 

Obviously.

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Chrissy Stewart (00:04:07): 

Yeah. And, uh, he wanted to be a part of it. So, and October of 2024. 

Matt Stewart (00:04:13): 

Oh. Night. Now it's my turn. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:04:14): 

He joined the party. Oh, I'm sorry. Am I talking too much? 

Matt Stewart (00:04:17): 

Well, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:04:18): 

I love that. I love the sense of humor, by the way. Okay. . And we'll get to more of that too. But  this is where everyone listening or watching can be like, oh my gosh, they seem so like, you know, 

Matt Stewart (00:04:26): 

I mean, I was just about to say, we're both from Omaha. Sure. And I went to Northwestern for college,  and Chrissy just dives right into the cancer journey. Well, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:04:34): 

That's the way, like, dive right in, then we'll pull it back. 

Matt Stewart (00:04:37): 

Back and get into the backstory 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:04:38): 

Back. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:04:39): 

Okay. So, um, gosh, I'm just kind of whiplash here. So, yeah. So Chris, Chrissy obviously, um, had  cancer first in a sense. Well, actually in a sense, I had cancer first because in, uh, July, it was, uh, in  February of 2020, I turned 45. Okay. So it was my birthday mm-hmm  And Chrissy woke  me up and said, Hey, Matt, time to get a colonoscopy. Yep. And I'm like, no, I don't wanna get a  colonoscopy, happy 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:05:04): 

Birthday to me. 

Matt Stewart (00:05:05): 

No one wants that. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:05:06): 

Um,

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Matt Stewart (00:05:06): 

So I delayed, I hemmed, I hoed. Mm-hmm  Time went on, months went on. She kept  bothering me. Did you, did you schedule it yet? No. Do it? Yeah. No. Then I started getting some signs  that something might be off. I was getting some spotting and I was like, okay, I should probably do this.  Right. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:05:22): 

Do 

Matt Stewart (00:05:23): 

Not ignore the signs. And then Chadwick Bosman, the Black Panther passed away 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:05:26): 

Oh, 

Matt Stewart (00:05:26): 

Right. That summer from colorectal cancer. And that kind of woke me up and I was like, okay, I need to  get this checked out. Yeah. So I went and got a colonoscopy in October, right? Mm-hmm   So February I turned 45, I wait till October. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:05:37): 

Okay. 

Matt Stewart (00:05:37): 

Get the colonoscopy. They find a pull up with some cancer cells on it. Mm-hmm  So they  refer me to a colorectal surgeon. I go to him, we do surgery in December, early December of 2020. And  basically they cut out a quarter sized piece of rectum and put it under a microscope. And they said, Hey,  there's no cancer. You're fine. We cut it early. The 

Chrissy Stewart (00:05:57): 

Wasn't like in the rectal wall or things like 

Matt Stewart (00:05:59): 

That. Yeah. They wanna make sure it hadn't spread through my body. Yeah. So they basically said,  you're, uh, stage zero, which means no chemotherapy, there's no follow up, there's nothing to do. Um,  you're fine. And you're just like, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:06:09): 

Who? 

Matt Stewart (00:06:09): 

I'm like, yeah. Oh. I'm like, oh, thank goodness. Well, the follow up was a colonoscopy 

Chrissy Stewart (00:06:13): 

The next year.

Page 4 of 74 

Matt Stewart (00:06:14): 

Sure. And I did a colonoscopy that and did all next year, and it was fine. Mm-hmm  So I'm  going through life thinking I'm cancer free. I dodged a bullet. Yeah. And then here, my wife gets cancer  about nine months later. And so we're dealing with that. Right. And hers is very aggressive mm-hmm   And I'm the caregiver and I'm worried about her and I'm worried about life without her.  Yeah. And you know, her prognosis is like a year and a half and she'll be dead. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:06:38): 

That's, that's what they give 

Matt Stewart (00:06:39): 

You at that time. That's the prognosis for her cancer. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:06:40): 

18 to 36 months. And, you know, it's serious when they give you your survive verbal rates in months and  not years. You know what I mean? Like, you're reading that. You're absolutely, oh my gosh. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:06:50): 

Yeah. And I wanna hear a bit more about the, you know, obviously the reactions and what you guys did  from there. 

Matt Stewart (00:06:54): 

So Yeah. So all the focus, of course, was on Chrissy and mm-hmm  Praying and how are  we dealing with this, with our three young children and yeah. You know, I'm gonna be a widow and how  am I gonna live life without her? And I mean, all these things going through my head, everything. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:07:08): 

And 

Matt Stewart (00:07:08): 

Then about three and a half years later, so it was July of 2024 mm-hmm  I started feeling  dizzy and I was off. And I wasn't sure it was, I thought maybe I had the flu. So I held off for about two  weeks mm-hmm  But after two weeks, the dizziness was getting worse. So one Sunday  morning I asked Chrissy to take me to the emergency room. We did a CT scan in my brain, and they  found about a, how big was it again? Three 

Chrissy Stewart (00:07:32): 

Centimeters. 

Matt Stewart (00:07:33): 

Three centimeter size tumor in my brain. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:07:37): 

Were you just, what was going through your mind at that point? Were you 

Matt Stewart (00:07:40):

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Flashing 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:07:41): 

Back to the colonoscopy or were you like 

Matt Stewart (00:07:43): 

No, totally, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:07:43): 

Completely different. Unrelated. 

Matt Stewart (00:07:45): 

I'm like, I have brain cancer. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:07:47): 

Then 

Matt Stewart (00:07:47): 

They're like, well, we're gonna CT the rest of your body. Oh wait, you have tumors in your lungs, in your  spine, and in your rectal lymph node. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:07:56): 

This all is just at one 

Matt Stewart (00:07:57): 

All at once, once. So I'm like, okay, so basically I'm riddled with cancer. How did I work out? I'm  healthy. I had no symptoms except a little dizziness two weeks ago. Like, what's going on? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:08:06): 

So mm-hmm  So like in two hours we were like, wow, this is stage four metastatic cancer. I  mean, we are in the emergency room like, 

Matt Stewart (00:08:12): 

Oh, four days later mm-hmm  I'm under the knife, they're drilling a hole in the back of my  brain sticking forceps in, pulling out this tumor. Mm-hmm  Sewing me back up. Then we  did radiation, then we started chemotherapy, you know, and I, first I'm like, okay, so I have brain cancer.  Like, no, we think it's colorectal cancer. And I'm like, okay. You're 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:08:29): 

Like, wait a second. How, 

Matt Stewart (00:08:30): 

How does this work? Yeah. Because I don't have any cancer in my colon or my rectum. Like I don't  understand what's going on. Mm-hmm  And they, what they believe happened is something  very rare happened. They believe that maybe during the surgery when the colorectal surgeon actually cut 

Page 6 of 74 

a piece of my rectum out mm-hmm  There was a hole there for a little bit. And they think  that maybe one of the cancer cells was still in my rectum and escaped attached to the lymph node and  then started pumping cancer cells all throughout my body. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:08:58): 

Oh my gosh. 

Matt Stewart (00:08:58): 

So I'm one of those rare colorectal cancer patients that has cancer everywhere, but in the place where it  should be. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:09:05): 

Wow. 

Matt Stewart (00:09:05): 

So things 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:09:06): 

You would never think about happening, obviously 

Matt Stewart (00:09:08): 

Never. Right. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:09:08): 

Without getting into those. 

Matt Stewart (00:09:09): 

Never. And so if you just fast forward a little bit, 'cause we're talking about anyways, but my brain's fine.  Um, had an MRI just a few weeks ago, no tumor still. Um, we did radiation to kind of kill the tumor bed.  Um, I only have tumors in my lungs right now. That's what we're worried about 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:09:25): 

Today. 

Matt Stewart (00:09:26): 

Today. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:09:27): 

Today 

Matt Stewart (00:09:27): 

I have tumors in my lungs that are growing, but they're growing slowly. Okay. Um, but I just started  immunotherapy about a week ago. Okay. Uh, Keytruda. So we're hopeful that that will work and destroy  the tumors in my lungs. We won't know mm-hmm  For about three to four months mm hmm  So it's just a matter of every two weeks I'm gonna go in, I'm gonna get this Keytruda, 

Page 7 of 74 

I'm gonna get chemotherapy as well mm-hmm  And we're just gonna keep going with it  and we'll see. And hopefully God willing, the tumors will disappear. The chemotherapy. The  chemotherapy, and Keytruda will do their job and I'll be here many more years. Right. You know, and  luckily Chrissy right now too is cancer free. So we're in a good place. Okay. All things considering, right?  Oh, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:10:07): 

Yes. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:10:08): 

So was there a point where you guys were both battling a stage four cancer? Is that 

Matt Stewart (00:10:14): 

Yes. And 

Chrissy Stewart (00:10:14): 

I mean mind? Absolutely. Yeah. So 

Matt Stewart (00:10:18): 

We were both getting chemotherapy at the same time. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:10:20): 

Do you have a stage right now or is it even, 

Matt Stewart (00:10:22): 

It's stage four. It's 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:10:23): 

Stage four. 

Matt Stewart (00:10:23): 

Stage four just means you're cancer free. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:10:25): 

I'm 

Chrissy Stewart (00:10:26): 

Cancer free. 

Matt Stewart (00:10:27): 

Stage four just means it's metastasized. Okay. Meaning it's spread throughout the body. Mm-hmm. A lot  of times people hear stage four and think, oh, it's a you're gonna die. Mm-hmm  It's like,  no, no, no. Stage four just means the cancer's in my body. And when you get chemo, chemo goes through  your entire body. So yeah. It doesn't matter where the cancer is, if the chemo works, it's going to kill it.  Mm-hmm

Page 8 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:10:44): 

 Well, and typically stage four means that it's treatable, but not curable and Okay. Which is  still the case for me. Yeah. So, um, I mean, since a 95% chance that I will recur, so while I'm cancer free  right now, they're kind of, you 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:11:01): 

Can celebrate right now, but anticipate 

Chrissy Stewart (00:11:02): 

Yes. And inevitably anticipate that it's coming back at some point. Now, is there a chance, there's always  a chance. Sure. And we hope for that. And we pray for that. Yeah. Um, but, you know, we're planning on,  I mean, the way I say it is that like if you had an outdoor event planned mm-hmm  And it  was a 95% chance of rain mm-hmm  

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:11:21): 

Like, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:11:21): 

Would you like plan for rain ? Yeah. Or would you say, oh no, maybe, maybe not that 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:11:26): 

Small 5% change. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:11:27): 

Yeah. Right. You, you would plan for rain. That's a good comparison. Yeah. So we're planning for rain. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:11:31): 

Yep. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:11:31): 

Um, and hoping for clear skies. Yep. And at minimum, maybe I can get, you know, I a year or more of no  chemo. Yes. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:11:40): 

Um, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:11:40): 

You know, so kind of consider it, they, they call it a chemo holiday when you just are taking a break from  chemo. Yep. So that would be incredible. So And each month. Each each day, yeah. You know, is, is a  celebration. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:11:52): 

And if I'll say, if I don't like saying when, but if Chrissy's cancer does come back, um, I believe Keytruda  is what she'll be on as well. So we can be Keytruda buddies. You

Page 9 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:02): 

Can be Sounds like a commercial. So, um, like, you know, when you're watching the news in the morning  and you get the Keytruda or whatever, Ozempic, commercial, all the things that come on, you hear it  every single day, could 

Matt Stewart (00:12:13): 

Cause hair loss, could cause drop. Drop. Exactly. Don't drink with alcohol. It could cause death. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:18): 

Maybe, maybe we can get you guys a commercial deal. That could be great. And then you could be like, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:12:22): 

Like I help me for the Keytruda. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:23): 

Yeah. There you go. There you go. Yeah. That's perfect. Free 

Chrissy Stewart (00:12:26): 

Immunotherapy. Yeah. So what everyone wants, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:30): 

Well, first of all, okay, so I wanted to, um, add in here when I was researching kind of the details of it. So  you had a tumor the size of a watermelon? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:12:41): 

I did. It was a 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:43): 

And you had no idea. Well, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:12:44): 

I mean, how 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:44): 

Does that I knew Well, she had an idea. 

Matt Stewart (00:12:46): 

Walk 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:12:46): 

Me through that. Knew you 

Matt Stewart (00:12:47): 

Knew

Page 10 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:12:48): 

By the time it was a watermelon and I do. I I knew. Okay. But it grew very quickly, so it is kind of like a  nightmare dramatic story. Okay. Um, so I, uh, was just feeling like a little fuller around my tummy mm hmm  You know what I mean? And like, my workout leggings weren't fitting as well, and I  honestly thought, you know, if I'd just been eating too much ice cream, of course, like it was summertime,  like maybe I'm just gaining weight, age, any of it. Yeah. Mm-hmm  And so I really noticed  it. Like I finally was like, gosh, something might might be wrong on Labor Day. Mm-hmm   So let's just say early September. Right. Um, between early September and October 4th, um, it grew to the  point where I looked seven months pregnant. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:13:28): 

Mm-hmm  

Chrissy Stewart (00:13:29): 

I have a photo of me. Yes. I soli photo. Oh, you did? Yes. Mm-hmm  It's called, I call the  not a baby photo 'cause I look pregnant. Yeah. And it's huge. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:13:36): 

Are you feeling something? Oh, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:13:38): 

Absolutely. Or is it just like a mass, like it's a huge mass and by that time I felt pregnant in the sense that  it was pushing all of the organs out of the way. Okay. So like all the things that you might, you know,  enjoy at seven months pregnant. Sure. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like, there was no room in my  stomach for food. Mm-hmm  Like my, I had urinary, you know, issues mm-hmm   Because there was no, you know, place to store the urine. Yeah. Um, it had pushed a  bunch of fluids up into my pleural cavity so I could barely breathe. So I ended up getting, um, before the  SUR surgery, they went ahead and took out the fluid, um, off one of my lungs mm-hmm   And, uh, it was over two liters. Wow. So like, if you can picture like a two liter of soda, like that's how  much fluid they took off my lungs. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:23): 

Um, it's hard to understand, especially as someone who hasn't gone through it firsthand, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:26): 

How 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:27): 

That could be possible that 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:28): 

Your 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:28): 

Body could like

Page 11 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:28): 

Withstand 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:29): 

That or hold that, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:30): 

You know? Yeah. And it happened so quickly. Yeah. So it went from, Hmm. You know what I mean, to  that big, I mean, in four weeks. Yeah. So I went in and had a massive surgery. I have a really cool 10 inch  scar , uh, that battle wounds, right? Yep. Bat battle, battle wound went all the way up. Yep. Um,  they even took my belly button. Really? I know. I don't really put anymore . Oh my goodness. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:52): 

Didn't 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:53): 

Even know that 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:53): 

Was a thing that 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:53): 

You could do that I didn't, didn't, I didn't know either. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:14:55): 

 really, can I add that back please? ? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:14:58): 

Um, I don't think that was the main concern, was the, no. You know, I just said that my, you know,  swimsuit modeling days are over summer. Um, I know. Darn it. Right. New 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:15:06): 

Opportunities, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:15:06): 

So, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:15:06): 

Right. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:15:06): 

Yeah. Um, so yeah, so then they took it out and it's a really, really rare sarcoma. So it did take a couple of  weeks for, to get confirmation of the diagnosis. They knew it was a sarcoma when they removed it mm hmm  And so

Page 12 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:15:22): 

What is a sarcoma exactly? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:15:24): 

A sarcoma is a, it's a type of cancer mm-hmm  And it's, but it's a rarer type. So about 1% of  all cancers are a sarcoma. Okay. And then, uh, my cancer is called angiosarcoma, so it's a subset of that.  Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:15:38): 

Um, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:15:38): 

And then even within the angio world, um, you can get it on your, you know, your scalp or your heart or  your breast. Mine is, uh, came from my ovary. Right. Hence the whole thing in my abdomen and pelvic  area. Okay. Um, so really there's a handful of people in the whole world mm-hmm. Who have  angiosarcoma of the ovary. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:15:57): 

Got 

Chrissy Stewart (00:15:57): 

It. So I'm really, really special. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:15:59): 

You are very special. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:16:00): 

Um, so I love that. But what you in cancer, you don't wanna be special because that means there are no  treatment protocols. There are, you know, the clinical trials are smaller. Yeah. They, they don't know  what to do and there's no specialist mm-hmm  In angiosarcoma 'cause it's so specialized.  Yeah. Um, they wouldn't have enough patients. You know what I mean? To 

Matt Stewart (00:16:20): 

Have that basically only 1% of all sarcomas are angios sarcomas. Okay. So if you think about it, 1% of  cancers are sarcomas, 1% of sarcomas are angio, and then 1% of angios stem from the ovary she's getting. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:16:32): 

So, 

Matt Stewart (00:16:32): 

I mean, you're talking like a one in a billion chance that Chrissy would get this and she won the lottery. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:16:37): 

And there is no rhyme or reason. There is no way to trace it. There's no genetic

Page 13 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:16:42): 

Tie. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:16:43): 

They 

Chrissy Stewart (00:16:43): 

No, there's not a genetic tie. They 

Matt Stewart (00:16:45): 

Always want to think there's a way to trace it, but there's not mm-hmm  We live in a 

Chrissy Stewart (00:16:48): 

Painful pool. Only thing that they have found is like, you know, plastics, PVC piping. I mean, like, I was  maybe, you know, I don't know. I like had exposure to something at some point in my childhood. We, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:17:04): 

I'm curious how much you guys have. Like, but we 

Chrissy Stewart (00:17:06): 

Don't 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:17:07): 

Gone down the rabbit trail to figure it out. No. To see, it's still, I grew up in 

Chrissy Stewart (00:17:11): 

The eighties 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:17:11): 

Hypothesized, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:17:12): 

You know, we microwaved everything in plastic mm-hmm  You know, we did, I mean, I  dunno. All 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:17:18): 

The things. All 

Chrissy Stewart (00:17:18): 

The things same. Yeah. And so here we are and part of me is like, do we really need to go back and think  about it? Or can we focus on Sure. Fighting and dealing with what it is right now. Yeah. So Yeah. Yeah, 

Matt Stewart (00:17:31):

Page 14 of 74 

Yeah. When you get diagnosed with cancer there, it's just a waste of time to sit there and try to figure out  what happened and how this happened and poor me and well me mm-hmm  Because that  doesn't matter anymore. Right. That's in the past. Yeah. You know, all that matters is now. And, and no,  we get a ton of people that wanna hypothesize by that. Oh, well this is why, this is why this. And I'm like,  no, I mean, we're not playing that game. Okay. Yeah. We're dealing with the fact that we have cancer, we  know what type it is. Um, our oncologists have plans for us. Mm-hmm  We're attacking it.  We're living each day and we're moving forward. We're not going backwards here. Right. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:18:04): 

Right. Mm-hmm  Is that, do you guys share that same outlook, that positive sort of like,  we're gonna move forward? 'cause like, I, I saw you talk about that in one of the interviews that you did,  and I'm wondering how much have you guys sort of like grown into this together to figure out like, how  do you approach day to day? How do you talk about this day to day? Like how have you evolved since  this has happened? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:18:26): 

I think we are both, he definitely is a more optimistic one. Okay. And I am a bit more of a realist. Okay.  Now granted, I'm also a healthcare professional. Mm. So I bad things happen mm-hmm   And people die and Yeah. You know what I mean? Sure. You're not saved just 'cause you're on TV or  because, you know, you look cute in a hat. Right. You know, that's not what happens. You know what I  mean? Right. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:18:48): 

 in honor of you and your 

Chrissy Stewart (00:18:49): 

Hat collection, which 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:18:50): 

We'll have to get 

Chrissy Stewart (00:18:51): 

To, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:18:51): 

Which I definitely saw as well. So Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:18:53): 

Outta control , um, as 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:18:55): 

It should 

Chrissy Stewart (00:18:55): 

Be. But so, uh, yeah. So I do feel, um, hopeful and I'm willing to do all the things, all the lifestyle factors  mm-hmm  Um, and we definitely share the living boldly living in the moment. Yeah. 

Page 15 of 74 

Doing all the things in your life right now, because right now is really all you have. Mm-hmm   And not just, if you have cancer, it's for everybody. Right. So you 

Matt Stewart (00:19:18): 

Share that pressure. Okay. So when Christy was first diagnosed, uh, well, I'll go back. So her dad passed  away a few years before she was diagnosed. And you know, I'm a very optimistic person. Mm-hmm   And so Christy would just break out in tears, Satch and missed her dad. And I would try to  cheer her up and she would get mad at me and she's like, don't try to cheer me up, just be here with me.  Mm-hmm  You know. So through that experience, I learned that sometimes when Chrissy's  upset, it's not about trying to make her feel better, it's just getting down in that pit with her, holding her  hand, crying with her and allowing her to feel those emotions and let me feel those emotions too. Yeah.  So when she was diagnosed, I think that experience with her dad helped me approach her mm-hmm   With maybe a gentler spirit mm-hmm  

(00:19:58): 

But at the same time I was, you know, my job I felt as the caregiver is to make sure that she steps outta  that hole once in a while. You can't spend, spend the rest of your life in that hole crying. Yeah. And so,  you know, and, and I think Christy understood that. And so we really started leaning into our faith. Mm hmm  We talk all the time. So that way if, if something's bothering her, she can tell me. I  

can tell her, Hey, I think, and then we started planning trips because it was like, we need something to  look forward to. Yeah. We need excitement in our life. And so we try to hang out with friends. You  know, one year she's like, we're doing a hallmark at Christmas. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:20:31): 

I love it. You 

Matt Stewart (00:20:32): 

Know, one summer she's like, we're gonna go to all the local wineries. You know, we, we started just  making plans and going out and doing and living. Yeah. And that kind of boosted our spirits and got our  minds off of the reality of our situation. Right. All those 

Chrissy Stewart (00:20:44): 

Things you say you're gonna do. Yeah. Oh, someday I'll go No, go. Go now. Go now. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:20:48): 

Do it now. Right. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:20:49): 

Do it now. Yeah. And it's a balance. I feel it's very healthy to, um, 'cause it's a grieving process. Mm-hmm   You know, I'm grieving, you know, I mean, when it was just me anyway. I mean, I was  grieving the lots, I mean of, I mean literally parts of my body and who I was and my career and the  thought about maybe I won't get to see my kids graduate high school and I won't be at weddings or get to  be all or be a grandparent, or all these things that we take for granted mm-hmm  So you're  grieving these things and I think that's healthy to do. So, but again, you can't stay there. Right. So at this  point, at least my, my rule is you can feel sorry for yourself for one day. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:21:27): 

Okay.

Page 16 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:21:27): 

And then tomorrow morning mm-hmm  You're gonna get up and we're gonna move on  from it. Okay. So go ahead and feel it. Go ahead and wall. I remember one time specifically you came  home and you even said, what are you doing on the rest of the day? And I'm like, I'm gonna sit here on  this couch and I'm gonna feel sorry for myself mm-hmm  You know what I mean? And he's  like, okay. You know, have at it. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:21:43): 

You do you Yeah. You 

Chrissy Stewart (00:21:45): 

Want today. Yeah. Right. Yeah. But then tomorrow that's done. And it's a shift you have to like make in  your mind with intention. Yeah. Like, okay, that's done. What are we doing? 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:21:56): 

How long did it take you guys to get to that point? And I know you have different timelines of like mm hmm  You first being diagnosed and then you're officially coming 20, 24. But like how  long did you, did it take for you guys to get to that point to really embrace the fact that this is happening?  We, every single day I should wake up and 

Chrissy Stewart (00:22:12): 

A couple months. What do you think 

Matt Stewart (00:22:15): 

For Chrissy? You know, it was all brand new to us, so I think Yeah, right. It took a long, it took a while I  think with Chrissy and you know, there it was just ebb and flow rollercoaster of emotions. Sure. With me,  you know, we'd already been in the trenches for three and a half years and so it was kinda like her 

Chrissy Stewart (00:22:30): 

Cancer veterans, 

Matt Stewart (00:22:31): 

Right. Cancer 

Chrissy Stewart (00:22:32): 

Veterans, 

Matt Stewart (00:22:33): 

. And honestly, the whole 

Chrissy Stewart (00:22:34): 

Family was, I mean, even the kids, 

Matt Stewart (00:22:35):

Page 17 of 74 

I, I am the positive one, so mm-hmm  You know, Chrissy was the one, she'd be the one sad  and I'd be like, I'm not sad. Like, let's go. Yeah. Like I'm a fighter. I'm not gonna sit back and let this  cancer beat me. Like I'm gonna go at it with everything I got every single day. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:22:49): 

Can I ask you were a former athlete. 

Matt Stewart (00:22:51): 

I was. Yeah. You think 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:22:52): 

That's part of it? A 

Matt Stewart (00:22:52): 

Hundred percent. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:22:53): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:22:54): 

And so why not? 'cause it's a podcast and we got the time. Yes, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:22:58): 

We do. 

Matt Stewart (00:22:58): 

But uh, no, you know, so I played college football at Northwestern University. Yeah. And I lived this  experience of walking on fifth string, moving up to second string earning a Fulbright scholarship. I know  the hard work it took to get there to find that success to play in big 10 games. Right. You know, our team  when I got there was the worst team in the Big 10 we were in last place. My junior year we won the Big  10 and played in the Rose Bowl. Nice. 

(00:23:27): 

My senior year we won the Big 10 again and played in the Citrus Bowl against Peyton Manning. Oh. Oh  my gosh. I mean, I witnessed first firsthand how hard work, dedication and self-belief can turn a program  around, can turn a person around. And so it was funny, when I first was diagnosed, I went on Facebook  and let everyone know my former college football coach, Gary Barnett Roached it reached out and he  said, Matt, he goes, my heart is breaking for you. I'm so sad. I can't believe this. And I was like, coach, I  was like, everything you taught us when we were playing football back in the nineties at Northwestern,  like, I am applying every lesson to this. Mm-hmm  You know, relentlessness  determination, just getting at it, you know, I'm not gonna sit back. How 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:24:07): 

Incredible for him to hear that. 

Matt Stewart (00:24:08):

Page 18 of 74 

Oh, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:24:08): 

Right. Because it probably wouldn't have come up otherwise. 

Matt Stewart (00:24:11): 

Probably not, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:24:12): 

You know. 

Matt Stewart (00:24:12): 

Yeah. But no, I mean that's just, that's the impact I think that athletics can have. Yeah, for sure. Especially  when, when you have a positive experience with that athletic, and 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:24:19): 

I say that being a non-athlete, so I really do like, I believe this wholeheartedly, and we have kids who are  athletes, but I've worked in the corporate world and you see that either competitive nature or goal oriented  nature mm-hmm  And so I was curious. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:24:30): 

And the grit. The grit mm-hmm  You know what I mean? You're gonna get in there and I  mean, and with cancer as a cancer patient, like, I mean, you're physically uncomfortable or in pain. Yeah.  Or, and you're emotional and you know, just us so much. Um, but you have that perseverance. 

Matt Stewart (00:24:46): 

And honestly, if I'm being real, and this is a big compliment to Chrissy, I'm so, I think we're blessed to  have each other because, um, even though it sucks, we're both going through this and we're married and  we have kids, and our kids have two parents with parent with cancer. Yeah. Not just one. Um, the fact is,  is that we lean on each other so much and we can lift each other up and we can remind each other of the  why, why we're fighting, we're fighting for each other. We're fighting for another day together. And I'm  telling you, if you're going through a hard time in life, whether it's cancer or divorce, or you lost your job,  having someone in your corner mm-hmm  It doesn't have to be a spouse, but a friend, a  family member, someone to just lift you up, I think is so important to have in order to overcome the  challenges of life happens. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:25:29): 

It happens honestly, like makes me tear up. Like, I feel like we could do a whole other episode on like  you guys telling people to have a happy, healthy marriage and family life. Yes. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:25:37): 

Because 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:25:37): 

This is like, and you're vocal on this, on your social media as well, which is a big part. And we'll get into,  I wanna get into that how you guys decided to document it. But like, this is truly incredible to watch, like 

Page 19 of 74 

how supportive you both are of each other. Because I could, because you know, people go through hard  times and it can lead a divorce and divorce. Yeah, yeah. It happens. And so, and I'm sure you've  mentioned your faith, that's a huge part, huge for you guys as well. Yep. Um, but I think it's just such a  testament for people to realize, like, don't forget that that is such a piece to help get you through. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:26:08): 

Absolutely. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:26:08): 

And don't lose sight of that. Don't let it go to the wayside. You know, and I'm sure you guys have so  many days that are not great and Right. You know, but also so many things you do to keep that strong, so  mm-hmm  I love that. I mean, it's truly admirable. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:26:18): 

Um, so I had a thought when you were talking when you asked, like when did we, when did that switch  flip, if you will? Yeah, I think that it was that vacation. And we don't need to go into the de the details of  the vacation, but, uh, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:26:32): 

Although that sounds like a good story,  

Chrissy Stewart (00:26:34): 

It is . But we, uh, went on a vacation with another couple, uh, maybe two, three months into my  treatment. Um, it did not go well. Okay. And 

Matt Stewart (00:26:43): 

With them, we were fine. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:26:44): 

Oh, we were fine. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:26:45): 

Okay. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:26:46): 

Just the dynamics of everything. It didn't, it was not great. Okay. And, um, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:26:50): 

Not travel buddies to this day. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:26:51): 

Correct. Okay. And, uh, it was, I dunno, I think it just changed our mind when I was like, wow. Like this  was like my one week off chemo and we spent time and money and energy to get, get here and the kids  are at home and we're not with the kids. You know what I mean? Mm-hmm. Like, and I think we just  looked at each other and we're like, we're not doing that anymore. Yeah. Like, we're saying yes. Yes. To  the things that we wanna say yes to, to clarity to. Mm-hmm. And we are, I mean, we're gonna have a 

Page 20 of 74 

good time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we're gonna have fun and we're going to make this life meaningful and  we just can't, we can't do that anymore. 

Matt Stewart (00:27:26): 

Right. So, yeah. So we're in Cancun and seeing this couple sabotage the week, we, uh, we had an  excursion the next day, just the two of us, thank goodness. And, uh, so we went on our own and we were  just like, we don't have time for this. I don't have time to, we don't have time to that we don't time for  drama. Yeah. Time fight that is literally at 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:27:43): 

The forefront of your thoughts every 

Matt Stewart (00:27:45): 

Day moving 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:27:45): 

Forward. 

Matt Stewart (00:27:45): 

Yeah. We don't have time to deal with drama. Yeah. Like, they can deal with themselves. We're not  gonna include ourselves. Like, we're just, this is us. The most important thing is us and us having fun in  this moment right now. Yeah. And we're not gonna let anyone ruin that. Yeah. And we've, that's our  attitude with everything. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Like, 'cause you know, you, you go through life and people  want to want, wanna bring you down. They wanna, you know, tear you down and we're just like, I'm tired  of that. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:08): 

It's literally the world that we live in mm-hmm. Which is crazy. And then much less to be in your  situation where you literally don't have the capacity. So 

Chrissy Stewart (00:28:14): 

We have gotten really, really good at setting very healthy boundaries for ourselves and for our family.  Great. And especially around holidays. No unwanted guests. Absolutely not. The answer is no. Yeah. You  know what I mean? And I don't feel bad. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:25): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:28:26): 

You know. Good for you. Good for you. Yeah. So, I mean, there are just things that like we say yes to,  and then there are things that we do not feel bad declining. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:34): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:28:35):

Page 21 of 74 

So, um, I will say that, but 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:37): 

Honestly, I think a lot of 

Chrissy Stewart (00:28:37): 

People 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:38): 

Would envy that ability. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:28:40): 

You 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:40): 

Know what I mean? Because a lot of people have either guilt that 

Chrissy Stewart (00:28:43): 

Or you don't even have cancer to do that. Do that for yourself, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:28:46): 

You guys. 

Matt Stewart (00:28:46): 

You have to stop caring what people think. Yeah. You know, people are so worried about what people  think about them. Mm-hmm  And I'm not saying you should be selfish and be a juror for all  that. Oh, no, no, no, no. That's not what it's at all. No, it's not that at all. It's just, you know, boundaries. I  think what you said, you said healthy boundaries and know what you want outta life, right? Mm-hmm   I mean, I, I say this all the time now. I go, look, all we have is today until the day we die,  every single one of us is gonna die someday. Mm-hmm  I might die before you because I  have cancer, but we're all gonna die. We don't know when that day is. So what are you gonna do today?  And all the days up till death. Yep. That's all that matters. Yeah. So true. So take care of yourself and do  what you wanna do. Live the life you wanna live. Mm-hmm  

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:29:25): 

Yes. All the people living in the past and all the people living in the future. Live in the moment. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:29:29): 

Mm-hmm. Today. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:29:30): 

Whatcha gonna do? Okay. So on that note, so I wanted to, um, so you guys have all the things, memoir  mm-hmm  Which we'll get into. And you guys are both authors. You're clearly storytellers  and writers, and we'll get into all that, um, on your Instagram. Mm-hmm  I looked through  a couple different things that you posted and I wanted to dive into this a little bit more. So your, um, what  do you call it? Storytelling, documenting your journey, all the things. Memoir, I'm not sure

Page 22 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:29:52): 

What we call it. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:29:53): 

, something in there. I like 

Matt Stewart (00:29:54): 

The way you said it. It's Yes, you're documenting our journey, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:29:57): 

You're documenting your journey, but it says cancer. Like if people come here Yeah. You're gonna see  cancer talk, questionable jokes, inspiration, and a memoir in progress. Uhhuh, consider yourselves  warmed, warned and welcome. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:30:10): 

Yes. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:30:10): 

I love that, by the way. Um, how did you decide to document, if we're gonna use that term, how'd you  decide to start this journey to show? What was the, the idea and how has it been? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:30:22): 

Well, I had have a Stewart Strong light private Facebook page that was basically just for like friends and  family. And I mean, it kind of grew to more than just friends and family like that, you know, somebody  would Sure. Um, and I would come on and, um, just give like, you know, tell people what's happening.  Mm-hmm  And real honest, um, and really raw and people, were 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:30:43): 

You always that way? Or did that also 

Chrissy Stewart (00:30:44): 

Would say also evolve? 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:30:45): 

Yeah. Okay. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:30:46): 

I would say. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty, I, uh, my mother always called me a direct communicator.  Okay, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:30:50): 

Great. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:30:50): 

I don't think she meant it as a compliment, . Uh, but it is working

Page 23 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:30:54): 

In your favor 

Chrissy Stewart (00:30:54): 

Today. It's like in my favorite today, . Um, and I am one of those people, like, you know, where I  stand and I don't play games, and I'm gonna just tell you what it's like. Yeah. And I'm gonna tell you, I've  always done that, even as a mother. Like, I remember even after I like physically had my first baby, I  remember being like, nobody ever told me that. Mm-hmm  You know what I mean? Mm hmm 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:31:11): 

Chrissy Stewart (00:31:12): 

Whatever, you know what I mean? All the things. All the things. Yeah. And I feel like this is a disservice.  Like this is, you know, you know, literally half the population at some point will probably have a baby.  Like maybe we should be talking more openly about this Uhhuh and I can be honest and respect you  enough as a woman to tell you like, Hey, you might poop on the delivery table. Be prepared. Just so you  know, Uhhuh, <affirmative> and 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:31:30): 

Your husband might see some things that he was not prepared for. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:31:32): 

That's just good information to have. Let's go, just go on it with our eyes open. Shelly. Yeah. .  Um, 

Matt Stewart (00:31:36): 

I could write a book , 

Chrissy Stewart (00:31:38): 

I'm sure. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:31:39): 

And maybe you'll, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:31:39): 

Maybe you'll 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:31:40): 

Next on the doctor. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:31:41): 

Um, so, uh, so I was just telling the real story, uh, and wanted to be honest. And um, again, I just feel like  people need to know because so many people either have cancer or know someone with cancer mm-hmm

Page 24 of 74 

Matt Stewart (00:31:52): 

Chrissy Stewart (00:31:52): 

And it evolved from there. And then finally I'm like, you know what, why are we limiting it? Because  people were like adding people that I didn't even know or they would work with. It was just kind of an  interesting, and I was like, well, I'm not saying anything that I, is this not necessarily private. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:32:09): 

Right. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:32:10): 

You know? So then that's how we started on it and it's been a really big learning curve. 'cause again Yeah.  47 years old, learning how to make a reel. I mean, I don't know. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:32:19): 

Yep. Yes. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:32:19): 

So we're, I, it's just 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:32:20): 

We all need people working for us, don't we? To 

Chrissy Stewart (00:32:22): 

Be doing all, I'm just throwing it out there in the social media world. Yes. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:32:25): 

Throwing it out there. Just 

Chrissy Stewart (00:32:25): 

Throwing it out there and what's interesting, what people like and what people are interested in. Yeah.  And um, and really the feedback that we get is just a big warm hug mm-hmm  Because  everyone's so delightful and supportive and the 0.02% that aren't just get blocked and deleted. So it's no  problem. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:32:41): 

Yep. There's always that too. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:32:42): 

Alright. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:32:42): 

Yeah.

Page 25 of 74 

Matt Stewart (00:32:43): 

Well my platform is Facebook. Yeah. Yeah. So that's what I work off of and you know, we, when  Chrissy's cancer diagnosis first came to light and she gave the thumbs up to let's go ahead and share this.  Yeah. You know, my, my followers just exploded. I mean, you know, not only were they watching me on  Fox four, but now they have this emotional vested interest in the reporter's wife. Yeah. What's, how's she  gonna do? And course. Well, and people 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:33:08): 

Feel like they know you when 

Matt Stewart (00:33:09): 

You're, they they do watching 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:33:10): 

People on 

Matt Stewart (00:33:11): 

And, and it's great because we, you know, people are throwing advice and now some of it, you know, but  some of it's great. Yeah. Like there, you know, there were enough people that were like, you should go to  MD Anderson for a second opinion that we went to MD Anderson for a second opinion. Mm-hmm   Like, we're reading these comments, we're listening mm-hmm  We're  researching mm-hmm  And if someone suggests something and we do some research on it  and don't think it'll hurt us, we'll we'll do it. I mean, we're open. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:33:35): 

You don't know what you don't know. No. And there are clearly this aspect of community for people to  enlighten you and educate you on something that could be 

Chrissy Stewart (00:33:42): 

A game changer. And now it's going both, both ways. I mean, we get messages all the time asking  questions. Yeah. Or even where I get my hats or, you know, things like that. And it's like, yes, I will. I am  here for you. I will have coffee with you. Yeah. And I am here to, I feel like part of like, if I, if I have to  go through cancer, I'm gonna be here to support everyone else too. Absolutely. Like, we're in this  together. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:34:04): 

Do you have, is, are there, is there one or a few things that are the most common things that people are  asking either of you about when it comes to, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:34:12): 

Oh, I'd say my number one is my friend, my sister, my mom is going through chemotherapy. I wanted to  put together a bag. What do I mm-hmm  

Matt Stewart (00:34:20): 

Oh, okay.

Page 26 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:34:21): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:34:21): 

People typically ask me, how do you stay so positive with the diagnosis? Mm-hmm  Yeah.  Because there's just, they're wreck. What do 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:34:28): 

You tell them? You 

Matt Stewart (00:34:29): 

Know? Well, you know, Chrissy calls the first few weeks the time of tears and terror. Okay. I mean, that's  just natural, right? Yeah. I mean, your world is just blown up. Mm-hmm  You had no idea  you cancer, now you have cancer and you cry and cry and cry, cry. You cry and you're upset and you feel  like you're afraid you're gonna die tomorrow. Mm-hmm  I mean, it's just natural and there's  nothing wrong with that. Right. Um, but what I tell them honestly is that I lean into my faith a hundred  percent. Yeah. You know, I'm, I know where I'm going after I die. Mm-hmm  I believe in  heaven. A hundred percent. I believe we all have a soul. I believe that life after this is gonna be just fine.  Yeah. Now I'm not in a hurry to get there. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:04): 

Sure. I 

Matt Stewart (00:35:05): 

Enjoy this life. I wanna live this life as long as I can. Yeah. But I think the first step is just stop being  afraid of death. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:11): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:35:12): 

Like, just don't be afraid anymore. It's coming for us all anyways. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:15): 

Right. 

Matt Stewart (00:35:16): 

Just focus on the living, focus on the moment. Focus on the love. Yeah. You know, from family and  friends. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:22): 

Can I ask you a question? If you're comfortable with it, how do you talk about death? How comfortable  are you guys maybe with yourselves, with your kids, with each other, how do you approach that subject  today knowing that from this perspective mm-hmm  Not that everybody's gonna die. Like  how comfortable are you talking about?

Page 27 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:35:41): 

Very, maybe too much so. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:42): 

No, I love that. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:35:43): 

'cause 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:43): 

I'd love to hear your take on 

Chrissy Stewart (00:35:44): 

It and like, if you are friends with us or hang out with us long enough, it will come up in conversation. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:35:49): 

Let me read something too. Oh, okay. 'cause this, you put out their denial about death is a luxury for  healthy people. When you live with stage four cancer, death stops being hypothetical. It becomes  something you talk about openly, plan for, prepare the people you love for. We're comfortable with it.  Yeah. So that's why I wanna ask you like Yeah, clearly people are afraid of death. Mm-hmm   People dunno how to ask someone who's going through a journey like this. Like, is that  something you talk about? What's off limits? I'm curious like your take on talking about it amongst  yourselves or talking about it with family, friends or me. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:36:16): 

I'd say nothing's off limits, especially with our kids and family. 

Matt Stewart (00:36:20): 

I wanna say that about three weeks, maybe after Christy's diagnosis, we were sitting one Sunday morning  having coffee and she's like, Hey, let's talk about my funeral. And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm like,  no, I'm not even ready to go there. And Chris, like, were you being, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:36:33): 

Trying to be like, 

Matt Stewart (00:36:34): 

No, she was being real. You 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:36:35): 

Were being real. Oh 

Matt Stewart (00:36:36): 

No. She, she wanted to talk about it. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:36:37):

Page 28 of 74 

You 

Chrissy Stewart (00:36:37): 

Think you're gonna die? You wanna talk about it? Okay. 

Matt Stewart (00:36:39): 

She wanna talk about it. And I was, and I, and I was like, no, no, no, I don't wanna talk about it. She, and  she's like, Matt, she's like, we need to talk about this stuff. We need to talk about a will, we need to talk  about the kids. We need talk about the house. You, we need to talk about. Like what's a, you know, my  funeral, like when you talk about it. And it took me a second Right. Because I didn't wanna talk about it.  Yeah. But then at the same time, I need to respect the fact that if Chrissy wants to talk about death mm hmm  As hard as it is for me, I'm just being selfish here. Mm-hmm  Why not  just let her talk about it and let's deal with this. And so from there, I think it's opened up even sometimes  I'll be like, Hey, let's talk about my funeral. They're like, I'm not ready to go there yet.  Nope. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:37:15): 

Not today. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:37:15): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:37:16): 

But don't you feel like after you were diagnosed you had a lot more empathy with those questions and  then you're like, yeah, remember when I didn't wanna talk about it. I understand why you wanted to talk  about it. Yeah, 

Matt Stewart (00:37:26): 

For sure. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:37:27): 

I mean, um, my psychologist calls it like, you wanna wrap a bow on your life. You know what I mean?  Mm-hmm  Like, you wanna finish it all up and you can't do that if you can't talk about it.  Mm-hmm  And you wanna talk about it with your very, very best friend. Yeah. Um, and  uh, yeah. So I think that's been hard. I call it having a good relationship with death. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:37:46): 

Okay. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:37:47): 

So you need to feel comfortable with that. I've also heard it said, um, being comfortable with your  impermanence. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:37:53): 

Like, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:37:53):

Page 29 of 74 

We're not per nobody's permanently here. Right. Uh, what does that look like? And uh, what I have found  interesting is that the people who are comfortable with me sharing these raw real things, um, aren't my  very best friends. Mm-hmm  They're, I call them the second tier. Okay. So like, if you had  like a circle of like, of influences, right? It's the second tier friends who care about me and love me, but  their life isn't gonna fall apart when I die. Your 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:38:20): 

Friends are not wanting to deal with 

Chrissy Stewart (00:38:22): 

The 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:38:23): 

Reality of that 

Chrissy Stewart (00:38:23): 

Close, close friends. It's too hard. It hurts too much. Yeah. So, yeah. So sometimes, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:38:30): 

But honestly, I mean, and thank goodness for that, right? The people in your world that love you guys so  much and are just like, you know what, again, not today, don't wanna talk about it, 

Matt Stewart (00:38:37): 

But this, but this is an example of how comfortable we are talking about death. Yeah. I was at the Fox  four newsroom like two mornings ago, Uhhuh <affirmative>, and we were talking, and I, and I went into  the newsroom and I'm just like, you know, I could never be a politician because I have such a fragile ego.  When you're a politician, half the population hates you automatically . Mm-hmm. And I go, this  is the nice thing about cancer is no one says bad things about you . And everyone's like, oh my  gosh, man, I can't believe you said that. You know, they're uncomfortable like you said it. Yeah. But I'm  just, but but again, like, it's great Chris and I, it's just like it's, you know, death is, is a friend. Yeah. You  know, it's like, I I don't wanna hang out this friend. You had to develop that friendship, you know? Yeah, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:39:14): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:39:14): 

I get it. Well, you know, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:39:16): 

Well, and we bring humor to it and clearly I love that. Yes. Yeah. And you just have to make it funny and  you have to joke like Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, or like my daughter, um, uh, I have been bald  or semi balded for four and a half years and she makes fun of my hair. I mean, okay. You know what I  mean? And it's, but it's funny and it's not so like, but she'll make a joke when like her friend's over and her  friends are like, oh my God. You know what I mean? Like, I can't believe you just said that to your mouth 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:39:43):

Page 30 of 74 

Without understanding, know 

Chrissy Stewart (00:39:44): 

What I mean? Yeah. And I was like, oh my God, it's fine. And I was like, and I was like, it's sort of  ridiculous. I'm balded. I I . Can we not joke around about that? Like, that's ridiculous. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:39:51): 

Yeah. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:39:52): 

Like, so 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:39:53): 

Can I ask too about the experience of telling your kids mm-hmm  What do you  recommend? What was your experience like going through that? Um, and I'm sure people have probably  asked you mm-hmm  Maybe for some guidance on that as well. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:40:05): 

It was interesting. Um, I read somewhere about this dad who got cancer and wanted to protect his kids  and didn't tell the kids at all. And then mom went in their bedroom and said, you need to say goodbye to  your dad. And they're like, I'm sorry, what? They're like, yeah, he's, he's gonna die. And they walk in and  he's on his deathbed and the kids had no idea and they're like, what's going on? That's not fair at you've  had cancer all this time. We didn't know they didn't have time to process it. That'll 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:40:28): 

Rock you. 

Matt Stewart (00:40:29): 

Oh. It just wasn't fair to the kids. Yeah. And so, Chrisy and I, right away were like, okay, we're gonna be  honest with the kids. Mm-hmm  We're gonna tell 'em what's going on. We're not gonna  burden them with the heaviness of it necessarily, but we want them to have the knowledge of, Hey, you  know, I had a CT scan and here's what it showed. You know, and we try to stay positive in our  messaging, but Sure. You know, if, and the kids have cried with us. I mean, we've, we've had those tough  conversations, but I think, I think it's unfair to the kids to lie to them. I think you've gotta be open and  honest. They wanna go on this journey with you as hard as it is. Mm-hmm  They're gonna  be without mom and dad someday. Yeah. And they wanna make sure that they also can squeeze out every  good moment with us along the way. So And 

Chrissy Stewart (00:41:12): 

You still that chance if you don't tell them that. Yeah. Now I will say as a pediatric healthcare  professional, there's a caveat. Everything needs to be age appropriate. Sure. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:41:20): 

You 

Chrissy Stewart (00:41:20):

Page 31 of 74 

Know what I mean? Like, if they're four, that's different. If they're 14 or 24, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:41:24): 

How old were your kids? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:41:25): 

Um, our kids were 16 and 18 were our boys and then 11 was our daughter. And so she was just at the  cusp of the childhood. Yeah. That I think there would've been an argument for handling it differently, um,  for the boys and handling it differently with her. Mm-hmm  And keep in mind too, with the  internet like that 14 and six, I mean, if they know what your diagnosis is, they're gonna Google it. Yeah. I  mean, they're gonna, I mean, you know, you wanna have nightmares at night, you Google angiosarcoma.  Oh yeah. You know, so like, we need to get ahead of that mm-hmm  Um, so we were  honest with about what was happening with me and um, and obviously they saw that things weren't right  and they knew I was having the surgery and all of that. That, that you couldn't hide 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:42:10): 

Mm-hmm  

Chrissy Stewart (00:42:12): 

And then, uh, we did seek a second opinion before I started chemo. Okay. So we went to MD Anderson  and that's when they really, I mean, just punched us in the face. I mean, it was like, we still sort of had a  little bit of hope, like, oh, maybe they're wrong, you know. Sure. And the moment came with the doctor at  MD Anderson when I said, you know, Hey, I, I know the stats. Like I've seen the, the survivability rates  on the internet. And I was like, uh, my daughter's 11 mm-hmm  I wanna see her graduate  high school. And the doctor, um, he did not laugh at me, but he kind of scoffed and was like, well, like  there's never a 0% chance, but definitely less than 5% chance that you're gonna see your daughter  graduate high school. 

Matt Stewart (00:42:55): 

Wow. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:42:56): 

And I think that was the moment where like, it sunk in for me. 'cause you're kind of in denial. Like surely  this can't be. Right. Were 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:02): 

You appreciative or resentful of that approach? Um, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:06): 

I would say because I 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:06): 

Could see both of like 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:07):

Page 32 of 74 

Clarity, but also like, whoa, because I'm a straight shooter. Yeah. And let's not sugarcoat things like what  are we actually dealing, dealing with? Uhhuh.  I just think it was, it was hard to hear. Yes.  It was hard to hear. Yeah. Um, and uh, so we, you know, went back to the hotel and ate a pint of ice  cream, uh, as 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:22): 

One should to 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:23): 

Deal with our emotions. Mm-hmm  But after that, each, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:25): 

Each, each 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:26): 

Each Absolutely. Each. Yeah. You hopefully 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:27): 

A good 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:28): 

Light. I don't share 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:28): 

Ice 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:29): 

Cream. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:43:29): 

Ben and Cherry. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:43:30): 

It was like a gelato thing. Yeah. It was really good. It was really good. Yeah. Um, so after that, um, uh,  visit, we went home and then had a big family meeting. And that's when we, uh, just came clean with  everything. And I just said, I mean, I kind of picture us like we're on a boat together as a family, the five  of us, and we're on really stormy, rocky waters, but we need to all be on the same ship. Mm. Like, I don't  want there to be information that the boys have that Maddie doesn't have, but can they talk and can they  trust us? Yeah. 

(00:44:02): 

Trust mom and dad that we're gonna tell you the real information, even if it's hard. Mm-hmm   So we're all gonna be on the ship together, dealing with it together. Um, and that is, that's  what we decided. And that, that's, I think, has worked well for our family. Yeah. So then when they talk,  there's not secrets. I don't, I don't like secrets. I grew up in a household with secrets, no secrets. Yeah.  We're all in this together. Yeah. And then let's support each other, because especially with those kids and 

Page 33 of 74 

those siblings, no one's gonna understand what it's like to have a mom now and a dad with cancer than  their siblings. Right. So when we're gone, they're gonna be here. And I want that to be rock solid  relationship, 

Matt Stewart (00:44:42): 

But at the same time, you know, we don't project our fears and our sadness on them. Mm-hmm. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:44:47): 

That's 

Matt Stewart (00:44:47): 

Not fair to them. Mm-hmm  

Chrissy Stewart (00:44:48): 

You 

Matt Stewart (00:44:48): 

Know what I mean? Dad's gonna die in a month, you know, that's not fair. Yeah. To just in a month.  Come on now about all my fears. Well, I'm just saying, like, sometimes you, you fear Oh yeah,  absolutely. Yeah. Sometimes you're afraid. Sure. So that's what the spouse is for, right? Yeah. So Christy  and I we're, we can, we can project, but with the kids, we try to stay upbeat and positive. Um, and luckily  it's been working Yeah. Because Chrissy's still alive and Yep. I'm doing fine. And, you know, we 

Chrissy Stewart (00:45:14): 

We're open to all their questions. Yeah. And we say, you're welcome to come to any of my appointments  or look at, you know, medical results or whatever. Mm-hmm  Um, they haven't been  particularly interested in any of that, which is fine. Okay. Um, and yeah. Oh, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:45:27): 

Yeah. How have they responded? Now we can talk about the people.com article. Oh yeah. That was  amazing. Yes. Which is really sweet. What year was that? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:45:33): 

That was 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:45:34): 

20. Do you wanna share that? 25. That was 

Chrissy Stewart (00:45:35): 

Just a year ago. 

Matt Stewart (00:45:36): 

That was just last year. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:45:37):

Page 34 of 74 

That was just a year ago. Last year. Yeah. Really sweet. Mm-hmm  So share the story of  that, because this seemed like a really cool, it was really opportunity for your kids and your daughter and  everything. Mm-hmm  Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:45:46): 

Yeah. It was one of those things where, um, a friend of Chrissy's, um, had gotten into the wedding  industry, and so she had hooked up with this charity called Wish Upon a Wedding. Okay. They're, they're  based outta Chicago and their whole job, or what they do is they raise money to, um, basically have  weddings and wedding vow renewals for people with cancer. Okay. And they were looking to spread  outside of Chicago, and they wanted to make a imprint in Kansas City. Mm-hmm  So  Chrissy's friend was like, well, I have a friend whose husband, the husband and wife both have cancer.  And, which upon a wedding was like, great, we will pay for the wedding vow renewal. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:46:21): 

So 

Matt Stewart (00:46:21): 

She reached out and said, Hey, we want to pay for a wedding vow renewal. And Cty and I are like, well,  our weddings or our, our marriage is pretty rock solid. I don't know if we need a wedding vow renewal.  Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:46:31): 

We kind of thought wedding vow renewals were for people who like maybe had gone through a rough  time and then now ourselves of why you got together. And we didn't feel like we needed that. Right. 

Matt Stewart (00:46:38): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:46:39): 

So at first I was like, ah, that's fair. 

Matt Stewart (00:46:40): 

At first we were like, no. But then we told our daughter and she's like, oh my gosh, you gotta do it. I want,  uh, you know what, if you're not here for my wedding, I want a daddy daughter dance. I wanna wanna 

Chrissy Stewart (00:46:49): 

Shop for wedding dresses with my mom. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:46:51): 

Had that even crossed your mind with this? Or did she enlighten you with that? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:46:54): 

She did, but I mean, this, she definitely, I was like, oh, I didn't think of it like that. Like yeah. Matt Stewart (00:46:59):

Page 35 of 74 

This, so we, we went ahead and did it, and it blew our mind. I mean, we did not expect it to be as lavish  and as elegant as it was really. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:47:07): 

It was incredible. 

Matt Stewart (00:47:08): 

I wanna say 24 plus local wedding vendors all contributed their talents and time be so they get, get in  touch with 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:47:17): 

People locally to 

Matt Stewart (00:47:18): 

Play a part in this. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:47:19): 

Oh. 

Matt Stewart (00:47:19): 

And they all play a part. We had an artist paint a picture of us 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:47:22): 

And also very Kansas City. Right? Yes. Have all the local brands and makers there. 

Matt Stewart (00:47:27): 

No, it was wonderful. Yeah. And it just blew our mind. And it was downtown and we had a great time.  And, um, then they, uh, about a month later, they had a, uh, the, which final wedding had a fundraiser,  which we were invited you to share our story. Sure. Yeah. The CEO of Chicago was there and she said,  

Hey, I have a contact with people and I love your story. I'm gonna pitch it to her. Okay. And see if she'll  do a story on you guys. Yeah. And sure enough, they were interested enough and decided to do a story on  our wedding. Yeah. Bow Renewal. And, uh, her name was Sam. Okay. Uh, Gillette out of New York, and  she's wonderful. And we've stayed in touch with her. And she, she did a wonderful job with that article. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:48:03): 

What an amazing opportunity. Yeah. Yeah. So your three kids were there? Yep. Your daughter wore your 

Chrissy Stewart (00:48:08): 

Wedding? My original, original wedding dress. So this was surprise for Matt. Okay. Um, yeah. So, uh, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:48:15): 

You obviously knew about it because you had to 

Chrissy Stewart (00:48:17):

Page 36 of 74 

Arrange her. Yes. I had to orchestrate it. Yes. Yes. So she had a, um, a bridesmaids dress. 'cause she was  of course, my maid of honor of course. And I love this. And so when they went to do their daddy  daughter dance, um, she ran upstairs and, uh, changed into my original veil gloves, jewelry, I mean, dress  everything. So, uh, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:48:36): 

Had she, by the way, ever played dress up, done anything with this before? Or was it tucked away 

Chrissy Stewart (00:48:41): 

In a box? Not really. It was tucked away in a box, and we had, we were just cleaning out the basement.  Yeah. Um, because when you think you're gonna die, you don't wanna leave a bunch of stuff. So you  wanna go through your things, just go through some purging. Yeah. Okay. So we did some purging mm hmm  And, uh, anyways, found the dress. And of course it was still like hermetically sealed  from 20 years ago. And I was like, let's cut this baby open. Yeah. Like, she was about the height and  weight that I was when I got married, and I was like, let, this is fun. Like, let's throw this on. Yes. So we  knew it, like kind of fit. Yeah. So, uh, yeah. So when this came up, I was like, what do you think about  wearing my dress? And so it was really, it was really neat. So I'll let you take is he didn't know. Yeah. So  when it came time for the dance, he's looking around like, where's Maddie? Like, we gotta go. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:49:22): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:49:22): 

Yeah. I mean, they're like, Matt, come on out, you Maddie daddy daughter dance. I'm looking around, I'm  like, where's Maddie? And I was getting annoyed. I'm just like, he was looking at me like, the whole  reason we're doing this is for the daddy daughter dance, and my daughter's nowhere to be found. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:49:33): 

And 

Matt Stewart (00:49:34): 

Then she walks down the stairs and Chrissy's, uh, original wedding dress, and I mean, just tears and 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:49:40): 

Absolutely 

Matt Stewart (00:49:40): 

We're crying as we're dancing. And then Maddie wanted to do like a fun, uh, dance, like choreographed  dance with me. So, Aw. We choreographed, uh, will Smith skit and Jiggy with it. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:49:49): 

Perfect. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:49:50): 

And so great choice.

Page 37 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:49:51): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:49:52): 

We went to the dance and just the first verse, we did kind of a choreographed dance, and it would end up  being a great memory, a great moment for both of us. Yeah. And obviously, I hope I can dance with her at  her real wedding. Of course. Of 

Chrissy Stewart (00:50:03): 

Course. But if not, she gotta dance in a wedding dress with her daddy. 

Matt Stewart (00:50:05): 

Exactly. Which made it worth it. Oh my gosh. Yeah. So it was great. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:50:08): 

That's amazing. That, that's so sweet. I, you know, I mean, I just like the way that you guys are  approaching this, just even talking about doing the trips as a family mm-hmm  And, and  having that happen is, is just it. Like ma again, brings a tear to my eye to hear about that. Mm-hmm   What else do you guys do, like day to day? What's top of mind for you week to week,  month to month? What do you guys do as a family to intentionally plan your days, your seasons together?  What do you guys do? Okay. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:50:36): 

Um, I mean, it's, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:50:38): 

We've got spring break 

Chrissy Stewart (00:50:39): 

Kind of normal stuff. Yeah. Like, we have a family night every, uh, Sunday night. Okay. And it's  mandatory. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:50:45): 

Mandatory, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:50:45): 

Of course. Yep. So you must take off work. You, they're, we 

Matt Stewart (00:50:48): 

Take 'em out to dinner. So it's, it's an easy 

Chrissy Stewart (00:50:50): 

. Yeah. I know it's an easy talk, but I mean, we bri go to dinner. Sometimes we play a game.  Sometimes we just wa watch a show. Sometimes Maddie has homework, so after dinner she goes and  does her homework. Yep. Which is important too. Yep. Um, and then we have a weekly phone call with 

Page 38 of 74 

our son in college. I mean, these are things that all families could do. Mm-hmm  Yeah.  Yeah. So, well, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:51:09): 

I was kind of curious, like, are there things that you have absolutely started doing, adding into your  regular routine or, or things that you've absolutely stopped doing? I mean, we've talked a little bit about  like, I would boundaries and 

Chrissy Stewart (00:51:19): 

Oh, sure, sure, sure. I would say we take very good ke care of ourselves. He like health and lifestyle wise.  Sure. Yeah. So that is top of mind. Yeah. You know what I mean? So we are working out and, you know,  we got a water filtration system and we ve did one. I need one those, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:51:34): 

By the way, . 

Chrissy Stewart (00:51:35): 

I have a guy. I'll let you know. Yeah. Um, you know, so I mean, definitely all of those things on a day to  day-to-day basis, you know, we're getting enough rest and we're trying to reduce stress and Yeah. So for  sure. But like with the family, can you think of anything specific? 

Matt Stewart (00:51:48): 

No, I think, um, it's just saying yes more often. Okay. Yes. Right. Like, if friends are like, Hey, you  wanna go out to dinner? Yes. Yeah. You know, Hey, uh, do you wanna go see a movie? Yes. Mm-hmm   Like, just trying to do more things. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:52:01): 

You wanna be on this podcast? Yes. Mm-hmm  Yes. Thank you. Thank you. 

Matt Stewart (00:52:04): 

Honestly, our perfect night is, um, just watching TV together. Yeah. It's the 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:52:09): 

Best part of, what are we watching right now, by the way? Oh, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:52:11): 

Right now. Go ahead. 

Matt Stewart (00:52:12): 

The Americans. Okay. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:52:14): 

It's an older one, but Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:52:16):

Page 39 of 74 

But it's good. We, we didn't, we've never seen it, so we thought, I haven't seen it either. There's six  seasons. We're in season two. It's good. It's really good. Mm-hmm  Yeah. Um, so yeah, it's  just spending time together Yeah. Is the most important thing. But it's not like the cancer. All of a sudden.  We started every Friday where we do square dancing, you know, it's not like anything like that that 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:52:34): 

We should do some square cancer, but there's an idea. Yeah. He's been holding that one back from you. I  think so. Right, right. , 

(00:52:39): 

What do you recommend to people who, um, let's just say as friends? Um, I've got you guys in my life. I  have a friend right now going through a LS and they're in Chicago's Hard. Yeah. Hard. And they're not  here locally, and they can't always talk on the phone or respond to a text. What do friends need to know  and family, um, to be there as something can take time and continue on mm-hmm  Right?  Something is building or growing any chronic illness. Yeah. Any kind of chronic illness. Like what do  you recommend to people who want to be there but don't necessarily wanna bombard and annoy and you  know what I'm saying? Like, how do you not let it drop off mm-hmm  But to make sure,  you know, you guys know that we're constantly thinking and praying. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:53:21): 

Yeah. For you. Well, I think I love your idea of a text or a phone call mm-hmm  Because  you can leave a message and really have no expectation of them getting back to you. Yeah. And you even  say that on there, like, no pressure. Yeah. Because if they're not feeling up for it. 'cause sometimes, like, I  mean, there was one time I literally lost my voice for a month, and the thought of trying, and my mom  always wanted talk to her on the phone, and I was like, I get, I, yeah. You know, , please 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:53:42): 

Understand right 

Chrissy Stewart (00:53:43): 

Now. Yes. We can't do that. Please, please. Like, gimme some grace. You know? Yeah. So give them all  the grace. Um, and I have a friend who once a month and has been doing this for four years, sends me a  card. She sends me a card, and there's usually, you know, like something in it, like there's a little sticker or  there's a, I mean, nothing expensive. Like it's not a, you know, a sticker or a bookmark or something like,  but, but to get something in the mail, by the way Yes. It in the mail, it's still really 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:54:05): 

Exciting. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:54:05): 

I know. So this, that's really, really sweet. And, and again, it, there's no expectation of anything returning.  Yeah. You know, so I think that's really sweet. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:54:14): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (00:54:14):

Page 40 of 74 

So, last summer I interviewed, um, a young 20 something who had testicular cancer mm-hmm   And he told me that when he was diagnosed, his best friend just dropped off the face of the  earth and didn't call him. And it wasn't, it's too hard, wasn't there hard mm-hmm  And  afterwards, you know, he survived it and he, he reconnected with his best friend. He's like, what happened  to you? And he's like, well, I didn't wanna bother you. You were going through a tough time and I just  didn't want to be in the way. You know? And that's like the exact opposite, right? Mm-hmm   Of someone dealing with a health crisis. Mm-hmm  They need friends in  their lives. Mm-hmm  Especially good friends that are gonna be there. So, no, I think what  Chrissy said is really, really smart. I think just staying in touch is the biggest thing. Yeah. Make it a  weekly phone call and just say, how's it going? And don't feel like you have to lift 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:00): 

Them up. Funny meme or something. A 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:01): 

Gif. Yeah. Well, exactly. Yes. Yeah. Something just thinking about you today. 

Matt Stewart (00:55:05): 

Yeah. But again, it's not like your job is to lift them out of the doldrums. I mean, you can Yeah. Get in  that pit with them and cry with them and be sad with them. Mm-hmm  But they just need to  know that they've got someone in their corner fighting with them mm-hmm  And all it  takes is a phone call or a text or whatever, a card. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:22): 

Right. That's so true. 

Matt Stewart (00:55:24): 

Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:24): 

So what do you guys, um, what do you have on your bucket list? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:33): 

Anica. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:34): 

Okay. I was like, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:35): 

Wait, there's either a 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:36): 

Story here 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:36): 

Or

Page 41 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:37): 

A 

Matt Stewart (00:55:38): 

She 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:38): 

Wants 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:38): 

Antarctica. 

Matt Stewart (00:55:39): 

Tell 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:39): 

Me, tell 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:40): 

Me more. Call 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:40): 

Me Antarctica, but it's really expensive. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:42): 

Are you gonna do, 'cause I think I heard now you can fly into Antarctica rather than doing the, what is it? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:55:47): 

Drake's passage? Or you can the Drake passage. But I think that's like, is that 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:55:49): 

What you wanna do? Yeah. I just learned about this. Actually. I told you I had a chiropractor on, um,  yeah. Shout out to Dr. Justin Grabowski. . He and his wife are huge travelers and they want to do  that, or he wants to do it, friend. He's really expensive. I'm like, it looks terrifying to me. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:01): 

It's 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:01): 

Really 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:02): 

Expensive. Sure. Yes. But I, I game would love to hit you're game. All seven continents. Um,

Page 42 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:07): 

How many continents have you done? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:08): 

Uh, let's see. 1, 2, 3. I've done four. Okay. So I still need South America. Okay. Which we're gonna hit.  We're gonna go into Columbia next in aye, about a year. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:16): 

Amazing. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:16): 

And then, um, I need to hit Asia and then Antarctica. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:19): 

Okay. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:19): 

There you go. It is so expensive. And so we were gonna plan it and then I was just like, wow, we could  take like three or four trips of the cost. You know what I mean? And if I'm gonna do Antarctica, I wanna  like, I don't know, go over what is it that arctic or Antarctic line, and I wanna like do a polar plunge in the  Antarctic sea. You wanna 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:36): 

Completely 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:37): 

Immerse 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:38): 

Yourself. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:38): 

Immerse myself. Okay. I 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:56:39): 

Wanna 

Chrissy Stewart (00:56:39): 

Walk with those penguins. I don't wanna just stop at Elephant Island and say I touch Antarctica. Yeah. I  mean, I would, I mean, yeah. It's not as, I mean, if wanted someone would to take me, I would do it.  Yeah. But I just, that's what I want. And to do it right. Yeah. For both of us is gonna be about $50,000.  And I'm just like, are you kidding it that much? And I'm just like, as a family? No, just, no, just Matt.  Even just the two of you. Just the two of us. Us 50 bananas. By the time you so expensive fly down there.  So we

Page 43 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:57:05): 

May never, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:57:05): 

It's a whole thing. Holy cow. Yes. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:57:07): 

Let's find you some 

Chrissy Stewart (00:57:07): 

Kind of 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:57:08): 

Sponsor a deal. We need 

Chrissy Stewart (00:57:09): 

A book deal. Yes. We need a sponsor 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:57:10): 

Book deal. Okay. So we'll, we'll talk about that too, but go ahead. Be 

Chrissy Stewart (00:57:13): 

Amazing. Well, 

Matt Stewart (00:57:14): 

I was just gonna say, I think with Chrissy and I, the big thing is I'm a big, uh, believer in positivity. I think  when you have a positive mindset, oh, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:57:23): 

We noticed, everyone knows . I'm 

Matt Stewart (00:57:25): 

Just gonna, I'm gonna like text, look at the negativity, just seeping outta my wife. I'm 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:57:29): 

Gonna, I'm gonna call you every time I need a, a boost. That's right. Yes. A daily boost. 

Matt Stewart (00:57:32): 

Well, I just feel like when you're positive, your body responses, your body's listening to you. So if you're  positive, it helps your immune system feed the cancer. Mm-hmm. Or at least keep it at bay. And so one  way I like to stay positive is having things to look forward to. Yeah. Mm-hmm  So Chrisy  and I like to have about four vacations planned in the future. Right. Love it. So once we finish a vacation,  we start planning the fourth one, like in the future, Uhhuh. 'cause we've already got three coming up. I 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:57:57):

Page 44 of 74 

Completely understand that. 

Matt Stewart (00:57:58): 

So we're always I love it. So yeah. So we've got a cruise. We're, we're going on a cruise next week. We've  got a cruise in April. We've got a vacation in Colorado in September. We've got a cruise in January.  Those, that's the four. Good 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:08): 

For you. 

Matt Stewart (00:58:08): 

So then we come back from, uh, this cruise next week and we're gonna start planning that. Okay. Next,  next trip. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:58:13): 

Do 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:14): 

You do the same cruise line by the way? Or do you mix it up? We 

Chrissy Stewart (00:58:16): 

It up. We 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:16): 

Mix it up. Okay. I was just curious mm-hmm  Like, do we need to get you like a Royal  Caribbean partnership of something? 

Chrissy Stewart (00:58:21): 

Woo. Yeah. So we do. That'd be nice. Royal Caribbean or Norwegian mostly. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:25): 

Okay. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:58:25): 

Good 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:25): 

To know. Mm-hmm  Yeah. I love it. Okay, so let's talk about you guys being authors.  Yeah. <affirmative>, I think you may or may not look down here that we wanna bring up. Um, Chris 

Matt Stewart (00:58:35): 

Chrissy's the newest author. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:36): 

You're the newest author. Author.

Page 45 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (00:58:38): 

Congratulations. I wanted in. He is written six books and you've written 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:58:42): 

Six, 

Chrissy Stewart (00:58:43): 

Six books. Okay. We'll get to that. I didn't know that happening. So he's incredible. Um, and, uh, yeah. So  I wanted, I wanted in, so, um, this is, I dunno. So I have some deep seated, I dunno things about just life  and what I wanted to like give, don't we? All right? Yes. Good for you. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:59:00): 

For putting it into 

Chrissy Stewart (00:59:01): 

Action. Right? Yeah.  give the things that, like basically how I was raised, you know, was to be  sweet and pretty and sugar and spiced and everything. Nice. Yeah. And, um, certain things about girls,  how girls are supposed to be mm-hmm  And I have just decided to raise my daughter in a  totally different way. Ooh. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (00:59:18): 

I wanna hear about this. 

Chrissy Stewart (00:59:19): 

I want her to be brave and gritty and strong and, you know, so, I mean, and I she can be beautiful too.  That's wonderful. 'cause I think women can be all of those. Yes. And, uh, so I dunno. So anyways, so this  is sort of like how I raise my daughter in a sense. It's called the Brave Warrior Queen. Okay. And it's  about, uh, it's about a little girl named Maya. And so, uh, everyone knows the book Alexander and the  Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Yep. So Alexander has a really bad day. Right. So Maya has a  really bad day. And, um, not that I love that Alexander book, don't get me wrong, but at the end, the  lesson is just, well, some days are like that. And it's like, well, and that's true. And sometimes we just  need to suck it up. 

(01:00:04): 

And some days are li are li like that. But how do we get through each of these moments? What are we  doing with our body in that moment? How are we talking to ourselves in that moment? Mm-hmm   So that's take it to the, the next level that's take it to the next level. Yeah. Yeah. Let's  expand it. So this is, um, little Maya. Aw. And she's just an everyday girl and she goes through very  everyday activities, you know what I mean? So she has a, you know, she's frustrated with her brother at  breakfast 'cause he ate all of her cereal. Yeah. Um, and then her friends don't wanna play with her on the  playground and things like that. Mm-hmm  So, but then when she's having a hard time, a  little brave warrior queen appears, and it's just like a kind of a special friend that only she can see. 

(01:00:44): 

And that Warrior Queen tells her, kind of talks her through each of these hard, scary, frustrating things  throughout her day, Uhhuh. And then at the end of the day is where I think it all comes around, is that  she, um, is like, you know, she's kind of proud on how she handled her day. And she's like, who are you  like to the brave warrior queen? Mm-hmm  And the Warrior Queen's like, well, I'm you, 

Page 46 of 74 

I'm the bravest you. So then she looks at herself in the mirror, sees herself as the brave warrior queen, and  says, I am my own brave warrior queen. Mm-hmm  Meaning you don't need a hero, you are  your own hero. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:18): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:19): 

So you can find that bravery, that gumption, that grit, that, you know, all of brilliance within yourself. All  within. And it's always there with you all the time. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:28): 

So, 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:29): 

And 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:29): 

Look how articulate you are with this. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:30): 

Oh, thank you. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:31): 

Like 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:31): 

Your 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:31): 

Passion. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:32): 

Yes. Your, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:33): 

Um, 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:33): 

Can you tell like Yes 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:01:34): 

I can. And I absolutely love it. Um, was this a reflection of going through what you went through? Or was  this something that you had brainstormed before?

Page 47 of 74 

Chrissy Stewart (01:01:43): 

Oh, this is definitely a reflection of what I went through. So, um, the boys had some hard times after, uh,  the diagnosis. Okay. And there was one time when, uh, my Alex, our middle, um, we were sitting outside,  it was that family night  mm-hmm  And we were waiting for our table. You were 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:02:01): 

Square 

Chrissy Stewart (01:02:01): 

Dancing. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:02:01): 

Obviously 

Chrissy Stewart (01:02:01): 

We were square dancing. Mm-hmm  We were waiting for our table. Um, and, uh, uh, he  asked a very poignant question. He said, um, when are you going to, basically, when are you going to  give up on me so I can do whatever I want? And, uh, Matt, uh, immediately was like, never mm-hmm   We're never giving up on you. And I'm a a bit of a slow processor at times when I'm like, I  needed to like really process and think about that question. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:02:30): 

Absolutely. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:02:31): 

So, 'cause like, wow, that's, that's profound. Like Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:02:33): 

You 

Chrissy Stewart (01:02:34): 

Know what I mean? Um, and uh, 'cause they were really stressing us, um, and wanted to do some things  that they wanted to do and that we didn't want them to do. Okay. Um, and, uh, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:02:44): 

Because of their ages. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:02:45): 

Their ages, right? Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. A big part of that. Yeah. Yes. And just, you know, teenagers,  you Yes. Choice. We don't need to go on specifics, but Yes. It's just hard times. Yeah. Um, exacerbated  by what was happening in our lives. And the next day I wrote him a text, Alex and I just said, Hey, last  

night you said, asked when we were gonna give up on you. Um, and the answer is never because your  mom is a badass warrior queen, and I could have cancer and be your mom too. I'm not going anywhere. 

Matt Stewart (01:03:12):

Page 48 of 74 

I love that. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:03:13): 

And so, badass Warrior Queen kind of came our like thing, you know, Uhhuh Mantra Uhhuh. Yep. Um,  like I made vinyl stickers and everything kept surfacing and coming through. Yes. Like, yeah. So badass  warrior, warrior Queen, and just empowering other women whether you're going through a divorce or an  

illness or your parent died or whatever. Yeah. Um, even just normal parenting of kids and teenagers.  That's we're all badass warrior queens, . Um, anyway, so that would be good. And I'm 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:03:38): 

Gonna walk away from this today feeling the exact same thing by the way. And I'll tell our girls at home  too. 

Matt Stewart (01:03:42): 

You 

Chrissy Stewart (01:03:42): 

Are 

Matt Stewart (01:03:43): 

Badass. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:03:43): 

Thank you 

Chrissy Stewart (01:03:43): 

For the, for the children's book. We didn't think badass was like maybe the way to go. So we, you need  like 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:03:49): 

One with the e and one without 

Chrissy Stewart (01:03:50): 

Yeah. . So we did Brave Warrior Queen. Okay. 

(01:03:54): 

Um, so basically this is how I talk to myself. This is how I trained my daughter to talk to herself, uh, and  how to be brave and do it every day. Yeah. So, yes, it definitely ties into the cancer, but I think because of  it, it just kind of came out. Yeah. And he is an inspiration. I mean, he has published six books and I have  been with him from the very beginning of this journey and, uh, that's interesting. So I felt like I, maybe I  could do it with his help. You had a mean 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:04:19): 

Little fomo. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:04:20):

Page 49 of 74 

Yeah. Showing 

Matt Stewart (01:04:20): 

Us. Yeah. She did a great job. Well, 

Chrissy Stewart (01:04:22): 

I he like 

Matt Stewart (01:04:23): 

Star 

Chrissy Stewart (01:04:24): 

So much. Help. When 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:04:25): 

Did this come out by the way? 

Chrissy Stewart (01:04:26): 

Uh, December. December 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:04:27): 

Literally just came out like a few months ago. Mm-hmm  Okay. So six books for you.  Yeah. What, what's the backstory there? 

Matt Stewart (01:04:35): 

I won't bore you with all the long details. Oh, I don't get bored. Basically , 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:04:38): 

But you can gimme whatever version you want. Go . 

Matt Stewart (01:04:41): 

Well, the point is, is that, um, I grew up loving, I've always loved writing. You know, I'm, I'm a voracious  reader. I grew up reading books, writing short stories, writing books, but I could never just finish a novel.  So when Chris, my 

Chrissy Stewart (01:04:53): 

Favorite story about you is that you had like a, a neighborhood newsletter when he was a child. So I was  like, he was like writing a newspaper even as a child. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:01): 

I was typing a newspaper on my parents' typewriter that with the Wild Out and the, 

Chrissy Stewart (01:05:05): 

You

Page 50 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:05): 

Say your Macintosh with Organ Trail on there, . Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:09): 

I'm older than you. So that was before Macintosh. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:11): 

I was a typewriter. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:12): 

He was a typewriter. Then I graduated to an electric typewriter. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:15): 

Oh, good. Mm-hmm. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:16): 

Then to a Texas instrument. You're 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:17): 

You really making yourself sound old though? 

Matt Stewart (01:05:19): 

Yeah. . Oh yeah. Well, I'm 51, so Yeah. I am old. Um, however, I've always loved writing. And  then, um, I kind of put it to the side. And then when Chrissy became pregnant with Jackson, I realized if I  lost my job, it'd be nice to have another way to make some income. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:33): 

Sure. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:34): 

Why not write a book? 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:35): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:36): 

So I wrote my first book. It was a spiritual adventure novel. I sent it to all these publishers. I had high  hopes, rejection, rejection, rejection. No one wanted to publish it. And I'm like, okay. So I read a book  about how to write a book. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:47): 

Okay. 

Matt Stewart (01:05:48):

Page 51 of 74 

. And it said, write about what you know. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:05:50): 

So 

Matt Stewart (01:05:50): 

I thought, well, my Northwestern experience walking on earning scholarship, our team going from the  worst to the best. Mm-hmm  It's a really cool story. So my first real book that I published  was The Walkon. I wrote about my football experience and a bunch of Chicago bookstores were buying  it. And it was really successful. And it, it won first place in a contest. I'm like, amazing. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:06:11): 

Oh 

Matt Stewart (01:06:11): 

My goodness. Like, okay, good. I, okay, this 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:06:13): 

Is possible. 

Matt Stewart (01:06:14): 

I can write. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:06:14): 

We got this. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:06:15): 

So then, but I self-published that, that I self-published a murder mystery about TV news. Then I self published a time travel adventure. I like just going to all these different genres. It's just fun. So moving 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:06:25): 

Into fiction 

Matt Stewart (01:06:25): 

Right. All over the place. Yeah. I went from non-fiction to two fictions. Okay. And then, um, read Press  Outta St. Louis reached out, they're a, they're a publishing unit and Okay. They write, uh, niche books.  Okay. So like, Hey, the best restaurants of Kansas City, the best restaurants of Omaha, the best restaurants  of Houston. And they hire an author in each city to write those books. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:06:45): 

Oh. So 

Matt Stewart (01:06:45): 

They said, Hey, you're a TV guy, you write books. Do you wanna write for us? I'm like, yeah,

Page 52 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:06:49): 

Uhhuh. 

Matt Stewart (01:06:50): 

Hello. A real publisher. Let's go. I don't enough to self-publish. Yeah. So I wrote Unique Eats and  Eateries of Kansas City and I focused on like 86 restaurants in Kansas City that are unique Wow. And  told their history and the picture is beautiful. Mm-hmm  That ended up being their  bestseller. So they said, we wanna write, we want to write another book. And I said, if I'm writing another  book, I wanna write about the Royals. Okay. I'm a huge Kansas City royal fan. Yeah. So I wrote a big  history book about the Kansas City Royals. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:07:13): 

Okay. 

Matt Stewart (01:07:13): 

That has sold really well. Amazing. Um, and then I, and then I was like, I'm gonna write a spiritual  adventure about a guardian angel that I wanted to write, which I self-published, which I love. 'cause I kind  came 

Chrissy Stewart (01:07:22): 

Circle because that's what you wanted to do the first time. And now you're like, I'm doing it. 

Matt Stewart (01:07:27): 

I wrote 

Chrissy Stewart (01:07:27): 

That down 

Matt Stewart (01:07:28): 

Because 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:07:28): 

I I saw you also like referenced a movie. What the preacher, 

Matt Stewart (01:07:32): 

The bishop's wife. The preacher's wife inside 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:07:34): 

Washington. Yeah. I'm reading this and I was like, I haven't seen either of those. I should check this out.  Oh, great. Movies when reading about 

Matt Stewart (01:07:37): 

Your books. Great movies, but yeah. No. So, and, and I, and I'm so spiritual that to be able to share my  spirituality with others Yeah. In a non-threatening way. Yeah. I'm not the kind that's like, if you don't  believe this, you're going to hell. No. No. It's just, hey, just believe in something. Mm-hmm 

Page 53 of 74 

 Please. Mm-hmm  Maybe a higher being, whatever that looks like to you.  Yeah. Um, and now I'm in the middle of writing another, I'm writing another book about the history of  Kansas Jay Hawk basketball. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:08:01): 

So it's 

Matt Stewart (01:08:02): 

Gonna be a huge, it's like a coffee table, picture book 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:08:04): 

Without even having gone to ku. 

Matt Stewart (01:08:07): 

Right. It's been great. You 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:08:08): 

Just, did you just become like a massive 

Matt Stewart (01:08:10): 

Basketball 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:08:11): 

Fan? 

Matt Stewart (01:08:11): 

No, but I've, I've followed KU basketball since I've been here, but it, it was one of those I went 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:08:15): 

To KU and have so obviously have many 

Matt Stewart (01:08:18): 

KU connections that will love this. Yeah. You know? Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. No, and it, I mean, it  starts at like 1899 the first KU basketball Yeah. Invented 

Chrissy Stewart (01:08:24): 

In basketball. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:08:25): 

Right. Um, all the way to present day Uhhuh <affirmative>, um, and talking about all the great players all  the way through. And then, um, we wrote a book about our cancer journey. So everyone kept saying,  write a book about your cancer journey mm-hmm  And so we were like, okay, well let's  write a book. We wanna do it differently. Okay. I could have written a book and said, well, Chrissy felt  this way. Well, that's not fair to Chrissy. Why not let Chrissy have her voice in this book? Mm-hmm   So I, I said, why don't we alternate chapters, alternate voices, alternate past and present 

Page 54 of 74 

timelines. Mm-hmm  So we start in the present. Christy has her cancer from her point of  view. Then my point of view, Uhhuh  Then we go to the past, Christy talks about her  childhood. I talk about my childhood. That's brilliant. And just kind of the timeline goes until we meet to  present day Uhhuh  And, uh, so we finished it. We have a literary agent who's shopping it  right now as, as we speak right 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:09:14): 

Now. Sweet. 

Matt Stewart (01:09:14): 

Hoping to get a book deal somewhere. 'cause 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:09:16): 

How could you not with that, 

Matt Stewart (01:09:18): 

Truly. I would love 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:09:19): 

To. 

Matt Stewart (01:09:19): 

Truly. I'll see. Yeah. It's, it's got all the elements. Yeah. And look, the, the worst case scenario is we just  self-publish it mm-hmm  And we sell it here in Kansas City and you guys read it mm-hmm   But I think I agree with you that it's got all the elements of making a really good book.  And I'm hoping that a publisher will buy into it and, you know mm-hmm  Buy it and  publish it for us. Mm-hmm 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:09:40): 

Matt Stewart (01:09:40): 

So we'll see. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:09:41): 

Okay. 

Matt Stewart (01:09:41): 

We'll see. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:09:42): 

When did you finish writing that? Like how far into your journey? 

Chrissy Stewart (01:09:45):

Page 55 of 74 

Oh gosh. Well we had, we had some setbacks and we started it. Okay. And then, you know, that was  another one of our jokes. So we like went to the, um, 'cause we started it when I just had cancer. And  then, so we were, uh, we're at the emergency room, found out about his cancer. So we're driving to EDD  to get him admitted. Mm-hmm  Like, you know, and, uh, and Matt's like, well, uh, we, the  book's gonna have parti, , . And I was like, oh, I guess so doesn't it twist the book? So we  have been writing it for a while. Um, I needed a little bit more encouragement 'cause I am not quite as a  confident as author as Matt, obviously. Okay. Um, and we write differently and I write more how I speak  when I'm like, well, if it's gonna be my point of view, it's gonna be direct and raw and real. And it's gonna  be you, it's gonna be you. I'm gonna be funny. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:32): 

Yep. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:33): 

And I mean, I'm gonna tell the hard truth. I mean, there's a whole chapter of a very invasive pelvic exam.  Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:38): 

You 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:39): 

Know what I mean? That like, I just, I just, I people need to know. No, I 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:43): 

Such an appreciation for this going 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:44): 

Back to 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:45): 

Being pregnant and all 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:45): 

The things 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:46): 

Like, we 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:46): 

Need to 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:46): 

Be talking about all the things that 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:48):

Page 56 of 74 

We have. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:48): 

No. And 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:48): 

You should know these things. No, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:10:49): 

No. Shame. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:10:50): 

You know, before you're naked on the, you know, on the, on the table 

Matt Stewart (01:10:54): 

. Yeah. Well, and the, the truth is, is Chrissy's a fantastic writer. I mean, I'm reading some of her  chapters. I'm like, this is better than what I'm writing. No, it's fantastic. And the book compliment though,  I'll be honest with you. I mean, I know that I wrote the book and Christy did too, but this is a fantastic  book. Like, I'm rereading it and I'm like, this is really good. Yeah. Like, it flows. It's, there 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:11:12): 

Cannot, cannot be a lot of other similar stories to that. Correct. 

Matt Stewart (01:11:15): 

And we talk about faith and inspiration. We have stories in there, and it's just, once it gets out, I think  people are really going to love it. Yep. It's just when's it gonna come out and who's gonna shepherd it?  Yes. Is it gonna be a publisher? Is it gonna be us? 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:11:26): 

So what do we need to do to help with that? We need to get a publisher to I know, yes. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:11:30): 

Pick it up to say Yes. Whoever 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:11:31): 

That is. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:11:31): 

Whoever that is. Yes. Are there publishers? Can we tell the secret 

Matt Stewart (01:11:36): 

About, about Maddie? 

Chrissy Stewart (01:11:38): 

The secret about Maddie.

Page 57 of 74 

Matt Stewart (01:11:40): 

Oh, Maddie. Oh yeah. Maddie wrote in the 

Chrissy Stewart (01:11:42): 

Book. Maddie has a couple chapters in the book. Amazing. So unreal. So, yes. So it is, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:11:48): 

That's a bucket list item for sure. For you 

Chrissy Stewart (01:11:50): 

Guys as a family. It's incredible. Yeah. Like I, I asked if she wanted to, like, I would just, you know, and  she wasn't sure. And she gave me her first chapter and it was 

(01:12:01): 

Perfect. Heart wrenching, imperfect. She's a little author too. And so I think it adds a really beautiful  development because one of the number one questions people ask is about the kids and how they  responded and, you know, and there's really not a lot of that out there. Yeah. In, you know, in literature, in  the memoir. I mean, do you, you know, a 14-year-old girl who mm-hmm  You know what I  mean? Like Yeah. Is wearing her dad's wedding ring because he couldn't wear it and his brain surgery  and, you know what I mean? Like that's Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:12:28): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:12:28): 

Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:12:29): 

Did the boys wanna have any part? 

Chrissy Stewart (01:12:31): 

No. Okay. 

Matt Stewart (01:12:32): 

We asked them. Fair. Yeah. We give an opportunity. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:12:34): 

That's great. That's great. Yeah. Fine. Yeah. Don't need to mm-hmm  Yeah. Um, what have  you guys done in terms of your marriage? I mean, you obviously have such a strong marriage mm-hmm   But since all of this has happened, have there been certain things that you've done beyond  faith and planning, family trips that you've done to really keep that marriage so strong and so loving and  so Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:12:52): 

I'd say that

Page 58 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:12:52): 

Hilarious and joyful. 

Matt Stewart (01:12:54): 

Well, it's really along the traveling. Okay. We, we've, we've gone on a couple trips, just the two of us.  Great. Love that. Just to experience life together because, you know, and we love traveling with friends.  We love traveling with family. Mm-hmm. But there's nothing replaces just traveling the two of us. It's just  the two of us the whole time. Yeah. For a week. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:13:10): 

So important. Right. 

Matt Stewart (01:13:10): 

And it helps you reconnect. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:13:12): 

Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:13:12): 

Well, and Sunday morning coffee. That is like our number one marriage advice. Is this at home? Sunday  morning coffee? Oh, 

Matt Stewart (01:13:19): 

Well, Saturday and Sunday morning. Coffee 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:13:20): 

Weekend. Coffee 

Chrissy Stewart (01:13:21): 

Weekend. Coffee weekend. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:13:23): 

What does this entail? Just like going, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting at the table or, 

Chrissy Stewart (01:13:27): 

Or whatever. Yes. Literally just, yes, you can be on the porch if it's nice. Or we just sit and, you know, 

Matt Stewart (01:13:31): 

We brew a, a pot of coffee. Coffee and sit there. We for like two hours. Two 

Chrissy Stewart (01:13:35): 

Hours 

Matt Stewart (01:13:35):

Page 59 of 74 

And just chat on Saturday and Sunday morning. We just catch up. We go through the calendar, we talk,  we plan for the next week. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:13:40): 

So we're on the same page. Yeah. Um, and yeah. And just sit and be together. Yeah. That's super sweet.  And some, sometimes it is a planning session when it's like, uh, you know, something, you don't always  connect during the week 'cause you're working and busy. Yeah. And you say, oh, hey, it's on, on the  coffee time and we're gonna Yep. Play matter. 

Matt Stewart (01:13:58): 

But I mean, you're married. I mean, think about all those husbands and wives. It's like all week just  passing by. You're so busy, you never see each other, you never talk mm-hmm  So to have  that intentionality of, hey, okay, this weekend, you know, we wake up at 7:00 AM what are you doing at  7:00 AM on a Saturday morning? Yeah. Brew a pot of coffee, sit on the couch, talk to each other for a  couple hours quality 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:14:16): 

Time. Mm-hmm 

Matt Stewart (01:14:17): 

 Then 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:14:17): 

Go by your day intentional. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:14:19): 

Yeah. Intentional quality time. Yes. It could be a, it could be Friday night, happy hour. Yeah. It doesn't  have to be coffee. Yeah. Um, but yeah. And we are, you know, blessed in the way that we don't need  babysitters anymore. And, you know, our teenagers are not up at seven. Yeah. . Um, but yeah, I  would go as hard to say like, Hey, could a grandparent take the kids in the morning or anything to just let  that, let have a couple hours of just, just you time. Yeah. And no expectations, which like, I didn't have, I  don't have to get dressed up and fancy. No pressure, no pressure, no 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:14:46): 

Timelines. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:14:47): 

Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:14:47): 

I love 

Chrissy Stewart (01:14:48): 

It. Yeah. You roll outta bed. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:14:49):

Page 60 of 74 

I wanna get into a little bit more about what you guys love about Kansas City, but before we do that, um,  I wanna go back to what is on the horizon for both of you right now in terms of doctor's appointments or  treatments or medication? Like what happens from here at the current state that you're at? 

Chrissy Stewart (01:15:05): 

I mean, it's, it's here and it's here forever. Mm-hmm 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:15:07): 

Chrissy Stewart (01:15:07): 

Uh, my joke is that like at, at our house, we talk about, you know, oncology visits and CT scans, like  other families talk about dentist appointments and haircuts. Okay. Like, so you're just like, oh, I have a  haircut tomorrow. Okay. Like, I have a CT tomorrow. Okay. Yep. Like it's no big deal. Mm-hmm   Um, and we don't really call attention to it. It's on the family calendar. Yep. Um, but we  just tell the kids that if there's something to know, we'll let you know. Okay. But I mean, just, okay. No  one is stressed about the CT scans. Perfect. I mean, we, we might be Sure. Sure. But like everyone else  know. Yeah. Um, so lots of monitoring. Okay. I am not on treatment at all right now, but like this  afternoon I will go get labs and see my oncologist. Okay. Uh, and then I do regular C CT scans. I think I  said that already. Um, and we're just kind of watching me. Okay. Um, and then I do just regular 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:15:54): 

Maintenance, 

Chrissy Stewart (01:15:55): 

Regular maintenance mo monitoring, making sure. Yep. And taking really close care. I mean, I, every  eight weeks, you know. Okay. Um, and then there is a really revolutionary blood test called Sign Terra. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:16:05): 

Ooh. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:16:05): 

Um, and he and I both do it actually. Okay. And it is revolutionary because it actually took my personal  tumor cells mm-hmm  Um, which I didn't know that they kept, but they, you, they keep  them in a warehouse. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:16:16): 

In a warehouse, like 

Chrissy Stewart (01:16:17): 

A chunk of my tumor. Okay. Which is really 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:16:19): 

Gross. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:16:19):

Page 61 of 74 

Oh, okay. To study 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:16:21): 

Later. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:16:21): 

Yes. Obviously. Yeah. So they like went and took, you know, a bit of my tumor, um, and they made a, a  blood test that's specifically for me. Okay. And it can tell if I have any circulating tumor DNA in my  blood. So basically it almost tells you ahead of the scan, like what that is. So that I will, I do that as I do  that as well. Okay. Um, every eight weeks. So mine is really simple. I am just living large and loving life  and working out. You just have 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:16:49): 

Your recurring calendar Yes. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:16:50): 

That, you 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:16:50): 

Know, to 

Chrissy Stewart (01:16:50): 

Anticipate, but just really enjoying feeling well. Good. You know what I mean? Good, good, good. So  yes. Love it. So that is on a different schedule right now. Well, 

Matt Stewart (01:16:57): 

I mentioned this at the beginning of the podcast. I mean, I'm on Keytruda and chemo right now. Yeah. So  I am basically on chemo for life. Okay. So every two weeks for the rest of my life, I will go in for  Keytruda and chemo. Now if by some chance the Keytruda works and all the tumors disappear, maybe I  could get off chemo eventually. Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:17:18): 

'cause I was on chemo for life as well. Okay. Until I wasn't Got it. 

Matt Stewart (01:17:21): 

Right. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:17:22): 

Good to know. 

Matt Stewart (01:17:22): 

But right now, I'm just assuming that every two weeks. So I've been doing this for a year and a half every  two weeks. And basically I go, it's, the way chemo works for me is I go in on a Friday after work mm hmm  Um, so I wake up at 2:00 AM for work, going to work at 3:00 AM mm-hmm   I'm on the morning show from 4:00 AM until 10. Mm-hmm  Then I'll go to  the doctor, I'll do chemo until maybe 4:00 PM come home. I'm feeling sick and nauseous and not really 

Page 62 of 74 

good. So I just crash. Mm-hmm  Sleep until the next morning. Okay. I have chemo with  me. I bring a chemo bag with me, so I have that on for 42 hours. So Danny Pack. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:17:56): 

Okay. Yeah. And 

Matt Stewart (01:17:57): 

It's like, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:17:58): 

I hope it's like a really cool eighties, you know, it's sick 

Chrissy Stewart (01:18:00): 

Kind. Oh, no. We, we could be dazzle it. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:18:04): 

I was gonna say that will, we're not gonna, we haven't even talked about the hats. Maybe that could be  your next line that you create. 

Matt Stewart (01:18:08): 

Okay. Let's move  anyways. Uh,  it has a short half life, so it just pumps in every like five  minutes. It pumps in a little more chemo into my port. Okay. And then Sunday morning I get detached,  then I get a, you know, two weeks later mm-hmm  I'm doing it again. Okay. So it's just an,  it's a never ending cycle. Mm-hmm  Um, and yeah, I'm fatigued and I don't feel great, but I  know that, you know, after a few days, I, I feel back to normal. I feel fine. Yeah. So it's totally worth it.  Okay. And obviously it's, I'm alive.  

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:18:37): 

You are 

Matt Stewart (01:18:38): 

Alive. It's, it's working. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:18:40): 

Yes. 

Matt Stewart (01:18:40): 

Um, so hopefully the Keytruda, as I mentioned, works better than the chemo and Great. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:18:44): 

Hopefully 

Matt Stewart (01:18:45): 

I have better news the next time we talk and

Page 63 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:18:47): 

We'll keep following along on 

Matt Stewart (01:18:48): 

For sure. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:18:49): 

Facebook and Instagram Yeah. To see what that looks like. Okay. Great. Um, anything else that we  haven't talked about that's a part of your story that is a part of what you want people to know about what  you guys have gone through or who you've worked with here? You know, whether that's KU or you  know, anyone that you wanna shout out that's been instrumental in helping you guys in any way? 

Matt Stewart (01:19:08): 

I mean, KU has been great. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:19:09): 

Oh, yeah. We love our oncology teams. Okay. Mm-hmm  

Matt Stewart (01:19:11): 

Yeah. Our, our oncologists have been great. I 

Chrissy Stewart (01:19:13): 

Love my oncology nurses too. Okay. Like, I feel really, like, I feel like they are, they are rooting me on  like they are. It's team Christy. I mean, they are awesome. Love it. Yeah. Love it. 

Matt Stewart (01:19:22): 

I was, I was talking with someone who said that their mom had cancer, but she was going to this hospital  because it was close to her house. And I'm like, that is a terrible way to make a decision. Mm-hmm   

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:19:32): 

You 

Matt Stewart (01:19:32): 

Make a decision based off of, you know, uh, your research and you want the best. It's 

Chrissy Stewart (01:19:38): 

The very best person. 

Matt Stewart (01:19:38): 

Yes. And so, when I was diagnosed inconvenience 

Chrissy Stewart (01:19:41): 

Too, but I mean,

Page 64 of 74 

Matt Stewart (01:19:42): 

When I, I mean KU is a, what is it? A national Institute of Health Cancer Center. Yeah. Anyways, um,  when I was first diagnosed, Chrissy asked her oncologist, who is the best colorectal surgeon at ku mm hmm 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:19:55): 

Matt Stewart (01:19:56): 

And he said, Dr. Al Zabi. And I said, okay, well that's what I want. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:19:59): 

Done and done. 

Matt Stewart (01:20:00): 

And I, I'm not settling for anything else. This is your life. Yeah. Mm-hmm  And I think  sometimes people settle and go, well, one hospital's as good as another. They're not Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:08): 

They're not closer. One less expensive advocate something. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:20:11): 

Yeah. And, and every hospital has their expertise, right? Mm-hmm  Mm-hmm   Kus expertise is cancer. Yeah. If you have cancer, go to ku. That's their expertise. Mm hmm  Um, so yeah. So people who just out of convenience or whatever, I'm just like, this is  your life word to the 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:25): 

Wise. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:20:26): 

Word to the wise. Advocate for yourself. Advocate for yourself. Make sure that you are getting the best  care possible. And if you're not happy with your care, get a second opinion. Go somewhere else. Don't be  afraid to hurt that doctor's feelings. Mm-hmm  It's okay. Yeah. You know you're alive.  Yeah. Because you hurt that doctor's feelings. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:42): 

So, 

Matt Stewart (01:20:43): 

Yeah. Great advice. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:44): 

Gotta

Page 65 of 74 

Matt Stewart (01:20:44): 

Take care of yourself. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:45): 

I love that. Mm-hmm  Good. Um, okay. So you guys are both from Omaha. Yep. You've  been here for 20 years. Yeah. What do you love about Kansas City? 

Matt Stewart (01:20:54): 

Everything. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:20:54): 

Everything. It's a big hug. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:55): 

Everything. And then some 

Chrissy Stewart (01:20:57): 

Oh yeah. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:20:57): 

The 

Chrissy Stewart (01:20:58): 

Weather is much more mild than Omaha, so it's only 180 miles south, is it really? But it is. Oh. The  weather here is so much better. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:21:05): 

Oh, that's so funny. I would not 

Chrissy Stewart (01:21:06): 

Have known that. Oh no. Right. I mean, it's, it's 'cause it's pretty close, but, um, oh yeah. The snow and  the cold up there. I, I mean, I do enjoy Kansas City weather. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:21:15): 

Yes. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:21:15): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:21:16): 

I love how, that's 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:21:16): 

The reason we moved here too, from Chicago. I

Page 66 of 74 

Matt Stewart (01:21:18): 

Love how it's almost every neighborhood seems to have like a pocket park. You know what I mean? Mm hmm  When you have little kids. Yeah. Mm-hmm  I remember growing up  in Omaha and like, you'd have to get in the car if you wanted to go to the park or you'd have to go to the  elementary school. But here it's like every neighborhood. Yeah. There's like a small park. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:21:34): 

Kind 

Matt Stewart (01:21:34): 

Of tucked away int Really thought about that. That's 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:21:36): 

Such a good point. I 

Matt Stewart (01:21:37): 

Think as parents, when you're raising kids here and think about the athletic leagues Yeah. The baseball  three and two baseball or, I, I'm not Blue Valley, I'm sorry. I don't wanna So, so much opportunity.  There's so many opportunities for kids in sports, um, with every sport and theater 

Chrissy Stewart (01:21:50): 

And music and 

Matt Stewart (01:21:50): 

Oh my gosh. The theater scene. Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:21:52): 

The theater and art scene here. Huge. It comes up in conversation a lot actually in podcast episodes too.  People are really huge. 

Matt Stewart (01:21:57): 

There's so much opportunity in Kansas City. Yeah. And then even like if you're a young twenties now, I  wasn't here in my young twenties and I was married when we moved here, but think about like the  nightlife. Yeah. You know, going to Westport or Power and Light, Uhhuh, <affirmative> and then the  sports teams. I mean, you got the Royals and the Chiefs and sporting and the food current. Oh, the food is  fantastic. I mean, which 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:22:16): 

I definitely wanna know where you guys love to eat mm-hmm  So right 

Matt Stewart (01:22:19): 

There. Do Well, and I know I went to school in Chicago and the thing I didn't like about Chicago is it  seems like everyone lived on top of each other. Yeah. It was really crowded and Kansas City spread out  enough that you don't feel like you're crowded, you're being crowded, you have your space. Yeah. You  know, you can go home to your suburb, suburban home and, and breathe and live. And

Page 67 of 74 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:22:37): 

We have really good suburbs here. 

Matt Stewart (01:22:38): 

Oh. You know, so good. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:22:40): 

Yeah. Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:22:41): 

Well, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:22:41): 

It's 

Chrissy Stewart (01:22:41): 

A big 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:22:41): 

City has do the city life and then live your suburban life. Yeah. Still has good schools . 

Chrissy Stewart (01:22:45): 

It has a big, it has a big city feel in a lot of ways, but it's still like just this small Midwestern town in a  sense too. Yep. Like I just call it a big Omaha. Like, all the things I loved about growing up in m in  Omaha and the friendliness of the people and Oh, yeah. You know, I mean, it's Kansas, you that Kansas  City here, but Yeah. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:23:02): 

Everybody is so friendly. Okay. What would a perfect day in Kansas City look like for you guys or you  and your family? Where would you go? Where would you eat? What would you see? What would you  do? Go. 

Matt Stewart (01:23:12): 

That's a interesting question. Um, I answer mean there's so many great things to do. I, for us, we try to  live a perfect Kansas City Day every Christmas. Okay. Where we go to a union station mm-hmm   Oh 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:23:24): 

Yeah. 

Matt Stewart (01:23:24): 

Because, uh, we love eating. Can't beat that. Eating lunch at Harvey's 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:23:27): 

Mm-hmm

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Matt Stewart (01:23:27): 

 And they've got the big like holiday explosion right. In the Grand Hall. Uhhuh .  And then they always have a wonderful exhibit. So wonderful exhibit. We're big. We did the immersive  Union Station fans. Yeah. Yeah. We did the immersive Titanic. Yeah. The World War I Museum is  fantastic ever. Especially now that they've done all those renovations. I mean, that's awesome. Yeah.  That's incredible. And I love, like going to a Royals game mm-hmm  So just to be able to  go to a Royals game. N not to say I don't love going to a Chiefs game, but the traffic, it's a little too much  for me there. Yeah. But the Royals games, so Royal moves into 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:23:53): 

The number one spot for you, for 

Matt Stewart (01:23:54): 

Uh, yeah. And I've always been a huge Royals fan. Yeah. So, I mean, just to go there. Um, so no, I mean  that just getting out and about and then eating a good meal somewhere. So many great 

Chrissy Stewart (01:24:03): 

Restaurants. I'd say on a really basic level, especially when the kids were little, we loved to swim and  we'd love to go to water parks mm-hmm  And there's a lots of really cool, like, I mean, yes,  there's oceans of fun and there used to be Silver Bond, um, and great Wolf I guess, too. Um, but I feel like  even like in the suburbs, like I feel like they have like these cool pools that have water slides and, you  know, whatever. Oh yeah. But that was just always so, so fun. I just felt like, I felt like, I mean, well, I'm  comparing to Omaha. I feel like we, we have lots of different kinds of pool and water activities. Yeah.  Yeah. And lakes and, you know, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:24:36): 

Lot of lakes around Casey. Mm-hmm  That's true. Um, favorite places that you guys like to  eat? 

Matt Stewart (01:24:41): 

Hmm. Well, MI Ranch, Cheetos. Kind of our go-to. Mexican restaurant. Restaurant. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:24:45): 

Yep. That's a good one. 

Matt Stewart (01:24:46): 

Yeah. I love J Alexander's. But that's a chain. That 

Chrissy Stewart (01:24:49): 

Is, that is a chain, but that's okay. That wild dries or a salad. The wild Rice or salad. 

Matt Stewart (01:24:53): 

It's just the prime rib is my favorite. But yeah, I love supporting local as well, so I love going like,  Jaspers. Oh my gosh. His, his fettuccine Alfredo is just a dog. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:04):

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Such a great like, family business here too. Like a 

Matt Stewart (01:25:08): 

Longstanding, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:09): 

Many 

Matt Stewart (01:25:09): 

Chrisy loved to go to Andre's or Right. Oh, love us. Andre's Cha with, uh, so 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:13): 

Great. Of course the 

Matt Stewart (01:25:14): 

Chocolates are so good there and yeah, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:16): 

The, the, what is it, the chocolate covered almonds are my favorite. I love those. Right. I mean, they have  so many. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:25:20): 

It was like Maddie and, and like, it was like our thing and she has like this notes on her phone so we could  try all the desserts and braid them and Yeah. Um, yeah, 

Matt Stewart (01:25:28): 

Q 39 Jack Stack, I mean, great 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:32): 

Barbecue. So Q 39, Kelly McGee was on the podcast. 

Matt Stewart (01:25:34): 

Kelly, she talk 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:35): 

About Rob and what they're doing 

Matt Stewart (01:25:36): 

For colon 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:37): 

Cancer and everything. 

Matt Stewart (01:25:38):

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Well, and she just opened up a new store in Lawrence. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:40): 

I know, I know. I can't wait to go. We actually go back there for sports, so we're gonna have to find a time  to get there. Yeah. Love it. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:25:46): 

What's that vegan place? I love Harvest Kitchen. 

Matt Stewart (01:25:48): 

Oh, harvest Kitchen. Yeah. It's in, uh, Overland Park. Yeah. Or Leewood. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:25:52): 

Oh, all together at town center. Mm-hmm  Yeah. Town center. Whole harvest. Whole  harvest I think is what it's, yes. Really good. So good. Are you vegan? Yeah. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:25:59): 

Um, no, but I, uh, I'm on the vegetarian side of the line. Okay. Okay. So, got it. Um, yes, absolutely. Mm hmm  Delicious. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:26:05): 

Love it. Okay. Um, anything else that you guys wanna share? Obviously we need to know where to  follow you. We talked about all the things. Memoir on Instagram. 

Matt Stewart (01:26:13): 

We have a website, Matt stewart books.com. Perfect. If you're interested in looking at my books,  Chrissy's book. Mm-hmm  

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:26:19): 

Um, 

Matt Stewart (01:26:19): 

So yeah, Matt Stewart books.com piece. Okay. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:26:22): 

Mm-hmm  Very Good. 

Matt Stewart (01:26:23): 

I think that's it. It's been great. Yeah. Thanks for sharing with, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:26:25): 

With us. It's great. You guys are honestly conversation like your energy, your laughs, your family and  marriage dynamics that you guys are talking about are so, um, heartwarming. You guys are like a hug.  You talk about, you talk about the hug with people that like you guys genuinely feel like that. And I  mean, there's so many ways that we can support you guys and to keep following along on the journey and 

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all the prayers for you guys. Of course. Thank you. Um, and anything else we can do to support you guys,  right? 

Matt Stewart (01:26:53): 

Tell a publisher to publish our book. We 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:26:55): 

Need a 

Matt Stewart (01:26:55): 

Publisher. Is a 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:26:56): 

Publisher. Is there one here in Casey or 

Matt Stewart (01:26:58): 

Here? There is Sanders McNeil Universal downtown. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:27:01): 

Like I dunno this world, but I will do whatever 

Chrissy Stewart (01:27:03): 

I can to 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:27:03): 

Help 

Chrissy Stewart (01:27:04): 

. So if you know an executive at, you know, penguin Random House, you'd let, you'd let 'em  know. Okay. And then, and then lastly, mad 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:27:09): 

Chrissy Stewart need to be published. Let's go. That's it. We're gonna put that out there for sure. And then  are you gonna start a hat collection? Do we need to talk, hear anything about that? 

Chrissy Stewart (01:27:17): 

Yes. You know what? I think we should do that. I, if someone would be, yeah, I would definitely, I do  have a lot of hat knowledge and I 

Matt Stewart (01:27:23): 

Lot of hat, if I had a dollar, if I had a dollar for every time, Chrissy's like, can you hang up this new hat  hanger? I'm like, oh my 

Chrissy Stewart (01:27:28): 

Gosh.

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Matt Stewart (01:27:28): 

Like 

Chrissy Stewart (01:27:28): 

, well I bought so many now they need be organized and you gotta a lot of hat after four and a  half years of not having hair like you have, it's different. You have different different hat co colors,  different hat styles for different events of course. And then there are summer hats and there are winter  hats. Yep. So they're really, I mean there're, you know, 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:27:47): 

You're gonna become, you're an author and then you're gonna become, I don't know, a hat makes So, so I  wore this hat because I wanted, I loved your like Good, thank you. Yeah. Yes. Um, in honor of your hat  collection that I saw that you're probably helping her organize and hang. Hundred percent. But, um,  Amina Hood is a local hat maker. Oh. Amina Hood. You should follow her and get in touch with her. I'll,  I had this maid, she kind of does like this shape and I loved it so much. I, um, I looked her up today  because I wanna make sure I got her Instagram handle right. Definitely. She de she connect 

Chrissy Stewart (01:28:15): 

With Definitely. I mean, you find certain hat styles that like you like and that fit with your face Yep. And  things like that. And Yeah. Yeah. So this is one of my main styles is like the, the, the, the, the baker's cap  or the, I love it. A newsboy cap. Mm-hmm  

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:28:26): 

Yeah. Yeah. So I think you can start a line, you can just kind of add that to your list of things you can. 

Chrissy Stewart (01:28:30): 

So 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:28:31): 

I 

Chrissy Stewart (01:28:31): 

Have no idea how to even go about that. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:28:33): 

I don't either, but we'll figure it out together. Yeah. Oh, you guys are so fun. Thank you so much. Thank  you for having us. This has been such a pleasure to talk to you guys. You 

Matt Stewart (01:28:39): 

Bet. You too. 

Mindy Hargesheimer (01:28:41): 

Thank you so much for tuning in and finding inspiration in these incredible stories. If you love what you  hear, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Leave a rating and share the show to help these  Kansas City voices reach even more listeners.