Help Ryan With His Sarcoidosis Treatment

Hey all.

So… towards the end of September, I started feeling pretty bad, but I figured it was just a cold or something and I pushed through it as best I could. It did not get better; it only got worse. By the second week of October, I honestly felt the worst I ever have in my life.

Extreme fatigue, crazy BP spikes when active, a relentless cough, tingling/tired extremities, weakness, pain everywhere, and absolutely zero appetite were what I was dealing with, among other things.

After a cancer scare and subsequent testing and biopsy surgery, I have been diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, a relatively rare disease of the immune system.

Sarcoidosis is a weird disease whose symptoms, effects, and seriousness can vary wildly from person to person. Some people have mild cases that go away on their own; some have it chronically their entire lives. It can potentially have a negative effect on multiple organs in the body, as well as bone and muscle. Or it may only affect one. It’s very unpredictable.

My doctors and I are still trying to figure out a treatment plan to manage the symptoms while encouraging my body to heal. I have had many, many kinds of imaging and tests done on me (including biopsy surgery) and have had what feels like several gallons worth of blood work done at this point.

Anyway, I still deal with many of the symptoms mentioned above (with some days being better than others), but in general, I’ve been too sick and weak to work. I went from having two near-full-time jobs to not working at all, as I was no longer physically capable of performing my duties at either of them.

I’m not going to lie, things have been hard. My current inability to work along with the multiple medical bills (even with insurance) have put me in a really rough place financially. Rent and other bills don’t care if you’re sick or not.

While I’ve applied for every kind of financial assistance I can find (as well as SSI and disability), those things can sometimes take months if not years to process, and that’s if they’re even approved.

So while I’ve been very reluctant to do this, I’m now asking for help. Any funds that I receive will go directly towards paying past and future medical costs, as well as bills and rent while I’m unable to work.

You’ll have my eternal gratitude for literally anything you’re willing to donate; it will be incredibly helpful to me as I deal with this illness.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I wish you well and hope your day is pleasant!

- Ryan