Ryan's Drug Money

SHORT VERSION:

How it started...
February 2020: Ryan Broke his arm.
March 2020: Ryan had surgery on his arm.  Live events (JOB) stopped happening. Found out he had testicular cancer.
April 2020: Had surgery to remove testical.
May 2020: Katie graduated from KU and is now a doctor of Physical Therapy!
August 2020: Ryan and Katie got married!
October 2020: Ryan went for his 6 month check-up and found out the cancer was back.
Nov. & Dec. 2020: Had Biopsy and met with various doctors to discuss next steps.
January 2021: Started Chemo.

(pictured: Ryan and Katie's first look on their wedding day August 29, 2020)
Photo capture by: Gillespie Photography

BEGIN LONG VERSION:

How it started (February, 2020): 

Welcome to my potentially oversharing email! I wanted to write to you all and just give you an update on my life/health. As some, if not all of you know, I recently was playing indoor soccer and broke and dislocated my left elbow and tore my RCL in the process of running into a wall. Turns out when I’m not in a body of water I am very uncoordinated. The doctors said it’s called a “terrible triad” and didn’t believe me when I said I was just playing soccer because there was so much damage. They relocated my elbow that night in the ER and I had surgery a week later to replace my radial head and screw my ulnar coronoid process back together. Everything went very well and I am doing great besides being very stiff. Good thing I know a soon to be Physical Therapy Grad! 

Moving on to update number 2. Which brings me to surgery number 2. I have had a few issues with my man parts for a few months now and after many doctors visits, ultrasounds and lab tests it was determined that I might have a form of testicular cancer. Unfortunately, they cannot test for testicular cancer while it is still in your body. So, last week on Thursday I had surgery to remove my testicle. After a very long week of waiting I got my test results back today. 

Survey says... I have Stage 1 Testicular Cancer with two different types found. The first being classical seminomas which the doctor said usually stays localized to one spot. The second is a form of non-seminoma that I can’t remember the name of because I’m not a doctor and it was a long name.. Anyway, the second type had a higher chance of moving throughout my body but they checked my epididymis and said it wasn’t there so they think they got it all. I think this is great news and I am very fortunate that we caught it this early!

Next steps moving forward. I have an appointment next Wednesday to do a full body CT Scan and blood work to make sure they got it all. We should know more after that but for the time being I just wanted to share the good news!

I am doing great and hopefully more good news to follow. Katie said that I am not allowed to do anything stupid for the rest of the year. So here is waiting until 2021! I hope everyone is staying safe and can’t wait to see you all again! Attached is a few xrays of my arm just incase you’re interested. :)

Love you all! 

Ryan

(pictured: Emily, Katie, and Ryan in Capitol Reef National Park, summer 2020)

Update December 2020:
Hello everyone! 

I hope everyone is doing great but I wanted to give everyone an update on my current 2020 hurdles. I’ll just get right into it, my testicular cancer has come back. They have found 3 different spots, 2 spots in my right lung and 1 spot near my sternum. They will be doing a biopsy of the areas within the next couple weeks and we will figure out exactly what it is. At the moment we are planning on starting chemotherapy after Christmas and it will be a 3-4 month process depending on what the biopsy and new CT scans say.

Right now, I am doing great and ready to get started with treatment. My oncologist is very hopeful and we are happy to have caught it when we did! This is the same cancer and treatment plan that Lance Armstrong did so I should be on track to win the Tour de France in a few years. I will try to keep everyone updated if things change down the road but for now I will just keep pedaling! 

Love you all!

Ryan

Pictured: Bridal Party
Photo capture by: Gillespie Photography

Update from Ryan via his Instagram @shakeanddake
2020 has been one heck of a year! There has been quite a few obstacles this year from broken bones/elbow replacement, to living the COVID lifestyle, to a cancer diagnosis, and trying to work my job doing live-events when live-events aren't much of a thing right now.

But with all that I will always look back on 2020 with a love in my heart. Not only because of the love and support I have felt from family and friends but also because I got to marry my best friend and newly doctor of PT (@katiefins)... it's easily the best part of my year and probably one of the top 10 in my life! Here is to hopefully a less eventful 2021!


Update from Emily Dake (Ryan's sister) January 13, 2020:

My favorite person in the whole world (my brother) is going through Chemo right now. Today marks day 9!  With everything going on in the world, nobody can be there for him the way they wish they could.  He's being so strong when he has every right not to be and I've been trying to figure out a way to be there for him when I can't physically.

I made a camera design representing a lot of him, I'm going to be selling it as a sticker and possibly something else to help raise money for him.  We all know insurance and medical bills should be the last thing anyone in the hospital should be thinking about but they're very real and such an added burden on an already fragile situation. Nobody should have to think about the debt they'll have before/during/or after but we don't live in that world and I'm hoping I can lighten that stress of that reality any way I can.
I created this gofundme for him.  I'm also selling these stickers.
Drug Fund Stickers 
All the proceeds of the stickers will also go to my brother and sister-in-law for medical expenses and student loan debt.

Even if you're not in a place to give financially, sending positive thoughts and prayers to him and my family are beyond appreciated.

Love, me and my beautiful family.