Good morning all! So not horrible news not great news! Personally I think that they are on the better side. Ryan’s cancer in his elbow seems to be stable. It’s been almost exactly the same since October of 2019 when -cough cough- *I found it*. (Is my resentment showing?) so at this point after GBMC’s computers got hacked - they are back up and running and today we will be scheduling the radiation to the elbow. Oncologist agrees that we will be hoping for an abscopal effect. Never say never ya know. After all - Ryan’s melanoma has been relatively aggressive. The fact that he is stable right now after this many months is amazing. Even his oncologist expected there to be some spread. OH YEAH - no cancer anywhere else. Forgot to say that. Just in the elbow. Over the holiday we have gotten engaged, and signed a new lease for a beautiful townhome. I have been doing well in my new position as a Peer Recovery Coach at my local hospital. So things seem to be okay for now *knock on wood*. Any prayers would be so welcomed. Just a quick update for you guys ☺️ Ryan is determined to get a job. As always. He can’t stay down for long and I can’t tell him otherwise. Men..... anyway! We love you all - hope to hear any updates!
Love from MD xoxo
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kellyOd
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All in all, quite promising news, Kelly . Stable elbow with a treatment available , no melanoma
anywhere else
( now that is truly wonderful!) Yes, not totally perfect news but, in my eyes, pretty darn promising. I love that you will have a beautiful new home and that he has the drive to go get a job. That’s wonderful because he feels well
enough to work and he is looking toward your future together. I’m
not sure exactly what your job at the hospital entails but I’m
betting that you are very very good at what you do! I’m
always here in California cheering for you guys! Sending you and Ryan all
Best wishes to you and Ryan on your engagement, Kelly!Steady as he goes is a fair place to be with stage 4 melanoma, so forward momentum hopes continue.
May I ask if your peer recovery coach position is dedicated to MH or SUD or both at the hospital? I have been doing some training under a grant around improving treatment and referral after hospitilazation for Severely Mentally Ill patients in mostly state psychiatric hospitals trying to improve outcomes around tobacco cessation.
With regards to work, I can't remember if Ryan applied for the fast track disability status from melanoma? If so, how would income affect that elegibility?
Peer recovery is more geared toward SUD, but we deal with co-occurring on a daily basis. In addition to working at my hospital, I do 1 week maybe 2 weeks a month at Klein Family Harford Crisis Center which is primarily behavioral health - but a peer is here (I am here now lol) to consult and attempt to get them to a treatment center that caters to both. They go hand in hand. I believe Ryan was helped by his hospital back in 2012 to fast track disability. And as far as maintaining disability and working / I asked him the other day and he is under the impression that he needs to make under a certain amount to keep disability. But for his Medicare he will have forever and if he brings in a certain amount of income above that ceiling he will have to pay his premium. But he will always have that coverage.
Kelly, sending prayers for continued stability for Ryan. EnJOY your new town home and every day. It’s truly a gift from God. Mark is still doing well, and we thank God everyday. Miracles do exist🙏🏻🙏🏻
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