The B is SilentI've been working on this one for a couple of weeks and finally was able to push the publish button.
https://ryancheley.com/2026/04/06/a-giant-pain-in-the-ass/
TLDR: I'm fine (whatever that means), but I have Cancer
Mike Pirnat@ryancheley I’m so sorry you’re going through this, but I’m glad you got screened and that the prognosis is optimistic.
Definitely the right move to not plan on attending conferences for a bit — my dad went through radiation for his prostate cancer last year and while it seems to have worked (yay!) he was pretty wiped out by the end of treatment.
Sending you good vibes, best wishes, and hopes for many glimmers.
Tim Schilling@ryancheley 🫂 I'm sorry you're going through this. It's a shitty thing to have to experience.
So you're aware, this was wonderfully written and I found the title to be a nice touch. Solid pun work there.
Oliver Andrich@ryancheley Ryan, thank you for writing this down. I went through this in 2016/2017 with a different type of cancer, and I can relate to every single sentence you wrote. I wish you all the best and all the strength — for you and your wife. My wife helped me so much through that time, so I'm really happy to read that you two are a brilliant team as well.
Sarah Boyce@ryancheley thank you for sharing Ryan 🫂
I can feel how brutal and scary this is
Sending love to you and your family
Hope to catch up with you at a future conference when you're better
I can feel how brutal and scary this is
Sending love to you and your family
Hope to catch up with you at a future conference when you're better
Trey Hunner 🐍Thank you for sharing this Ryan. This is beautifully written.
Jeff Triplett@ryancheley #FuckCancer indeed. ♥️
Here for you now and along the way.
James DonohoeFirst things first - #FuckCancer
Second - Lots of your post was familiar
Third - Two suggestions I wish I had heard early on - 1/get your tumor(s) biopsied if you go in for surgery. 2/get a ctDNA (circulating DNA), blood test done immediately. Both will tell you if you have any tumor mutations or 'results of unknown significance' (a mutation they are not tracking yet). I have both. This would have altered my approach to my CRC and armed my docs with a lot more info. Then after treatment continue to get ctDNA tests done for a couple years to make sure you really-really got the disease. They are cheap to do and most insurance covers them these days (not so much in 2020 when I was dx-ed for CRC).
Happy to share more on my journey and learnings if you are interested.
Chris Adams@ryancheley I’m sorry and hope you have a full recovery
jacobian@ryancheley Oh man, I’m so sorry to hear that ❤️ My best wishes for your treatment, I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts.
(Also I am incandescently angry at that first doc! That is just terrible, terrible medicine; if he can’t handle that conversation compassionately and professionally he needs a different career!)
Chris May@ryancheley Thank you for publishing this. My heart goes out to you. What a crappy experience.
I look forward to seeing you through the other end of this.
I look forward to seeing you through the other end of this.
Frank Wiles@ryancheley so sorry for what you’ve had to go through these last weeks and for the road ahead. Wishing you the best and easiest recovery going forward!
Josh Thomas@ryancheley Words can only do so much at a time like this, so I won't pretend I know the right ones to say.
I've got a friend who's deeply religious, but runs in circles with others who are not. In times like these he always calls for "prayers and ineffectual secular well wishes". A bit of levity in an otherwise shitty situation. Always makes me chuckle.
You and your family will be in thoughts. Sending prayers and ineffectual well wishes.
Farhan Ali Raza@ryancheley So sorry to hear that.
May God give you strength and patience to go through this and help you defeat it and return to full health 💖
May God give you strength and patience to go through this and help you defeat it and return to full health 💖
Paolo MelchiorreHi @ryancheley I'm very sorry to read that, and I'll send you a huge hug from here 🫂
Chris is.@ryancheley Oh shit, dude…
This jumped out at me: “I always thought my first tattoo would be of something way cooler 🤷🏻♂️”
My partner shares that about hers; she has two dots, forming a line through which radiation was directed at the tumor in her right breast. She says, and I agree, that those targeting dots are more badass than any fancy art tattoo you could ever get.
Own your ink, friend. I’ll root for the radiation.