RIP: Ryan Minor

[Tony-OH]

Sad to read that Ryan Minor is under hospice care due to his Stage 4 colon cancer. 
I had interacted with Ryan many times over the years when he was manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds. While not the most affable guy when talking prospects, he would sit in his office after a game and talk with me about his guys. I always appreciated that he was always willing to say hello when I would watch pregame in the stands.

While he will mostly be remembered for being the guy who replaced Cal Ripken Jr. at 3B to end Cal's game streak, I'll remember him for hitting some of the longest home runs I've seen at Prince George's stadium. He teamed with Calvin Pickering to give the Baysox some of the longest home runs hit there back in 1998.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Ryan's family and friends. 49-years old is way too young. Cancer sucks!

[Moose Milligan]

That is sad news to hear.  Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends, indeed.

[Ripken]

Man, that's awful.  I spoke to him a few times as well.  Nice enough guy.  As a huge Ripken fan growing up, and considering Ryan is 4 months older than I am, I really wanted him to succeed in Baltimore.  F cancer.

[baltfan]

Not that I know the circumstances of Minor not catching his colon cancer, but most colon cancers can be caught with vigilance.  If you have anything that seems like a weird change in your bowel movements, frequent diarrhea or constipation, ongoing stomach discomfort, unexplained weight loss, odd weakness or tiredness, or especially blood in your stool--get it checked out.  You know your body.  You know how it normally works.  Don't assume anything.  

[Ohfan67]

I am so sorry for Ryan and his family. Terrible news. 

[Roll Tide]

Sad … it’s unacceptable that we don’t have a cure for it yet universally. 

[Frobby]

I am very sorry to hear this news.  

[ShoelesJoe]

3 hours ago, baltfan said:

Not that I know the circumstances of Minor not catching his colon cancer, but most colon cancers can be caught with vigilance.  If you have anything that seems like a weird change in your bowel movements, frequent diarrhea or constipation, ongoing stomach discomfort, unexplained weight loss, odd weakness or tiredness, or especially blood in your stool--get it checked out.  You know your body.  You know how it normally works.  Don't assume anything.  

All of the above, plus I'd strongly advise a regular (every two or three years) colonoscopy when you hit the mid '40s. My youngest brother passed from colon cancer in July at age 53. Two summers ago he saw a doctor about what appeared to be a slight stomach ache. They sent him for some scans and next day he got the call it was stage four colon cancer. He'd never had a colonoscopy in his life, wasn't even on his radar. Having the procedure is no big deal, and it just might save you and your family from the hell that Ryan Minor and his family is going through now. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

I know on here Ryan Minor is best known for being the guy who replaced Cal in the starting lineup to end the streak, but I remember him better for his college basketball career at Oklahoma.

Minor was an accomplished basketball player winning the Big 8 Player of the Year award in 1995. Prayers to Ryan and his family he's way too young for this.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, ShoelesJoe said:

All of the above, plus I'd strongly advise a regular (every two or three years) colonoscopy when you hit the mid '40s. My youngest brother passed from colon cancer in July at age 53. Two summers ago he saw a doctor about what appeared to be a slight stomach ache. They sent him for some scans and next day he got the call it was stage four colon cancer. He'd never had a colonoscopy in his life, wasn't even on his radar. Having the procedure is no big deal, and it just might save you and your family from the hell that Ryan Minor and his family is going through now. 

I do not think doctors recommend a colonoscopy every 2-3 years unless they perform one and find polyps.  If there are no polyps, it’s a five year gap before the next one.

 

[Ripken]

16 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I do not think doctors recommend a colonoscopy every 2-3 years unless they perform one and find polyps.  If there are no polyps, it’s a five year gap before the next one.

 

Depends on your age.  I had one this year at 49 and I'm good for 7-10 years, which is the standard answer all of my friends are getting.

[CP0861]

15 hours ago, baltfan said:

Not that I know the circumstances of Minor not catching his colon cancer, but most colon cancers can be caught with vigilance.  If you have anything that seems like a weird change in your bowel movements, frequent diarrhea or constipation, ongoing stomach discomfort, unexplained weight loss, odd weakness or tiredness, or especially blood in your stool--get it checked out.  You know your body.  You know how it normally works.  Don't assume anything.  

"most colon cancers can be caught with vigilance"

If you're over 50 and have good insurance, then maybe. I don't think insurance covers colonoscopy procedures for preventative purposes until you're 50.....although I think that age may be trending down to 45.

I just had a 2cm polyp removed....my doctor said it absolutely would have become cancerous at some point. I'm 43. The only reason I was even able to have the colonoscopy done was because I embellished some symptoms a bit and I had a bad bout of colitis when I was younger, so I had some "history". 

I had a friend die last year from it, she was 46. I know another guy who died recently in his mid-40s from it....and I know another guy who has it now who is only about 41ish.

Colon cancer is a mfer. By the time you have symptoms and go to the doctor, it's probably too late.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by CP0861

[CP0861]

10 hours ago, Frobby said:

I do not think doctors recommend a colonoscopy every 2-3 years unless they perform one and find polyps.  If there are no polyps, it’s a five year gap before the next one.

 

This is correct.

My advice, if you are 45 or over - get a colonoscopy done.  If you have to, tell your doctor you've been bleeding.

Edited December 5, 2023 by CP0861

[SemperFi]

14 hours ago, Ripken said:

Depends on your age.  I had one this year at 49 and I'm good for 7-10 years, which is the standard answer all of my friends are getting.

Not necessarily age-I just had one done last month, tiny non cancerous polyp and at age 62 I was given 10 years until another colonoscopy.  

[Jim'sKid26]

2023 Screening Recommendations:

Recent screening guidelines recommend anyone with an average risk of developing colorectal cancer should be screened starting at age 45.

Screening guidelines by age are:

45-75 — colonoscopy every 10 years for average-risk patients

76-85 — selective testing based on individual factors, such as overall health, life expectancy, and previous screening history

85 and up — not recommended

Your doctor may recommend screening younger than 45 if you have increased risk factors.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10182334/