And you are expected to go back from major surgery 3 days later. I. Now dying from my thyroid cancer spread everywhere bc they made me out surgery off. I’ve also spend $22k left medicine and almost taken my life 3x bc of med school and this cancer. It’s ruined my only dream- having my own baby. I was told not to worry; the tx would be harmless Fuck that and fuxk the whole system. I’ve only had miscarriages. It makes me sad she jokes about it. It’s supposed to be a harmless, slow cancer. Everyone I know who has had it is gone; soon yo be me at 36
"I'm glad it's me and not someone else" was a punch in the gut and shows a whole lot about what kind of a person you are and how you're dealing with this. I hope everything goes great -- you seem super kind and sweet!!
@@terajones6152 We all are heartbreakers, all of our thoughts are evil and all our good deeds are filthy rags. Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Mark 7:21 - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Romans 1:21 - Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. We all were: Psalms 51:5 - Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Our Life Is Like Unto A Race 1 Corinthians Chapter 9 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Why are rich and famous depressed? lets list the reasons; they`re trans, faking life 100% daily their master is lucifer, the father of lies. they have no looks, needs to fake these, they have no talent, needs to fake these. they are famous only a moment. they are rich only for moment. To have the moment on stage, wicked and sick ritual must be performed. They are masons in masonry. Nothing`s real, only illusions. They have it harder , to give their soul over to CHRIST and return back HEAVEN (Luke 18:25 KJV and Mark 10:25 KJV) true Christians are born again = new creatures in CHRIST, able to no longer sin and able to understand GOD perfectly. We are to make a conscious choosing between GOD = CHRIST and mammon = lucifer. Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. we since birth live in the devils kingdom, this earth here, it shall be created anew, but not yet, still is the church time = still time for souls to get saved and be raptured up. until we come to repentance and born again, we remain living according to the devil. devils expectations to us are: lie/deceive kill destroy remain wicked sinner who praise death daily. because devil is the father of lies: John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. GOD `s expectations to us: come to repentance come out from BABYLON born again live holy do the will of your heavenly father. Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 1 Peter 1:16 - Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
As a cancer patient AND a medical student, you might want to read the Pulitzer Prize winning The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. I delved into it right after my terminal cancer diagnosis and loved it. My advice…know your cancer, have a list of questions ready for every appointment, and keep up the great attitude. Positive thoughts and vibes being sent your way.
Hello! Firstly, I want to express my sincere sympathy for what you're going through. I am genuinely interested in understanding how you're coping both physically and mentally. If you feel comfortable sharing, I would be grateful to hear about your experiences and emotions. I recognize that this question may be sensitive, and I apologize if it brings any discomfort. Please feel free to let me know if you'd rather not discuss it at all. Your well-being is my priority, and I completely understand if you choose not to share.
@@Fatimazhar2024 I don't know if id ask this question to someone i know in real life unless i was really close to them..and id never ask a total stranger. how bizarre.
@@bettydraper2034it’s bizarre to… respectfully ask how someone is doing in a tough situation? I think your perspective that everyone should stay shut off and never ask polite questions is bizarre.
My mom got diagnosed with thyroid cancer while pregnant with me. That was twenty-five years ago. She’s still cancer free, thyroid free, and doing fantastic! You’ll be just fine I’m sure!
That’s amazing but I was also diagnosed, told I’d live a long amazing life as a doctor. Not only did tx render me infertile( I am dying from it in my lungs and spine. I can’t sleep bc of the pain. Everyone I’ve known w it has died from it so please let’s stop perpetuating the lie that it is slow growing and not a risk. I never did have my baby I grew w $22,000 of IVF funds or work as a doctor I’m now $600k indebted from. Med school made me push off surgery to complete courses. It’s all total bulllshit. You come last.
@@traciprovins3221Im so sorry to hear that💔 Praying for a quick and easy recovery and that you're healthy, safe and well now and that your families,friends and loved ones are too❤ and im so sorry for the loss of your baby💔 may God be with them, you and everyone you love❤
@@traciprovins3221iam so so sorry. I had thyroid cancer, baby cancer they told my husband. Iam fine,they removed my whole thyroid . Iam taking thyroid medication every day. I also am very much a believer in Jesus Christ. I couldn't live every day without Him. I have been watching my mother in law suffering from dementia for the last 13 years. It's so devastating to watch.i have come to the conclusion that if I were to come down with a deadly disease or very very much in pain from a disease I would choose to go to a assisted suicide hospital and call it , taking responsibility, because what I have had to witness with that dementia is just way beyond my mental understanding of why people suffer like this. Iam sure that our Father in heaven will forgive me.i have put my trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. Him being our savior and i know where I will spend eternity . May God bless you and please ,dont continue to live or die without accepting Jesus Christ as your savior. He died for us over 2000yrs ago. And if you have any doubts, please watch all the near death experiences from people on RU-vid. Who saw Jesus and heaven and also hell and Satan. There are hundreds of them now or more to watch and listen to.
I also found my own cancer during medical school this year. Had surgery right before Step 1 and again during my IM rotation. On the bright side, it’s going to make me a much better clinician. I’m here if you’d like to chat with someone who’s been through the same experience!
@@chchchjia most of us find any conditions we have incidentally. We practice a lot of examinations on one another, or while on rotations the consultants may invite us to try X thing. You hear it a lot about accidentally finding gall stones when practicing ultrasounds or goiters when practicing any kind of physical exam.
as a med student in France, it's terrifying to think anyone would wait a year bc of insurance problems. I mean, delays are pretty long over here so you could have to wait a few month to get your appointment but still. I wish you all the best !
Are waits bad in france? I always thought healthcare’s pretty en pointe in france…it’s the dossiers that you need to look out 8:55 for ;) I guess I’m wrong about the healthcare? I was just comparing to the tragically unfunded NHS :-(
@@jamiejones8508i have to have my wisdom teeth removed, and when we discovered that, it was April. I had to move across the country in late August and I wasn't able to have an appointment before moving so I wasn't able to get them removed. I don't think wisdom teeth removal is the longest wait tho
@@jamiejones8508 well, more than the lack of funds, it's the lack of doctors that causes the delays in certain specialties (dermatology, ophtalmology). This was caused by the fact that during decades we didn't train enough physicians and well, since it takes 10 years to become a doctor that tendency cannot be reversed that easily. That said, we do lack funds and year after year there are less beds in hospitals, causing patients to be sent home before they are ready and bad work conditions. And recently they cut the funds for undocumented immigrants wich is tragic for public health. Overall we are very lucky but we need to fight for our system against systematic privatisation/ profit based choices.
As someone who was diagnosed with breast cancer this year I can say it has mentally been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to experience. However, it has made me a better person. Not what I expected at 23 but It has made me so much stronger. Wishing you the best and hope you have a quick and speedy recovery 🫶🏼🫶🏼
@@CoppuChan Nope, I would say I’m relatively healthy. I would exercise pretty much everyday. Ate at home with the occasional fast food. My oncologist explained that the type of cancer I have is not affect by hormones or estrogen. It’s something that just happened and they’re not sure why. Bad luck I guess
Mad respect for your mindset. You stood as strong as nobody else but still accepted physical and mental help where needed. That's really impressive, not many people have learned to do that.
I had a cancer scare in September of 2022 and was terrified out of my mind thinking I could have leukemia… thankfully it wasn’t but I did find out I’m type 2 diabetic and knew I needed to take my health seriously. In the course of a year I lost 100lbs and now am off all medications. My cancer scare was definitely the wake-up call I needed… I wish you all the best.
You are going to be the most empathetic, thoughtful, and thorough doctor. Your future patients will be so lucky to have you! Wishing you an easy and quick recovery.
As a retired RN I think you already have experienced what your patients will feel going through a health scare. It will undoubtedly make you a better doctor as you know now whet it feels like firsthand 🤷🏼♀️
Please be prepared for any kind of complications. Maybe have a week free after the surgery. I was in ICU for a week after my total thyroidectomy and neck dissection. I had a few scary life threatening complications. These complications are rare but I never thought it would happen to me. Get bras and shirts that you can do up at the front because you might find it hard to lift your arms above your head. Straws are really helpful because you wont be able to tilt your head back for a while. Also make sure you massage the scar regularly as soon as you are allowed. I wish I massaged mine more. I am 6 months post op and it feels like someone is constantly putting their hands around my throat. It’s finally no longer painful, but really uncomfortable and restricting, especially with swallowing and talking. My cancer recurred between the surgery and radiation, which was 3 months. It depends on how aggressive or fast growing your cancer is. Mine has a high recurrence rate and I am hoping the dose of radiation is going to be enough but I have to wait 3 more months before my next scan. I know I had thyroid cancer in 2019 but the doctor I had then said that my blood work was normal so I didn’t have it. This was far from the truth and my mum had it at the same age! I was 31 when I was diagnosed earlier this year by my new doctor. It has been a really rough 8 months for me, and the treatment triggered an autoimmune disease. I have been sick and disabled my whole life, so this thyroid cancer journey has really affected me. Wishing you all the best and good results in your cancer journey. ❤
You are such a trooper, gets diagnosed with cancer and has the best positive outlook possible. Thinking about it as a learning experience and thinking about how you can help people in the future. That’s awesome. That’s the best attitude In life.
What an amazing attitude. You will definitely come out stronger and more compassionate for your patients. Best wishes for your surgery and recovery. Be kind to yourself and take the time off if you need it. Medicine will still be there even with a break. I broke up my training and finished about 4 months “late” but it was simple and everyone supportive. You’ve got this.
I’ve never seen your videos, but you’re a really inspiring person. I’m premed and sometimes I get overwhelmed but this was so grounding and humbling to see so much candor, positivity, and goodwill all in the same human being. FWIW from a stranger on the internet, you are genuinely awe-some in the most literal sense of the word. Good luck with your treatment, you’re going to be one heck of a physician.
Please reconsider. I will write what I wrote to her. When I was your age, I told people to shut up. I knew what I wanted. I didn’t want to hear it isn’t worth it- “I had almost th exact same story. Diagnosed as a med student bc I had felt a mass. All biopsies came back neg for cancer. I insisted on removal anyway. My TgAb and TSH were through the roof. I was barely functioning. I won’t name the school I went to bc they pushed me to push surgery back for school (and their numbers), I had no support…I had to say no to my residency offer by RAI destroyed my eggs like they PROMISED it would not. I’ve had miscarriages trying to have a baby. $600k debt from becoming a doctor for nothing. It ruined my mental health. I attempted suicid3 (even as a rising psychiatrist w MA in psych and MS in anatomy) 3 times bc life became unbearable. All I truly wanted was to have a baby but my AMH is 0.2 at 34 years old. I am now 36 w 1 embryo. 4AB. I pursued other dreams other people had for me (becoming a doctor. It sounds great) at the expense of my one dream, becoming a mom, and menopause now expected at 37 years old/ next year. Bc RAI (the LOWEST DOSE) destroyed my eggs. Again, they promised it would not and gave me anecdotal stories about pts w 3-5 kids post RAI. I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks and it wrecked me. Also, thyca is nothing to joke about. I had to push for full removal (took 2 surgeries w paratracheal nodes removed) within 1 week. As it turns out, it was cancerous as I had already known in my heart. Med school expected me back the first day of isolation from RAI, and also 3 days after unrelated cholecystectomy the following year. They don’t care about you or your health. Luckily for everyone but me- they don’t have to worry about my dreams. It’s now in my lungs and spine. Surgery was May 2017. RAI July after NED. Now f/u WBS w the diet and withdraw from meds which is hell and feels like actual death (push for insurance that covers thyrogen for the love of god) has been horrific. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m not healthy enough to carry the only thing that has ever mattered to me even tho it would be alone and I would do it, after 3 miscarriages- I now have thyca metastatic to lungs and bones. I can’t work. I can’t sleep. I want to di3. All I have is my baby boy, my dog. I left medicine forevwr. It is so toxic. I hope your experience is different and please advocate for yourself. My aunt also died of thyca 1 NOT THE GENETIC TYPE- but hers went all over her body as well. It is a MYTH that it is slow growing. It has so many routes to spread via lymph and veins. I see you haven’t gotten to year 3 yet to learn this. But it is true. I am happy you have an optimistic disposition. I was the same way. Articles written about me, I defeated cancer while in med school- but even thyroid cancer can be very insidious absolutely, and quickly deadly- and I have defeated all the stats in the wrong way- now being part of the death of 5% unexpected. Please don’t make it unto a joking matter. I was diagnosed at 28, am dying and can’t stay awake more than 2 hours w severe back pain- not being able yo have my miracle transferred into me next month - I am only 36. Keep up with your f/u. Put YOURSELF BEFORE MED SCHOOL AND PTS. I put myself first for the first time when I chose IVF over residency. My only Chance. Gave up the only career I had wanted from 15-35 years old. But it became too much, and I truly wanted to not exist anymore. Sadly it seems I’ll get my wish. And now I’d give anything to stay and pay my $22,000 IVF bill. Have my miracle. Please be careful, look out for yourself, iut yourself first, and as hard as it is- and NOBODY ELSE WILL UNDERSTAND- PUT YOUR F/U APPTS FIRST. Please. It can be deadly and fast growing. As evidenced by everyone I’ve ever k own and has died from thyroid cancer. It is NOT the soft, harmless disease it is elucidated as. Best wishes to you. It scares me that you are exactly me 6 years ago.”
when I first clicked here I thought you'd found a new KIND of cancer, like, while doing lab research. and then, wow, just wow. That's super rough news. Then by the end of the video I was so inspired by your perspective and how you have learned what is important TO YOU and what brings you joy. sending you allllll the good vibes from 🇦🇺❤⭐
I don't know who you are, but after watching this video, I can tell that you are an amazing person with a huge passion for med school! You are so strong and inspiring as well. Having the strength to say that you're glad that you have cancer and not someone else is so admirable. I hope your surgery goes well, stay strong!!
Goddamn your mental fortitude is truly something to behold. The fact that you are finding things to be grateful for, and focusing on how this experience can make you a more empathetic doctor in the future, is insanely impressive. I wish you a safe surgery and a speedy recovery!!
This came across my dash by chance (or by algorithm, I suppose) and I feel I should commend you. Of course there's a lot of emotion tucked away behind whatever you're putting up in this video for us to see, but seeing how positive you're able to be about it is very inspiring. I can only send out the best of wishes for you in your treatment and recovery from this. I hope that you continue looking at this as a learning experience.
I don’t know you, never met you, never seen any of your videos…this randomly came up on my feed, but I am so so soo touched by your story. You might not realize this right now, but this is the beginning of a journey that will test you in ways you can’t even fathom, but be strong and understand that this is all part of your life’s journey. There is a much greater purpose in all these events…
We had some classes together at Davis, also in med school right now. Glad to see you being in good spirits in spite of less-than-ideal news. Wishing you a quick recovery.
Bizarre but I'm experiencing something very similar. Doctor in the UK, incidental thyroid nodules found, biopsy confirmed as cancer, also having surgery next week. I really resonate with what you've said about taking positives from this. In particular my empathy for the patient experience has increased a lot; especially in realising just how actively exhausting it is advocating, organising and making decisions on your own care. Wishing you the best of luck for next week, the recovery afterwards and subsequent histology. I hope we both come out of this as stronger individuals and better doctors.
If you are studying to be an MD…you will be a great MD…you just have a very personable relatable humility about you..that is so important in an MD. ESPECIALLY now that you have experience with your own medical issue….this will serve you and your patients well…. despite your medical situation…I just know you will be OK. Sending you many Blessings.
Is a chronically ill girly I can definitely relate to ‘being a patient is a full time job’, because it literally is. So many doctors appointments, so much blood work, so many scans etc. I’m very lucky that I don’t have cancer (my neurologist was convinced I had brain cancer but that ended up not being the case), but yeah, so many things you said really resonated with me. I’m also someone who can deal with these things pretty easily on my own, but I’m still really glad I took a friend with me when I had to get an mri of my brain. Definitely for anyone who is going through something similar right now : take someone with you to your appointments 💕💕💕 it helps so much. Don’t be afraid to rely on your support system. And I really do hope your surgeries go well. I’m not the praying type, but I’ll send positive vibes.
Hey girl, this video popped up on my page randomly but I’ve had a very similar experience so I wanted to share some insight and things that helped me along my journey. I also found out that I had thyroid cancer pretty randomly and by the time I had it biopsied it had already metastasized to my lymph nodes. I got surgery, radiotherapy and then for almost a year my doctors were planning another surgery that eventually was deemed unnecessary and didn’t happen. The waiting in sterile rooms, for results, for doctors, for news in general was exhausting; the loneliness that comes with ultimately being on this path on my own was heavy; the frustration of knowing so much about your illness but being unable to do anything with that knowledge was overwhelming. I could somewhat predict most of this but what I couldn’t predict was how unpredictable it would be. I had a plan in my mind of what the steps were and how long it would take and I had already made plans to continue my studies, travel, see my friends and go back to the city I live in instead of staying where I was getting surgery and treatment. Well, what I thought would take a couple of months ended up taking around 6 months and up to a year to fully recover. And my case was a pretty basic and simple one. But the amount of bloodwork, visits, pre and post op scans, opinions, ultrasounds, med dosage changes (which lead to fatigue, trouble sleeping, mood swings and a whole lot of other symptoms), yearly checkups and so on took so much of my time and energy, much more than I had anticipated. I say this so you know what to expect because as much as I was very prepared, informed, supported and mentally strong to handle it, it ended up being a wild and especially unpredictable ride anyway. Most people don’t have the words and tools (some don’t even want to try) to handle issues like sickness and death, most people don’t understand that you don’t want to be treated as a dying/sick person or looked at as an abandoned puppy and that you don’t even want to be treated as a “fighter” because it is not a fucking fight. But at the same time you ARE sick and you ARE fighting to find the strength to study/work/be social while dealing with it all. And the worst thing is when people forget. After a brief time of support from literally anyone that hear the news, only a few people remain and eventually when you (hopefully) feel better, it’ll be only you. People move on, but that worry, as small as it will get, will stay with you forever and you’ll be the only one who feels it. That being said, I don’t mean to sound tragic and I’m not saying that you’ll never be happy again, but I think you should prepared for how unpredictable it all is and how much people, events and the course of your treatment will surprise you, shock you and sometimes destabilize you. My advice is, don’t talk about it with everyone, choose a few people that you know will be with you through the whole process and reach out to people in your situation, they are the only ones that can truly understand. Focus on finding distractions and fun in any situation, and especially learn to do that when you’re alone, cause you’ll have a lot of time alone. If you don’t have a therapist or a strong support system, find one. Be spontaneous: anytime you have the chance to go on a random adventure or a weekend away or to a party (as long as you’re reasonably aware of your health condition) along the journey JUST DO IT because the following week you might be up to your neck in doctor’s appointments or too exhausted to do it. Also, take advantage of any special treatment you can get, tell people with intrusive questions to fuck off, say no to unwarranted “advice” and accept all snacks and meals that people will want to give you. Find ways to truly deal with what you’re going through, to feel what you feel and to have safe places to express all of it. Besides, of course, a speedy recovery, this is all I wish for you: to find the time and strength it takes to know yourself, face your feelings and acknowledge that it will take time to feel normal again but that it will happen❤️ Ps: sorry for the long (and probability messy, as English is not my native language) comment, I hope it could be helpful in some way and that it inspired you to seek other people who know what you’re going through🌱
As a nurse one of my biggest gripes with doctors is they so often don't see the patient as a person with a life - the medicine is the main focus. The way you talk about your experience makes me hopeful that you will be different. It sucks that you've had to learn it by going through this but all power to you ☺
1st year of pharmacy school and one of my classmates (very nice person) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had to stop being in classes & visited us one day carrying her IV pole around. She never made it back. I think about her from time to time.
I'm so sorry, but the very first part of your story shocked me the most (as an Australian). You couldn't get tested immediately for a serious and potentially life threatening illness due to... insurance issues?!! That's unacceptable for any developed nation, let alone supposedly the richest nation on Earth. I very, very often thank God I was not born in your frighteningly terrible country. How any American can accept the status quo is beyond me.
I know. As a Canadian I had the same reaction as you. Our system may not be perfect, but I never have to worry about being able to afford healthcare. I had a heart issue several weeks ago. I was immediately scheduled for testing and referred to a cardiologist right away. It only took a couple weeks to complete everything. It’s so sad that people with cancer, or who may have cancer in the US sometimes need to delay care for financial reasons.
Is the toxic American mythology of "rugged individualism" combined with historical and current racism combined with end-stage capitalism that puts stock price as the only value that's revered. It's created a culture of "I got mine and eff you." It manifests in resistance to taxation, even when that taxation goes to programs for the public good. That's where the racism comes in -- White Americans not wanting "those people" to "get stuff." Then we have Americans clinging to the belief that if they Just Work Hard Enough, they can get rich. So we defend income inequality in the hope that we will eventually get into what George Carlin called "The Big Club." (See also: buying lottery tickets.) So we put up with this big honking profit-maximization middle man between us and our medical care because of all this history. Oh, and there's also the legacy of fear of anything that smacks of socialism (see "rugged individualism" above). This is a holdover from the Cold War. And when you put worship of capitalism/fear of socialism/dreams of getting rich all together, you get an American public that a) doesn't want poor people to get "free stuff"; b) supports maximization of corporate profits in the hope that it will trickle down to them comeday (see also: Reaganonomics); c) insistence that we're all on our own; and d) general resistance to change -- well, you have a situation where insurance companies can deny care just when it's needed most. Because you can't maximize profit when you have to pay out. And that is why health care cannot be delivered effectively via "market forces" in a for-profit model.
What's even more mind boggling is the fact that so many people here are fighting so hard to not allow socialized medicine into our country. So many needless deaths. People lose their homes because of medical bills. Smh
@@SandraBugler-vq6coit’s crazy to me how the medical system in the US is basically controlled by a for-profit insurance industry and for-profit companies. When you can’t be unbiased and make objective decisions about someone’s eligibility for assessment or treatment, something is very wrong. It almost everything depends on insurance or affordability, then a lot of people are out of luck. I’ve heard stories of Americans being taken by ambulance to an “out of network” ER/hospital and having thousands in debt as a result. Like honestly how do average Americans just accept this? It’s so insane to me. Like if you have a lot of money then you can shop around for the best of the best, or get multiple opinions. We can’t do that here in Canada. We usually are not able to get a second opinion. What you get is what you get. But I would rather it be like that than have capitalism on steroids determining the outcome of someone’s health or life.
Randomly got this video on my recommended. Not really sure what your channel is about, but for some reason I stayed and watched this video. I don’t know you but I’m so sorry you’re going through this and I hope you get well soon. You seem like such a sweet person and you must be smart too, handling everything so well. The world needs people like you. Take care.
I'm so impressed with your outlook, and how you are reframing your cancer diagnosis as an opportunity to experience the challenges that patients encounter. You're going to make an absolutely amazing doctor ❤
I had the same stories written about me in our school paper. Until I lost everything and had to give up everybting to thir cancer. Here is what I wrote to her: “I had almost th exact same story. Diagnosed as a med student bc I had felt a mass. All biopsies came back neg for cancer. I insisted on removal anyway. My TgAb and TSH were through the roof. I was barely functioning. I won’t name the school I went to bc they pushed me to push surgery back for school (and their numbers), I had no support…I had to say no to my residency offer by RAI destroyed my eggs like they PROMISED it would not. I’ve had miscarriages trying to have a baby. $600k debt from becoming a doctor for nothing. It ruined my mental health. I attempted suicid3 (even as a rising psychiatrist w MA in psych and MS in anatomy) 3 times bc life became unbearable. All I truly wanted was to have a baby but my AMH is 0.2 at 34 years old. I am now 36 w 1 embryo. 4AB. I pursued other dreams other people had for me (becoming a doctor. It sounds great) at the expense of my one dream, becoming a mom, and menopause now expected at 37 years old/ next year. Bc RAI (the LOWEST DOSE) destroyed my eggs. Again, they promised it would not and gave me anecdotal stories about pts w 3-5 kids post RAI. I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks and it wrecked me. Also, thyca is nothing to joke about. I had to push for full removal (took 2 surgeries w paratracheal nodes removed) within 1 week. As it turns out, it was cancerous as I had already known in my heart. Med school expected me back the first day of isolation from RAI, and also 3 days after unrelated cholecystectomy the following year. They don’t care about you or your health. Luckily for everyone but me- they don’t have to worry about my dreams. It’s now in my lungs and spine. Surgery was May 2017. RAI July after NED. Now f/u WBS w the diet and withdraw from meds which is hell and feels like actual death (push for insurance that covers thyrogen for the love of god) has been horrific. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m not healthy enough to carry the only thing that has ever mattered to me even tho it would be alone and I would do it, after 3 miscarriages- I now have thyca metastatic to lungs and bones. I can’t work. I can’t sleep. I want to di3. All I have is my baby boy, my dog. I left medicine forevwr. It is so toxic. I hope your experience is different and please advocate for yourself. My aunt also died of thyca 1 NOT THE GENETIC TYPE- but hers went all over her body as well. It is a MYTH that it is slow growing. It has so many routes to spread via lymph and veins. I see you haven’t gotten to year 3 yet to learn this. But it is true. I am happy you have an optimistic disposition. I was the same way. Articles written about me, I defeated cancer while in med school- but even thyroid cancer can be very insidious absolutely, and quickly deadly- and I have defeated all the stats in the wrong way- now being part of the death of 5% unexpected. Please don’t make it unto a joking matter. I was diagnosed at 28, am dying and can’t stay awake more than 2 hours w severe back pain- not being able yo have my miracle transferred into me next month - I am only 36. Keep up with your f/u. Put YOURSELF BEFORE MED SCHOOL AND PTS. I put myself first for the first time when I chose IVF over residency. My only Chance. Gave up the only career I had wanted from 15-35 years old. But it became too much, and I truly wanted to not exist anymore. Sadly it seems I’ll get my wish. And now I’d give anything to stay and pay my $22,000 IVF bill. Have my miracle. Please be careful, look out for yourself, iut yourself first, and as hard as it is- and NOBODY ELSE WILL UNDERSTAND- PUT YOUR F/U APPTS FIRST. Please. It can be deadly and fast growing. As evidenced by everyone I’ve ever k own and has died from thyroid cancer. It is NOT the soft, harmless disease it is elucidated as. Best wishes to you. It scares me that you are exactly me 6 years ago.”
You're such a sweet soul. As soon as you mentioned your surgery on December 6th I looked at the calendar. I wish you a quick recovery from the surgery. so glad to hear you've got a supportive mom with you and great friends. you will make an incredibly well-informed and personable doctor.
Sally, I've been following your medical journey for a while, and I am currently in my 2nd MCAT retake phase and came here for inspiration/advice, but I'm so shocked to see this news. You are so strong and positive and have seriously been such an inspiration to me and others. You will be a great doctor! I wish you the best in your journey and health!!!
Im glad for (soon) doctors like you that want to understand how it is for the patience. How the doctor treats you, speaks to you and the empathy they show means so much for the healing! Healing is just not physical, its mental and spiritual too🙏
When you finish your degree, I want you as my doctor. Student nurse here and I honestly can't believe how brave you are about this whole situation, I hope everything goes well and get a fast and easy recovery
When you said I am thankful its me and not someone else because I was born for this, i can handle this- i cried my eyes out. What a beautiful soul. I have never in me life met someone so selfless.
So glad you caught it when you did. You visually look and sound healthy. There's no sign of any bumps or lumps when looking at you. If it wasn't for those scans that you randomly did it might have taken some time till you feel unwell. All the best with your surgery. Hope you will be well after the procedures.
I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 20 in now 24 and still cancer free (fingers crossed). I had a full thyroidectomy and 30 lymphnodes, and it removed from my vocal cords. Now have a 3 year old and an pregnant with my second. It’s so weird to hear being so young, I’m glad you caught it
You know I got to tell you that I really love how you are a glass half full kind of person and that’s AWESOME! Genuinely I think you are going to be a fantastic doctor and I wish there were more people like you! Honestly I have seen my fair share of doctors over the years but I know that you will become a really great doctor because of the stuff that you are going through right now. I hope you have a wonderful day Sally! ☺️
I dealt with leukemia last year and it was horrifying. I cant imagine having to wait as long as you but good luck with your procedure. Your positivity is great btw. I worked really hard on keep mine and think it helped me a lot this past year and a half. Tske care of yourself.
You go girl. I also had a cancer scare and waited a year to deal with it. It sucks that you had that in the back of your head for so long, and sucks even more that you were right the whole time. Wish you the best on your journey.
Dear Sally, I've been silently following your journey since your MCAT/interviews. You are going to be an amazing doctor, it just shows🌟 A big hug from an Italian medical student 💞
as someone who has been in hospitals my whole life, you are going to be a great dr. please don't let your spirit get burned out! always keep your love for learning and caring
I had thyroid cancer in March and 8 months after surgery I'm 100% better. It seems scary but I promise it's so much easier once it's done. Wishing you all the best!
Glad to hear you have so much support as you go through this. Please consider reaching out to the PCP who told you it was OK to wait to follow up-they gave you bad advice and will continue to give that advice to other patients if they think it had no consequences for you. Wishing you the best of luck.
First af all you are so stunning and you radiate positive energy! I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when i was 15, so 8 years ago and i´m doing good. My doctors said that it is "the best kind of cancer" which sounds strange but apparently that means the chances of healing are very good. I wish you the best for your surgery, you got this!
You sound similar to me when I was diagnosed. Good attitude is huge and so is being proactive in care. 20+ yrs and going strong. Wish you the best of luck.
I’m sorry that you have to go through this, but I’m glad that you’re able to keep a positive perspective. The silver lining of becoming a more empathetic doctor makes me feel excited for your future. I agree that Your experiences will help bridge patient doctor relationships. I believe you will become an incredibly important doctor. You will be able to heal not only your patients illnesses but aspects of previous medical trauma. I’m sure your future patients will feel so grateful they found you.
"Im glad its me and not someone else" is a punch in the gut💔i have a chronic illness and i feel that way too, im really glad its not someone else, but please know you don't deserve this, no one does. Praying for a quick and easy recovery❤ we are all behind you, you got this❤ and its so horrible that you had to wait a whole year to get tested for a seriohs and potentially life threatning illness. Hope the system will change and continue to move forward for the better❤
You’re so positive about this and I love your attitude, Hope the best for your recovery! ❤ You’re a really inspiring person, wish good health for you! Wish the best for you ❤
You're a beautiful human being. May God bless you greatly and grant you divine healing. Will be praying for you to have a successful surgery on Dec 6th.
I’m so sorry for everything that’s coming your way. I’m 16 and I had cancer last year that required 3 surgeries to my shoulder. It was DFSP, so definitely not as scary of a diagnosis. It was a huge learning process to accept my own diagnosis even a year and a half later. Go easy on yourself, nobody can be stoic at all times. I’ll be following your updates and cheering you on from the sideline!💛💛💛
Hi sally I am also a med student but from Portugal (europe) I am cheering for you and i hope everything goes well You are very brave and im happy that you are having such an optimistic approach Get well soon
aw maaaan that sucks! I'm sorry you have to deal with all of this especially while being far from family. You've got this! You're absolutely right when you talked about how you're glad it's you and not someone else. Last year, I had to get brain surgery for an aneurysm (unruptured) and I mean it was traumatic but when you're in it it's a weird psychological thing where like?? I mean it's just happening and you go with it? But then my best friend got diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this year and all of a sudden I knew how everyone else around me felt during my issues. It's soooo much worse to be on the outside and just worry about your loved ones because it's just so much more stressful. A truly helpless feeling. Would absolutely take the hot seat any day.
I'm actually crying as i'm watching this. It is so sad. My mom was a labour and delivery nurse. She worked at hospital for 30+ years but only found cancer in her just 3 years ago. She passed soon after 2 months. It's better you found it before it's too late. I wish you a speedy recovery girl!!❤
i can just tell you're an amazing person and will be an amazing doctor one day! hoping everything goes well in the coming days! your attitude and strength is really inspiring.
I really apprecate you being so open about your diagnose. I love the way, you try to see some positive aspects within this situation and i wish you the best! You got this and never stop believing in yourself!
All the best to you!! edit: you have such a positive energy! Your goal of becoming a compassionate doctor hit me! You already are so much more thoughtful, than most doctors I've met. Again I wish you all the best for this weird time!!
I don’t understand why so many young people are getting cancer. And, at first, they and some doctors have no sense of urgency, because they don’t expect cancer in young people. I’m glad your mom can come. You have a great personality, by the way.
There could number of reasons why young people are getting cancer. They could have a family history. They have also mutated genes or medical conditions that can increase the chances of environmental factors. For instance, Crohn's Disease can increase your chance of getting Colon cancer. Three years ago I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I did a genetic test mainly due to my age I was 34 at the time. My dad had colon cancer ten years prior. In my case my tumor wasn’t genetic and my genetic test came back negative. I don't have lynch syndrome. My doctor thinks it could environmental factor. That is why I gave up eating red meat and why I am a pollo pescatarian. Now I got lupus.
Good luck!! As a pharmacy student I feel inspired by your passion for medicine and your mentality- when you said this experience helps you empathize, I felt that 😊
I was diagnosed with cancer in university as well, and it changed my life for the better. I 100% agree with becoming a more empathic person! Next time this year I’ll be a registered occupational therapist. 🥰
Hi, I've been watching you since you were studying for the MCAT and when you were applying. My school schedule also got screwed up from family getting diagnosed with CHF recently and being at the ICU for 3 weeks and I'm gonna stay 4 years at a CC, ahhh. Thank you for using this experience to become a better doctor in the future. I hope I can be as strong as you during this time. I send you all my birthday luck in hopes your surgery goes well
I have a feeling you are going to be just fine. Cancer is scary, but I think you got this. I am wishing you the best and hoping you can become cancer free ASAP!
You are going to be a fantastic doctor. You have such a positive attitude and a comforting vibe and you clearly feel passionately about medicine. I would be honored to be treated by future you!
I guess the silver lining is you caught it early and situated your health insurance, started treatments.You are quite a darling, very cute, smart and strong and will make an excellent doctor.
My cousin had the same cancer and found it on herself after her dad (a dr!) denied her concerns for a year. She got a second opinion, got the diagnosis, got her thyroid removed, and now she’s cancer free 10+ years :)
Woah you have such positive out view on life you will make such an amzing doctor i can already tell. You are beaming with this energy not many can possess
I just wanted to say that I was diagnosed at 19 last year with thyroid cancer and had a thyroidectomy months later. It’s not as scary as it seems! You got this and I wish you the best of luck 💓. I have a follow up appointment December 6th with my surgeon because of other suspicious lymph nodes.
