- Joined
- Aug 3, 2013
- Messages
- 423
- Reaction score
- 518
A little background about my family and I.
My parents immigrated to this country in 1990 from Iraq, just weeks after Saddam invaded Kuwait. They were Christians that enjoyed the respects of the Muslim community because of their great wealth and business acumen. However, the Gulf war quickly turned everything around and their livlihoods were in great danger. When they left Iraq, the country didn't allow them to withdraw money so they left with precious metals and whatever they could fit in a few suitcases.
I was born in 1993 and my younger brother in 1994.
Fast forward 22 years, today, my parents are barely middle class. They both speak very broken english and have worked increadibly hard to make it in the States. My father is pushing his late 70s while my mother just turned 60. They both still work full time because they need the employer benefit health insurance and everything is so expensive where we live. My father owns a small business and my mother is a regulaer employee (translation: no retirement benefits for either of them)
I have been accepted to a school that is about ~1500 miles away, three states away. I feel so increadibly guilty about leaving my parents and younger brother alone. Unfortunately, my younger brother was never academically inclined as I was and will continue my father's small business. He enjoys it but I can tell that he envys the fact that I will be leaving home and starting to make my own living. I am interested in general surgery and know that, should I do well in med school, probably persue my graduate medical education in another state for another 5 years and rarely see my family. I have another interview coming up soon from a school that is a little closer (1000 miles away) but, unfortauntely, nothing in my home state.
I just feel increadibly guilty and shameful that I will be leaving my parents to go [selfishly?] continue my own professional goals while neglecting them. I feel terrible that I will not be able to contribute to the retirement of my parents and they will continue working for many more years. They will probably never enjoy grandkids because of my decisions to go to school for a long time too. I will not have a full physician's salery for another decade (at least) and I don't know if they'll be able to see the accomplishments of their children. I also feel terrible about leaving my brother behind to care for my parents. I don't know. I was soo looking forward to med school but these things are holding me back and I've lost soo much of my initial passion/stamina because of it.
Does anyone else feel this way? Anyone have any advice?
My parents immigrated to this country in 1990 from Iraq, just weeks after Saddam invaded Kuwait. They were Christians that enjoyed the respects of the Muslim community because of their great wealth and business acumen. However, the Gulf war quickly turned everything around and their livlihoods were in great danger. When they left Iraq, the country didn't allow them to withdraw money so they left with precious metals and whatever they could fit in a few suitcases.
I was born in 1993 and my younger brother in 1994.
Fast forward 22 years, today, my parents are barely middle class. They both speak very broken english and have worked increadibly hard to make it in the States. My father is pushing his late 70s while my mother just turned 60. They both still work full time because they need the employer benefit health insurance and everything is so expensive where we live. My father owns a small business and my mother is a regulaer employee (translation: no retirement benefits for either of them)
I have been accepted to a school that is about ~1500 miles away, three states away. I feel so increadibly guilty about leaving my parents and younger brother alone. Unfortunately, my younger brother was never academically inclined as I was and will continue my father's small business. He enjoys it but I can tell that he envys the fact that I will be leaving home and starting to make my own living. I am interested in general surgery and know that, should I do well in med school, probably persue my graduate medical education in another state for another 5 years and rarely see my family. I have another interview coming up soon from a school that is a little closer (1000 miles away) but, unfortauntely, nothing in my home state.
I just feel increadibly guilty and shameful that I will be leaving my parents to go [selfishly?] continue my own professional goals while neglecting them. I feel terrible that I will not be able to contribute to the retirement of my parents and they will continue working for many more years. They will probably never enjoy grandkids because of my decisions to go to school for a long time too. I will not have a full physician's salery for another decade (at least) and I don't know if they'll be able to see the accomplishments of their children. I also feel terrible about leaving my brother behind to care for my parents. I don't know. I was soo looking forward to med school but these things are holding me back and I've lost soo much of my initial passion/stamina because of it.
Does anyone else feel this way? Anyone have any advice?
