Just out of curiosity...

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There is a thread on here where an HPSP student was diagnosed with cancer and had to pay back their scholarship money!
 
You could possibly get a medical board.
 
SeminoleFan3 said:
what would happen to you in the military if you were diagnosed with some sort of cancer?
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You will get treated, hopefully cured and if so - retained - we have guys in Afghanistan knocking down doors who had lymphoma, etc.

I have had colleagues with incurable cancers who still were able to remain on duty and serve with reasonable restrictions.

If treatment fails and disease is progressing - you will be medically retired, likely with 100% disability, equating to 100% of basepay for life, nontaxable, in addition to retaining medical benefits etc as a medical retiree.

Contrary to the general tenor on this forum, I have not seen the military ever just toss someone out. As far as payback of HPSP funds - I did read that episode, but I doubt/hope that is the norm.

Frankly I have many patients who's enlistment - literally saved their family from being destitute from lost income and medical expenses.
 
Seminole been following your posts for years. Hope you get well. Worry about yourself now, medicine, military can wait. Get well.
 
Seminole, are you serious you have cancer? Let us know what is going on so we can help.
 
IgD said:
Seminole, are you serious you have cancer? Let us know what is going on so we can help.
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It's possible. I'm being referred to an ultra-specialist at a cancer center to see what we do next (FNA vs core vs surgery). Hopefully I'll get an appt this week. I'll keep you all updated.
 
SeminoleFan3 said:
It's possible. I'm being referred to an ultra-specialist at a cancer center to see what we do next (FNA vs core vs surgery). Hopefully I'll get an appt this week. I'll keep you all updated.
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One of my friends developed head and neck cancer when he was a GMO. He had a sore throat that wouldn't go away and had to be med evacd. He didn't drink or chew tobacco. He received a radical neck dissection. When we were 2nd or 3rd year residents, he developed a relapse and had another radical neck dissection followed by radiation I think. He had part of his tongue replaced with a muscle from his forearm. The Navy actually took really good care of him. He could have easily received a medical board but he remains on active duty to this day and he receives MRIs every 6 months.

Keep us updated about your progress, maybe it would help you to blog about it here!
 
IgD said:
One of my friends developed head and neck cancer when he was a GMO. He had a sore throat that wouldn't go away and had to be med evacd. He didn't drink or chew tobacco. He received a radical neck dissection. When we were 2nd or 3rd year residents, he developed a relapse and had another radical neck dissection followed by radiation I think. He had part of his tongue replaced with a muscle from his forearm. The Navy actually took really good care of him. He could have easily received a medical board but he remains on active duty to this day and he receives MRIs every 6 months.

Keep us updated about your progress, maybe it would help you to blog about it here!
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I gotta say, the hardest part of the whole actual process...even worse than knowing I might have cancer...is waiting to find out. This place I'm being referred to takes a week to decide if they're going to accept your case, then another 2-3wks to schedule an appt. Maybe I'll hear something by Friday.
 
Got an appt for the week after next with an ortho onc, however I'm trying to get in at NCI Sarcoma center this coming week. Ugh, I hate the waiting.
 
Would it be helpful for you to tell us a little about your situation? What symptoms you were having, what happened, etc. Did you have an abnormal imaging study?
 
IgD said:
Would it be helpful for you to tell us a little about your situation? What symptoms you were having, what happened, etc. Did you have an abnormal imaging study?
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I actually found a painless lump in one of my extremities. No pain, tenderness, bruising or anything of the sort. Just sort of found it a couple weeks ago. I had an MRI after a couple dr appt (one doctor tried to just dismiss me like nothing was remotely wrong), which showed a mass, but couldn't differentiate between malignant and benign. Now I'll need some sort of biopsy to figure it out, and it may even need to be removed even if benign because of it's location to some blood vessels.

By the way, thanks for the support everyone.
 
SeminoleFan3 said:
I actually found a painless lump in one of my extremities. No pain, tenderness, bruising or anything of the sort. Just sort of found it a couple weeks ago. I had an MRI after a couple dr appt (one doctor tried to just dismiss me like nothing was remotely wrong), which showed a mass, but couldn't differentiate between malignant and benign. Now I'll need some sort of biopsy to figure it out, and it may even need to be removed even if benign because of it's location to some blood vessels.

By the way, thanks for the support everyone.
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Sorry to hear about your situation, and I hope for a benign result.
I just wanted to throw something out there for you to consider. If the mass turns out to be a late presenting pediatric cancer, you may want to consider a children's hospital for treatment. I'm a staff anesthesiologist at one, and we occasionally get some older patients with pediatric cancers. You MAY get better treatment there.
 
IlDestriero said:
Sorry to hear about your situation, and I hope for a benign result.
I just wanted to throw something out there for you to consider. If the mass turns out to be a late presenting pediatric cancer, you may want to consider a children's hospital for treatment. I'm a staff anesthesiologist at one, and we occasionally get some older patients with pediatric cancers. You MAY get better treatment there.
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Hadn't thought about that. Thanks for the heads up.
 
IlDestriero said:
I just wanted to throw something out there for you to consider. If the mass turns out to be a late presenting pediatric cancer, you may want to consider a children's hospital for treatment. I'm a staff anesthesiologist at one, and we occasionally get some older patients with pediatric cancers. You MAY get better treatment there.
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Indeed, Children's Oncology Group (COG) studies, esp. in re sarcomas more common in children enroll up to age ~50 (I think). I tend to agree that Peds Heme/Onc are, at times, going to be more facile with a predominantly peds-age presenting cancer. I helped take care of a young adult activated guardsman during my residency for this reason (she had ALL)
 
SeminoleFan3 said:
Doc that I saw thought it was nothing to worry about. Told me to get it rescanned in about 6 months to check on it's size. Reassuring.
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I'd cut it out, then do total body irradiation and experimental chemo - At least that's what I think House would do.

Congrats on the reassuring findings.
 
Awesome man! I've been following this for awhile, good to hear you're clear. 👍
 
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