I'm a pre-osteo who has been accepted, and of course I've had all the stress that goes along with that over two application cycles. As you can guess, I'm not posting under my usual name for reasons I can't really articulate right now. I just want to offer a bit of perspective on all the stress many of us put ourselves under. I just learned that my mom, who I'm very close to and is pretty young, has stage four lymphoma. Now, it seems that everything I've worried about in my life previously is very insignificant. Many of you have gone through something like this, so you may know what I mean. I guess what I'm trying to say to all who are stressing over applications etcetera is: keep things in perspective. (seems like there should be something else to say, but I don't know what)
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You make an excellent point.
Prayers and well wishes for you and your family. I wish I had something more eloquent to say..I'm sorry 🙁
I am very sorry to hear about your mom. I completely understand your pain. My sister was just diagnosed with a very rare form of cervical cancer (not the kind caused by HPV). Cancer is scary in any aspect. I will be praying for you, your mom, and the rest of your family.
I am super close to my mom too. She is my best friend. My heart goes out to you. Keep your chin up. Remember that even though it is hard to see, things do happen for a reason, but you may not know the reason for several years to come. I am sure she wants you to continue to go to medical school and live your life to the fullest, even though she is ill. This is a perfect example as to why you should always enjoy time with your family, resolve issues with them, etc. You never know what can happen and everything can change in one second. I know my sister and my family felt like our lives completely changed the second she said the word "cancer."
I am super close to my mom too. She is my best friend. My heart goes out to you. Keep your chin up. Remember that even though it is hard to see, things do happen for a reason, but you may not know the reason for several years to come. I am sure she wants you to continue to go to medical school and live your life to the fullest, even though she is ill. This is a perfect example as to why you should always enjoy time with your family, resolve issues with them, etc. You never know what can happen and everything can change in one second. I know my sister and my family felt like our lives completely changed the second she said the word "cancer."
You and your family are in my prayers.
No more than 2 days ok a doctor at the local med school here was talking about this stuff. He mentioned at this point med students can all handle the academics just fine, and all bad grades/stress are from situations such as your own. It is a difficult situation and you just have to do what you can. Try not to live with regrets. I dated a girl at one time that was doing an au pair over here and was trying to get money to get her mom and brother over to the states. Her mom died from cancer while she was over here. She has never forgiven herself, as if it is her fault or something. So, don't blame yourself. Stay strong for your mom and just spend as much as possible with her. My sister, mother and numerous other family members have had cancer. My mom and sister were lucky, some of the others not so much. The stress on YOU is nearly unparalleled. If you stay strong then your mom will stay strong and it will be a cyclical thing. Best of luck with everything and perspective is an important thing. We all get stressed and locked into this stuff, so when such an event comes along it can really knock us on our a$$. This may be a driving force for the rest of your life, so you have to make the best of it. (Tough I know)
as do I...
+1. You guys will be in my thoughts and prayers. Best of luck 🙂
+ 1 more.
You are in my thoughts.
You are in my thoughts.
You, your family and most importantly your Mom will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers. 😍
All my love and support,
Prions
PM me if you need to talk more.
All my love and support,
Prions
PM me if you need to talk more.
This thread reminds me of a friend of mine. I'm not entirely sure that it is relevant, but I felt the need to share.
I knew this doctor who grew up in Israel and came to the United States after graduating from college. He went to medical school here, and completed a general surgery residency followed by a vascular surgery fellowship. He worked in private practice for a couple of decades. His wife was also a physician. She was called into the ED one evening, and was struck by a drunk driver. My friend was on call that evening, and ended up working on his wife, who ultimately died. Needless to say, he was devestated.
He quit his practice and moved back to Israel with his kids. He lived there for a few years, not practicing medicine; however, he started to feel as though he wanted to move back to America to rejoin his old practice (he had owned the practice and left it to another partner, who kept a standing offer on the table for him to rejoin as a partner). He was torn between practicing again and staying away from medicine, as he thought that returning to the field would be disrespectful to his wife's memory.
He went to the Kotel (the Western Wall in Jerusalem, which is nearly all that is left of the Holy Temple) for his morning prayers one day; when he was finished, he asked G-d for some sort of answer. Two days later, a suicide bomber blew up a bus two blocks from a store in which my friend happened to be shopping. Without thinking, he ran down the street to provide whatever help he could and probably saved a few lives that day. A month later, he was on his way back to America to rejoin his old practice.
I wanted to share this because when terrible things happen, it is easy to lose perspective and feel some trepidation about worrying for seemingly trivial things or being happy for our own accomplishments. While worrying about a grade certainly does not compare to worrying about a cancer diagnosis, you have to know that your mother does not want you to feel bad about yourself for thinking of your future. She wants the best for you, no matter what.
You and your family will be in my prayers.
I knew this doctor who grew up in Israel and came to the United States after graduating from college. He went to medical school here, and completed a general surgery residency followed by a vascular surgery fellowship. He worked in private practice for a couple of decades. His wife was also a physician. She was called into the ED one evening, and was struck by a drunk driver. My friend was on call that evening, and ended up working on his wife, who ultimately died. Needless to say, he was devestated.
He quit his practice and moved back to Israel with his kids. He lived there for a few years, not practicing medicine; however, he started to feel as though he wanted to move back to America to rejoin his old practice (he had owned the practice and left it to another partner, who kept a standing offer on the table for him to rejoin as a partner). He was torn between practicing again and staying away from medicine, as he thought that returning to the field would be disrespectful to his wife's memory.
He went to the Kotel (the Western Wall in Jerusalem, which is nearly all that is left of the Holy Temple) for his morning prayers one day; when he was finished, he asked G-d for some sort of answer. Two days later, a suicide bomber blew up a bus two blocks from a store in which my friend happened to be shopping. Without thinking, he ran down the street to provide whatever help he could and probably saved a few lives that day. A month later, he was on his way back to America to rejoin his old practice.
I wanted to share this because when terrible things happen, it is easy to lose perspective and feel some trepidation about worrying for seemingly trivial things or being happy for our own accomplishments. While worrying about a grade certainly does not compare to worrying about a cancer diagnosis, you have to know that your mother does not want you to feel bad about yourself for thinking of your future. She wants the best for you, no matter what.
You and your family will be in my prayers.
Moshe Rabbenu,
That's a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
That's a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hey guys,
I just want to thank you all for your support. It is very much appreciated.
I just want to thank you all for your support. It is very much appreciated.
although this is a hard time just remember that you are only given as much as you can handle. Everything we encounter is there to point us in a certain direction and guide us towards our ultimate potential. Sometimes it is good to take a step back and realize that in the big picture we do not know what the outcome will be and we do not know what really is fortunate or unfortuate
I know this sounds very 'self-help'ish but it is something I have had to keep in mind as I have undergone many hardships in my own life. Take each moment as it is, embrace it, learn from it and do the best you can
my thoughts and prayers are with you
My prayers are with you. I am going through a related experience. Your post served as a very pleasant reminder that there is more to life tha stressing over things that in the real big picture are not that significant.
My heart and best wishes go out to you, your mother, and the rest of your family.
Perspective is indeed a good word for it: both for those of us who stress too much about the small things and those of us who don't stress enough about the big things.
I'm really bad at this (anything dealing w/ emotions) so I'll just spit it out.
I'm sorry. That is a horrible situation. My worst fear is that something like this would happen to me or my family.
If nothing else it will help you to develop empathy for your future patients.
Best wishes for your mother and for your whole family.
I'm sorry. That is a horrible situation. My worst fear is that something like this would happen to me or my family.
If nothing else it will help you to develop empathy for your future patients.
Best wishes for your mother and for your whole family.
yeah life sucks, it comes at you pretty fast sometimes. My "uncle" just died about 10 hours ago while sleeping from cancer. We were hoping he would be able to return to Greece and be with his family there and die but i guess everything in his body, critical organs, etc. had shut down. Its pretty weird, his first nephew was shot twice at Northern Illinois shootings but survived, and now him. They don't have a lot, so my dad is giving my "uncles" son my WRX as a present... maybe to cheer him up.
sorry to hear that, hang in there buddy...
Perspective,
I too will be praying for your mom. My heart breaks to know your mom and you family will be going through this battle. This is close to home for me as well, my sister is fighting cervical cancer (as to the poster above, prob the one that was caused by HPV-- too bad this horrible disease comes with a bad stigma attached-- the actions or lack thereof, that we are all guilty of at some point, simply do not = the consequences).
I'm glad you posted, because we all at times lose sight of what is important. We're either worrying about an Org grades, or application deadlines, MCAT results, interviews, acceptances.... then we proceed to worry about doing well, passing exams, getting matched, finding a job... it just will never end unless we choose to stop it.
For all, please do keep things in perspective, live your days with the long term goals in mind, but today's important things always in your grasp and close to your heart. That is what makes your life, anyways.
