#palliative care journey

[glcarissa]

I haven't posted for a few months due to major health issues. From March 12, 2023, when I first located the lump in my left breast, to the present, it has been heart wrenching and challenging. I no longer have my father or mother, both have sadly passed away, to help me through this. And I don't want to be a burden on my children. Siblings ... all blood is not necessarily family, which is the saddest part of going through this alone.

After being in remission from ovarian cancer surgery in 2018, I was just diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, that has spread to my bones.

The illness and treatment have drastically impacted my physical and mental health to the point where I have not been fully active for several months. It has taken a toll on me, to say the least. Everything has changed. I am sad to admit, also, that many people have also changed. This is a devastating and horrible disease that no one should have to journey alone. But 'it is what it is' and I must keep fighting, whether with support or on my own.

Below is the link to my gofundme page to help me along my cancer journey. If you are able to donate, thank you in advance. If you are not able to donate, please consider sharing my page. I appreciate you all and hope to live as long as possible with this life-changing illness.

Cancer takes away everything. Each day is a battle, but this is my journey and forward I must go.

Stay safe. Be kind. Be humble. Be human.

Gloria C Swain [May 23, 1956 - ]

[youthchronical]

'My life has come to an end': TikTok star Bella Bradford announces her death in pre-recorded video - Times of India

Bella Bradford (Picture credit: X) TikTok influencer Bella Bradford announced her own death in a pre-recorded video shared on her account on October 31, weeks after her passing on October 15. Known for her “Get Ready with Me” videos, the 24-year-old had been courageously documenting her journey with a rare cancer diagnosis.In the 11-minute farewell clip, Bradford openly spoke to her followers,…

[universalchaplain]

Religious Groups’ Views on End-of-Life Issues | Pew Research Center

For reference

[nikonladyz4]

Prayers and BTS Friend’s Support Requested

To my followers and fellow BTS lovers, I have been battling a very rare blood cancer called Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia for almost 10 years. Last year the immunotherapy drug I had been on for 6 years caused ventricular tachycardia of the heart which caused me to immediately stop therapy. This news was three days after attending Suga/Agust D’s concert in Chicago. What a downer to come home from that amazing, phenomenal concert.

I resumed a 2nd generation drug 3 months later which caused additional heart issues and had to reduce the dosage and subsequently stop that therapy in November. There were only two options left, one being a regiment of chemotherapy that would put me in palliative care, or the other option being an autologous stem cell transplant. This option could potentially add several more years of life in partial/full remission. Unfortunately the cancer will come back and I will get that palliative final round of chemo.

I chose the stem cell option and started the process 3 months ago with an oral chemo drug to kill cancer cells. I had a high dose of infusion chemo this past Friday and started daily injections on Sunday to create new stem cells in my bone marrow that will be moved to my blood stream for harvesting in two weeks. It will take up to 4 days to harvest the stem cells and then frozen until transplant day.

I will then go into the hospital for extreme chemotherapy to kill off my immune system (red and white blood cells and platelets) for a medical “rebirth” where my harvested stem cells will be transplanted back into my bloodstream for engraphment into my bone marrow.

So again, I am just telling my BTS family and friends while asking for your prayers and well wishes as I complete this new medical journey so that I can see my beloved BTS boys in concert next year.

The good news is my initial prognosis was for 5-10 years. I was diagnosed at 51 and I will be 61 on Saturday, one day after our beloved Jimin drops his new album of love songs! YES YES YES

Posted: 7/15/24

[thefandomlesbian]

In healthcare, we learn a saying: "If you treat a disease, sometimes you'll win, sometimes you'll lose. If you treat a person, you'll win every time, no matter the outcome."

I can't help but extrapolate this to House and Wilson. House who has studied every infectious and genetic disease under the sun who fights and fights and fights for life, who pretends he doesn't care about his patients, who even says, "I don't get paid to treat people, I get paid to treat diseases, the fact that people have to be involved is a downfall," who admits he takes every loss personally and feels it's his fault because he failed. If he had been faster, they would have lived. If he had figured it out sooner. House who believes he deserves misery because of this, who thinks chronic pain makes him a better doctor because if he's less pliable as a person he's more likely to find The Answer when The Answer is all that matters.

On the other hand, you have Wilson. A practiced oncologist, someone who has long ago learned it is impossible to beat every disease but it is possible to bond with every patient, to the point that he advises other doctors on techniques to make bonds with their own children, because the point of medicine is in the humanity. Wilson who fights for life but also fights for comfortable death, to whom palliative medicine is no stranger. He takes hits, of course, and the losses hurt, but he also finds comfort in the journey from one space to another. He acknowledges that he believes in the In Between from life to death and though it isn't often expressed (particularly to House, as this elicits too many volatile reactions), he thinks something happens after the meatsack stops working and the chemical computer in the brain shuts off. He believes people are something more than neurons.

And their roles are foils of one another throughout the series. This is always clear in their medicinal acts. House fighting for life, searching for answers, and Wilson rolling joints, rigging PCA pumps, committing MAID illegally.

They only swap roles for each other in the finale.

In the final act of their friendship, Wilson knows he is going to die. He knows his options are shorter and painless or longer and painful. He wants painless. But House needs him. "I don't think that's a bad thing anymore," he says. He is ready to go for the long haul. He knows it isn't a cure, that he'll still die, but sometimes love is worth the pain, and more hours with House (even in agony) will be worth the pain. He's going to fight, knowing he'll lose, knowing it's pointless except to say that he spent another few months with his best friend confined to a hospital and a clean room.

And in this final act of their friendship, House knows Wilson is going to die, has spent days pleading with him just to keep fighting for more time, you could make it another two years instead of five months. Until Wilson is ready to start chemo. "You're the only one I listen to. You're smarter than me." House gives Wilson what he wants: painless and quick, the final five months spent together. House rages against the terminal acts of dying bodies all the time, but he can destroy that instinct to love Wilson better. He can make Wilson comfortable until the very end. He can treat the person, not the disease, just this once.

And that's what medicine is all about.

[strid3rofthen0rth]

When We Lose, We Sing

I don't know how familiar you are with rugby culture, but one thing you might know is that it can be quite sing-y. It's full of bawdy drinking songs, team songs and chants, the songs you scream-sing swaying arm in arm and the ones you sing with reverence.

We had a saying relative to singing back in the day.

"When we win, we sing. When we lose, we sing."

In my standard fashion of thinking about anything too much, including beer hall songs, I took that to mean a number of things.

Firstly, it's a team bonding thing, obviously. We're all in this together. You get drunk and rowdy, and sing the songs. And even further than that, these are our songs and you don't know them. Fuck you. Your loss.

Secondly, it's an expression that points to the fact that it's the journey, not the destination, like everything in life. Win, lose, or draw, it doesn't matter. We were there together, working our tails off, now we sing,

And last, it can be a bit of consolation, because sometime wins and losses do actually matter. So we're sad, but we sing, arm in arm, to raise the spirits again. And to remind ourselves there's more to be done. We're coming even harder next time, motherfuckers. Sleep with the lights on.

Johnny "Hammer" M******* was one of my closest running mates back then. Funny, hard, and charismatic as hell. If he couldn't outrun you in practice, or out-tough you, he'd out-charm you later in the bars where the ladies were. Fun-loving, possessed of a permanent smirky shit eating grin, and when the time came, harder than an iron nail. Head hard as an anvil.

They're moving him into hospice today for palliative care. The end is almost here for Hammer. That hit me hard. One of the hardest, best men I've known, a husk being wheeled in to die with his family surrounding him.

But I know what to do. When we win, we sing. When we lose, we sing,

Today I sing in sadness. This one's for you, Hammer.

[mumblingsage]

Speaking of book recommendations after I just shared a post of them...one of the ladies I volunteered with had a shit year a few years back, losing her son and other family members. With my sympathy card I sent her a typed list of books on grief and grieving that had helped me after losing Theriac (Joanne Cacciatore's Bearing the Unbearable, Louis LaGrande's Healing Grief, Finding Peace: 101 Ways to Cope with the Death of Your Loved One, and Raymond Moody's Life After Loss are all pretty short, accessible, and offer a board first aid kit. Also, you could do worse than to grab some of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's lectures.). Apparently it really helped her, and this past weekend she told me she still had the list and passed it on to a relative of hers who lost her husband this year.

Not all of the advice in every book is going to help; there are some aspects of grief I doubt any book can actually help with. But the recommendations are successful, I'd guess, because a) reading can occupy your mind when you're grieving (and you might as well read about grief because you're not going to be distracted from it), b) learning something new helps people feel more in control of their life & environment and can offer a sense of hope, c) even if the recipient never reads any of the books, being given a book list is a way to say "I care about you and want to help" which is a good message to send. From my own grief experience I also think it's especially powerful to hear "I went through something similar to you and this is what helped me" - it's proof there's life on the other side.

Anyway, 2 more book recs for 2 quite different end-of-life outcomes, which I think you should ideally read before any of your loved ones die so you can actually use the information (also, honestly? Very helpful writing research):

Final Journeys and Final Gifts by Maggie Callanan -- a hospice nurse's guide to the kinds of decisions, conflicts, and sometimes puzzling behavior and experiences encountered when a loved one is in palliative care. Journeys is the more broadly practical book (from the 'writing research' perspective, it also offers some great examples of conflict, memorable scenes, and psychology insights); Gifts looks particularly at spiritual experiences at the end of life, including end of life visions (which happen to all kinds of people and can be a good thing to be prepared for regardless of your own spiritual beliefs). If Gifts proves fascinating, a more recent book on the subject of end of life experiences is Death is But a Dream.

I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One is for the opposite end of experience, where a loss is abrupt and unexpected. It offers advice, myth-busting, and real-life stories from people who are bereaved through suicide, crime, and accidents. I recommend this for everyone because 1) It could happen to you (speaking as someone it's happened to multiple times) and having some knowledge ahead of time will not make it less painful, but could make it less bewildering, 2) It could happen to your loved ones, friends, and co-workers, and you can be more supportive with some knowledge, 3) Back to writing research: this book's information on myth-busting, how grief affects children at different ages, tips for coping when a loved one's' death is part of a tragedy that brings media attention, and vivid examples of the various ways real people have responded to grief can make you a more accurate writer. And I'll be honest, as someone who's Been There, when I read a book that was clearly written by an author who hasn't Been There and hasn't even tried to figure out what it's like, it's ranges from annoying to offensive to actively painful. [Also, if you want to do better at understanding+ depicting grief, read grief memoirs: Elizabeth McCracken's An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination is about miscarriage but resonated so strongly with my very different grief experiences, so I think it's tapping into something, if not universal, at least very broad; Sonali Deraniyagala's Wave, about the loss of multiple generations of her family in the Boxing Day tsunami, manages to depict events and feelings that verge on the indescribable.]

[apenitentialprayer]

article by Sunita Puri, published October 5th, 2024. Bolded emphases added.

The first person who taught me something about death and defiance was the mother of a family friend, an older woman who had moved from Punjab to the United States to be closer to her son. I remember her as delicate and draped always in pastel salwar kameezes. After she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which moved quickly to claim her bones and her brain, her desire to return to Punjab intensified. When my parents told me about the end of her life, it was with a mixture of disbelief and conviction: She survived the days-long journey to the village where she’d been born—laboring to breathe for nearly the entire flight, grimacing through prayers when she ran out of pain medication—and died two days after she arrived.

I thought of her story this week as I read about former President Jimmy Carter’s intention to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris. Carter, who has been on hospice for well over a year, turned 100 on Tuesday and has survived far longer than many expected he would. The notion that he has rallied in order to contribute in one final way to American democracy raises a familiar question that arises in my own work with patients and families: Do we have some control, conscious or not, over when we die? Can a person stretch the days of their life to include a last meaningful act or moment?

As a palliative-care physician, I have encountered the phenomenon of people dying only after specific circumstances materialize. There was the gentleman whose family held vigil in the intensive-care unit while he continued on, improbably, even without the support of the ventilator, dying only after his estranged son had arrived. There was the woman whose fragility precluded any further chemotherapy, but who survived long enough without it to witness the birth of her first grandchild. There was the woman who was deeply protective of her daughter, and died from cirrhosis only after she’d left for the night, possibly to spare her the agony of witnessing her death. The unexpected happens frequently enough that I tell patients and families that two timelines shape the moment of death: the timeline of the body, governed by the more predictable laws of physiology, and that of the soul, which may determine the moment of death in a way that defies medical understanding and human expectations. When people wonder about the circumstance of the last heartbeat, of the final breath, I can see how they never stop searching for their loved ones’ personhood or intention, a last gesture that reveals or solidifies who that person is.

Despite the prevalence of stories suggesting that people may have the ability to time their death, no scientific evidence supports this observation. Decades ago, several studies documented a dip in deaths just before Jewish holidays, with a corresponding rise immediately afterward, suggesting that perhaps people could choose to die after one final holiday celebration. A larger study later found that certain holidays (Christmas and Thanksgiving, in this case) and personally meaningful days (birthdays) had no significant effect on patterns of dying. But this phenomenon doesn’t lend itself easily to statistical analysis, either: The importance of holidays, for instance, can’t quite stand in for the very individual motivations that define the anecdotes shared in hospital break rooms or around a dinner table. And the human truth that many recognize in these stories raises the question of whether we believe them any less fully in the absence of proof.

Palliative care often involves helping people confront and develop a relationship to uncertainty, which governs so much of the experience of illness. And when my patients tell me about themselves and about who they are now that they are sick, willpower often makes an appearance. Many say that if they focus on the positive, or visualize the disappearance of their cancer, or fight hard enough, they will win the battle for more time. I hear in their words echoes of what Nietzsche wrote, what the psychiatrist Viktor Frankl used to make sense of his years in German concentration camps: “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

And we want to believe that love or desire or commitment or heroism is still possible right up until the very end. As my patients grow sicker, and as death approaches, I talk with them and their families about what they can hope for even if a cure isn’t possible. That, in fact, death can still contain something generative. A time that may have seemed beyond further meaning becomes instead an opportunity, or an extension of the dying person’s commitments to their country, their family, their dreams. Soon, President Carter will be able to cast that vote: Next week, Georgia registrars will start mailing out absentee ballots; early voting begins the week after that. His promise to himself is a reminder that dying cannot fully dampen purpose, even as a person’s life narrows.

The idea that willpower can be an ally against death is appealing too, because it offers the possibility of transcendence, of defying the limits that the body, or illness, may impose. But, having also seen the many ways that the body does not bend to the mind, I do find myself regarding willpower with caution: What if you as a person are a fighter, but your body simply cannot fight the cancer any longer? I wonder, with my patients, if they can strive for more time without shouldering personal responsibility for the limits of biology. Similarly, two people on ventilators may love their families equally. One may die only after the final beloved family member arrives, whereas the other may die before the person rushing across the ocean makes it home. We don’t always know why. If Carter casts his vote and dies shortly thereafter, that might affirm the notion that others, too, can write the final sentence in their story. But what would it mean if Carter died before casting his vote? If he lived another year, or if he lived to see Donald Trump take office again, or watch the election be violently contested? Living with loss requires remembering that we can locate the person we have loved or admired in any given set of events that comprised their life, not just the last one.

I try to imagine my family friend’s long flight from Los Angeles to Delhi, and her ride in the taxi back to Punjab. I think about how she found a way to endure what she was told she couldn’t, all to feel beneath her feet the soil she knew best, to die in the one place that she felt belonged to her. What if her doctors had been right and she had died on the plane? My family might have mourned her single-mindedness, or we might have admired her defiance nonetheless. What makes these stories so compelling is that they remind us that death, however ravenous, cannot devour hope or possibility, even if what transpires is not the ending we imagined.

[jennydodgson12]

Dear Friends and Community,

We are reaching out to you with a heartfelt request to support our dear friend, Dan, who has bravely for the past 18months been battling stage 4 bowel and bladder cancer. After a year of intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the side effects caused Dan to have many hospital stays away from his family, by helping to keep him fit, well and infection free this will allow him to spend quality time with his family at home,making memories that they all deserve.

At just 38 years old, Dan is a loving husband to his wonderful wife Laura and a devoted father to two beautiful daughters, aged 6 and 15.

Dan's journey with cancer has been incredibly challenging, with one set back after another these included bowel blockages, infections, 3 major abdominal operations, blood clots alongside a missed diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Dans strength and determination are truly inspiring. In May this year Dan and his family were told that Dans cancer was no longer curable, however, his oncologist has agreed for Dan to start on Immunotherapy ASAP, as a family we are thankful to have been offered this treatment on the NHS as we know from data that immunotherapy on the NHS is very rare. We now as a family have a little bit of hope.The care, empathy and support we have had from palliative care and district nurses has been incredible.

Alongside his conventional treatment of immunotherapy Dan is seeking complementary therapies that can provide relief and improve his quality of life during this difficult time. These therapies, however, come with significant costs that are not covered by the NHS.

We are rallying together to raise funds to support Dan and his family in accessing these vital complementary treatments. Your generous contribution, no matter the amount, will make a tremendous difference. It will not only help Dan manage his symptoms and side effects but also give him the strength to continue fighting for the sake of his beloved family.

Please consider donating to Dan's fund and sharing his story with others who might be able to help. Together, we can make a profound impact and offer Dan and his family the hope and support they need during this trying time.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity.

[oldbutnotyetwise]

Dying Wisdom

     Something interesting happens as you are approaching your own death, people suddenly think that you have gained wisdom.  They ask you questions and wait for something profound to come from your mouth or keyboard.  Has this act of dying suddenly made me wise? No, I don’t think it has, but what it has done is it has given me the gift of clarity.  Suddenly I am able to see through the haze of all the things that don't matter, something that was so hard to do through most of my life.  Suddenly I can see, and understand what is important, what really matters, which in some ways can give the impression that I am wise.  

     I have a counsellor named Gord who visits me every other week.  He is a quiet, gentle and wise man.  He is a counsellor connected with some of the nearby Hospices.  He has been asked to speak to an area Men’s Group, and he has been asked to share what wisdom the men in his Palliative Care Ministry would share with this group of men based on their current and life experiences.  What follows is my reply to Gord about his question to me.

     It can happen to you.  I think we all wander through life feeling we are somewhat invincible.  I was in good shape, loving my retirement, living my best life when suddenly the trap door under me opened and the world I knew was suddenly gone forever.  So next time you drive by that cancer hospital, see that disabled person struggling, visit that dying friend in the hospital, pause for a second and realize that that person could be you…..I hope it never is, but it could be.

     Stop putting everything off until tomorrow because sometimes tomorrow doesn’t come.  My wife and I had planned adventures but put them off as we had moved to our dream property and got busy there.  I feel badly that I didn’t give her some of those dream vacations because she deserved them, but I just thought we had more time.  Even after getting my terminal diagnosis we got busy taking care of things to prepare for what was coming, and I missed the chance to travel before my illness took the opportunity for travel away from me, from us.

     Life isn’t about collecting “things”, life is about loving, making memories, helping others, pursuing happiness and just maybe leaving the world a little better than you found it.  All the money in the world can’t save me, but somehow as I journeyed through life I managed to collect a menagerie of the best friends one could ever ask for.  Walking the road toward your impending demise can be a lonely and scary path on your own, but continually I find one of my friends there beside me, they don’t even have to say anything, the comfort comes from just finding them by my side.  So I hope that you have been a good friend, because those that have good friends tend to be good friends themselves.

     Time is very valuable but sadly we tend not to be aware of that until our Time is running out.  These days life seems to be lived at a super fast pace, which can be dangerous because all that Time we are hanging on for dear life, our life is passing us by.  Children grow up, friends move away or die, our health gets stolen away from us and we come to the end of our life without ever having lived.  Take it from someone who’s Time is running out, Time is more valuable than all those things you think you want or need.  When people are interviewed near the end of their life the thing they wish for more of isn’t money or things, it is more Time.  Once Time is gone you can’t get it back, so spend your Time wisely, very wisely.  

     I hope that you have a great spouse, partner, significant other, or whatever you might call them.  I am very lucky because I have the best wife of all time, I already knew she was great, but when my illness moved in with us she surpassed, and continues to surpass all my expectations.  I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for her, she saves my life every day.  She manages to wring little bits of joy out of this small fraction of a life that remains, and she does it every single day for me.  Prior to diagnosis we were a very happy couple, but struggling through this illness has brought us to a level of love I never knew existed before.  I hope that if you ever find yourself confronted with a serious illness that you have a partner like mine.  A partner that loves you, shows you kindness and compassion, and is your rock to steady you when you stumble on your journey. I also hope that you recognize although you may have the terminal disease, both of you share it completely.  The very small life I live is also lived by my wife, she can’t travel, she can only leave our home for short periods because of my care needs, in her caring for me she has had to do things no one should have to do for their spouse.  She has no days off because she is caring for me 24/7, and somehow through all the exhaustion, unpleasant tasks and tears she continually shows so much love for me, despite how unlovable I may feel I am.  If you are visiting someone with a terminal illness don’t just check on them.  Take the time to check in on the caretaker, they are often forgotten about but carry such a heavy burden.

     Say the things that need to be said, because one day you, or the person you should have said those things to may be gone, and the things that needed to be said will then forever remain unsaid.  Tell people you love them and that you are grateful that they are in your life.  Don’t cling to grudges or old hurts, they are only stealing joy away from you.   How many of us have lost someone and regretted not telling them how we felt?  I know I certainly have lost dear close friends and family members before I said the things I should have said to them.

     I went out of my way to speak to numerous widows and widowers who had lost their partner to a terminal illness.  I asked each of them about the aftermath, the time after their partner had died, and asked them what went well and what do they wish they had done differently.  I have tried to learn from others who have travelled this road, I want to make things as easy as I can for my wife and daughter afterwards.  It is sort of the final gift that I can give.  So if you don’t have your affairs in order, terminal illness or not, get them in order,  Ensure your Will is up to date, that people know your wishes, and maybe even make your own funeral arrangements for yourself, it is a burden you can relieve your loved ones of during a time when they will be struggling.

     Do nice things for people, they don’t have to be huge things, sometimes the smallest of kindnesses can turn someone else’s day around.  Kindness costs you little if anything, but it pays huge dividends.  I can guarantee that kindness is the best investment you can make.  

     Be grateful for everything.  Gratitude is a core ingredient of happiness.  Even when something bad happens, don’t just focus on the bad thing, look around because there is good there too, it’s just harder to find.  My terminal illness has brought many amazing people into my life, brought countless acts of kindness to my wife and I, made me so appreciative of what I have, and made me feel so much love from my wife, daughter and friends.   I know this sounds a bit crazy, but this dying man is very lucky in so very many ways.

     At the end of every day as you lay down to sleep, pause for a minute or two and think that maybe you might not wake up tomorrow, and if that happened would you be happy with how you lived your life, spent your last day?  If the answer is no, then start making the changes you need to make, so that at the end of every day  you can say yes, you led a good life, you spent your day well and you can rest peacefully knowing that you have lived well.  

[thinkabled]

Final Year Exams, STEP 1, STEP 2 & Research Internship done in 6 months✅

My Story:

I decided to embark USMLE journey last November, got ECFMG applied and started UW for Step 1 late December 2023. I continued Step 1 prep for 2 weeks and then took a break for my university exams. In the beginning of February, I got a bizzare idea of prepping for Step 2 thanks to reddit and Free 120 of STEP 2.

So, I took UW STEP 2 in Feb. Everyday for a month, I did 2 blocks of STEP 1 & 1 block of STEP 2 system-wise. I had to stop for a month in March due to university exams. I jumped back on STEP 1 & 2 immediately after exams, this time, doing 2 blocks of STEP 2 and 1 block of STEP 1.

For STEP 1, I relied only on UW and First Aid. No NBMEs. No other resources. For STEP 2, I used UW and Inner Circle notes. No anki even though Tzancki deck was instilled on the notes.

By end of April, I was done with 90% UW STEP 1 and 60% STEP 2 UW. I sat 15 days dedicated for STEP 1 and gave exam on May and got the PASS. Took a vacation for 2 weeks and then returned back to STEP 2 prep.

I did UW upto 95%, shifted to CMS forms, did 2 each for main subjects and started NBMES. NBMES were all in 250s range except for 13 and 14 which hit 260s. I used to work full time as a research intern during June and do 80-160 questions a day. I also did a review of Inner Circle notes once during the whole month.

Dedicated:

In the month of July, I sat 3 weeks dedicated where I did AMBOSS High Yield qbank and articles. In the final weeks, I went through NBMEs once again, and reviewed the notes.

I also did AMBOSS HY 2nd pass. Did ethics screening vaccination quality and biostats from Amboss.

As for DIP, I listened to high yield stuff but only reviewed the Antibiotics and Palliative podcast in the end.

Day before Test:

Went through all NBME diagrams, did AMBOSS Ethics and Quality, quickly read through ethics articles, did Free 120 two days before the exam.

Test Day:

I was quite relaxed and had my breakfast. The exam felt fairly straight. I took breaks after every 2-3 blocks. Drank water during each break and took a toilet break. Thats all. I finished most blocks with 10-15 minutes to spare and did a 2nd pass of all the questions.

ACTUAL SCORE: 269

Overall, after solving 12k questions, I am happy to complete my fourth year exams, STEP 1 and STEP 2 together in a span of 6 months while being a student and full time research intern.

I am happy to give back to this community and would love to support and finance my further journey with paid mentorships for STEP 1 and STEP 2. If interested, check out here: https://lnkd.in/gwMDWR_9

My Learning Resources: https://lnkd.in/grGsSQnt

My YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gMcGWiUe

My Newsletter: thinkabled.com/cerebrate

Take care.

#usmle #img #step1 #step2 #match2025 #usmleimg #neurology #imresident #matchcycle #nrmp #usce #research

[glcarissa]

Follow my Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer journey on IG: @metastaticbreastcancer4

Abstract Artist with Stage 4 Breast Cancer: They say an artist becomes famous after they ...

[virtualelectronicshub]

Cancer in Men: Common Types, Symptoms, and Treatment Considerations

Cancer is a disease that occurs when abnormal cells grow and spread uncontrollably in the body. It can affect any organ or tissue, and it can cause various symptoms depending on the location and stage of the cancer. Cancer is among the leading causes of death in men worldwide, and some types of cancer are more common or more deadly in men than in women.

Some of the most common types of cancer in men are:

Prostate cancer: This is the most common cancer in men, affecting the prostate gland that produces semen. It usually grows slowly and may not cause any symptoms until it is advanced. Some possible signs include difficulty urinating, blood in urine or semen, erectile dysfunction, or pain in the lower back or pelvis.

Lung cancer: This is the leading cause of cancer death in men, often due to smoking or exposure to other lung irritants. It can affect one or both lungs and may cause symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, or coughing up blood.

Colorectal cancer: This is the third most common cancer in men, affecting the colon or rectum. It can cause symptoms such as changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, abdominal pain or cramps, weight loss, or fatigue.

Skin cancer: This is the most preventable type of cancer, usually caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds. It can affect any part of the skin and may appear as a new or changing mole, a sore that does not heal, a red or scaly patch, or a growth that bleeds or itches.

Head and Neck cancers:  This is the most common cancer in men in India.  The biggest risk factor is chewing tobacco, drinking too much alcohol and HPV infections.  Tobacco use is the most common cause of head and neck cancers.

Other types of cancer that are common or serious in men include bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, testicular cancer, and leukaemia.

The treatment options for cancer depend on the type, stage, location, and overall health of the patient. Some of the common treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and palliative care. The goal of treatment is to remove or destroy the cancer cells and prevent them from spreading or recurring.

The best way to prevent or detect cancer early is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and get regular screenings and check-ups. Some of the preventive measures include:

Avoiding tobacco use

Limiting alcohol consumption

Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables

Maintaining a healthy weight

Being physically active

Protecting yourself from the sun

Getting vaccinated against certain viruses that can cause cancer

Getting screened for prostate cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and skin cancer according to your age and risk factors

Cancer can be a scary and challenging diagnosis for anyone. However, with proper care and support, many men can survive and thrive after cancer. If you have any concerns or questions about cancer, talk to your doctor or a trusted healthcare professional. They can help you understand your risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and coping strategies. Remember that you are not alone in this journey, and that there are many resources and support groups available to help you and your loved ones. Cancer can be a tough opponent, but you can fight back with courage and hope.

For more details click on the link 👇🏻 https://bit.ly/3osreVo

[will-the-old-med-student]

Hi,

I'm Will.

About a year and a half ago I decided to attempt this crazy journey of completely changing my career at 28, after working for 7 years in the same company.

I fell in love with science and medicine. To actually make up my mind I did two internships: one in palliative care, which led me to volunteer there for a year, and one in an oncology hospital, which was very interesting. I'd like to become an oncologist, that may change later but that's what I feel today.

I'm starting my first year of medschool the 2nd of September, even though I'll have some sort of pre-beginning the 19th of August.

My goal is to be one of the best students of the class, so that I can have the rank to access the second year of medschool. I need to be at least top 50 out of 400 students, but I'm targeting the top 10 if possible.

I made this blog because I wanted to keep track of my progress and also have something to look back on later. I want to do a weekly update, on Sunday afternoon, about my mood, whether I'm going to sleep at the right time, whether I'm managing to move and walk, whether I'm struggling, how/if I'm changing my way of learning and how, highlights from the week, and what rank I am based on training exams (for the first year at least).

I will be able to answer questions regarding how I study, or how it works in France, how it feels as a trans man to be taking medicine, how it feels to change career or take back classes as an old student, etc etc.

Nice to meet you all!

[dreams-of-fate]

Update about my grandpa

Yesterday we met with hospice / palliative care, that is all worked out now. Right now is the ensuring his comfort as he is on his journey of end of life.

We don't know how long he has to live. He is confusing timelines, but his appetite has returned it seems.

[science-sculpt]

A Journey Through Time: Exploring the History of Cancer

Cancer, a disease that has plagued humanity for millennia, holds a complex and fascinating history. Our earliest encounters with cancer date back to ancient Egypt, where fossilized bone tumors and descriptions in medical papyri like the Edwin Smith Papyrus (3000 BC) offer chilling glimpses. The "Father of Medicine," Hippocrates (460-370 BC), coined the term "carcinoma," inspired by the crab-like appearance of tumors. While treatments were limited to cauterization and surgery, these early observations laid the groundwork for future understanding.

The Middle Ages saw a decline in scientific progress, with cancer often attributed to imbalances in bodily humors or divine punishment. However, glimpses of hope emerged. Arab physicians like Avicenna (980-1037 AD) categorized tumors and advocated for early surgical intervention. Microscopes revealed the cellular nature of tumors, and anesthesia paved the way for safer and more effective surgical interventions. The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed a surge in scientific curiosity. Percivall Pott (1714-1788) linked scrotal cancer in chimney sweeps to soot exposure, marking the first identification of an environmental carcinogen. Microscopes unveiled the cellular nature of tumors, and Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902) proposed the revolutionary "cell theory," laying the foundation for our modern understanding of cancer as a cellular disease.

The 20th century ushered in a new era of cancer research and treatment. Wilhelm Röntgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895 paved the way for radiation therapy, while the development of chemotherapy in the 1940s offered another weapon in the fight against cancer. Screening programs and early detection strategies emerged, leading to improved survival rates for certain cancers.

Today, we stand at the precipice of a new frontier in cancer research. The Human Genome Project has unlocked the secrets of our genetic makeup, leading to targeted therapies and personalized medicine. Immunotherapy, harnessing the body's own immune system to fight cancer, is showing remarkable promise. The future holds hope for even more effective and personalized treatments, potentially leading to a world where cancer becomes a chronic, manageable condition.

Cancer's history is a testament to human resilience and ingenuity. From ancient observations to modern marvels of science, the fight against this formidable foe has been a constant struggle. The fight against cancer is far from over, but the progress made through research and innovation is remarkable. As we delve deeper into the complexities of cancer biology and explore novel technologies, the future holds immense promise for improved prevention, early detection, and personalized treatments.

While the journey through history highlights the significant progress made, it also serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle and the unwavering hope for a future free from this formidable foe.

As we mark World Cancer Day today, February 4th, 2024, it's a stark reminder of the immense global challenge cancer presents. This year's theme, "Close the care gap: Access is equity," compels us to acknowledge and address the disparities in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care that exist across different communities and regions. But amidst the statistics and struggles, there's also hope – hope fueled by the tireless efforts of researchers, healthcare professionals, and individuals like you and me.