Facing the Adversity

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Facing the Adversity that Made Me Choose My Career.

Imagine living life on the edge and knowing that each breath you take might be your last. Sad, right? Well, this is what my grandfather had to deal with since the day he was diagnosed with bile duct cancer. I was right there with him through the entire experience, and there is nothing more painful than watching a person you love going through pain, yet there is little you can do to make them feel better. It all started on the afternoon of November 25th, 2019, when my grandfather started feeling sick to his stomach. When asked, he said that he had probably had too much to each on that day since it was Thanksgiving and there was a cookout, and everybody had plenty of food to eat. When we asked if he was okay, he insisted that he felt much better after vomiting. When we woke up the following morning, he still was not feeling well. My grandmother noticed something strange about him; his eyes had started turning yellow. My grandfather did not think much of it. But his eye color did not improve as he carried on with his day, so my grandmother took it upon herself to contact his doctor, who immediately scheduled him for bloodwork. He was also suffering abdominal pain, his skin had begun to itch, and over the last couple of months, he had lost weight. The itching and jaundice warranted the need for imaging, so he undertook a CT scan and an MRI that revealed a section of stricture on his left bile duct. This diagnosis was life-changing and we had trouble coming to terms with it. The doctor said that he had bile duct cancer. He was in the fourth stage and the doctor told us that there is not much that can be done when advanced. Because it does not have treatment, the only way to manage the condition is through radiotherapy. Since then, my grandfather has been undergoing chemotherapy to help manage the condition and there is nothing more heartbreaking.

My maternal grandfather and grandmother raised me. I was born in Canada, and my biological father abandoned my mother and 1 when I was six months old. Till then, he has never contacted us again. My grandparents stepped up to raise me and they did so with a lot of love and security. I love them so much. When I turned seven years old, my mother and I moved to the United States and although the transition was difficult at first, I have since gotten used to my new environment. With the help of my stepfather, I have managed to adjust and I am doing much better now. After watching my grandfather go through this heartbreaking experience, I vowed that I will pursue a career as a medical doctor in the future. My grandfather is one of the strongest men I know. He has fought and continues to fight the battle with all this will. He is my source of inspiration and every day, I strive to be half as strong as him. I want to become a medical doctor to help families come up with an early diagnosis and help them understand medical reports. I feel sad because if my grandfather had been diagnosed with bile duct cancer early enough, he would have had a fighting chance because treatment is possible if an early diagnosis was made. I am determined to make a difference in the lives of other people. I hope to get admission into the XXX medical school, where I hope to get sufficient training in preparation for my future career as a doctor. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life making a difference in the lives of people that need it the most.