Today my family found out that my Dad's brother, my uncle Joe, has fourth stage lung cancer that has metastasized to many of his other vital organs, and this is the first time the doctors have found it.

THIS is why I want to be in the medical field. This is why I want to be the absolute best that I can be.

Really. He has lost 70 pounds in the span of a few months, and that didn't alert you to any other diagnosis besides depression?

Now I am sure you are a credible doctor who has done many great things (actually No, I'm not) But really. Stage freaking FOUR. FOUR FOUR FOUR. And his wife just went into remission.

I want to be able to look someone in the face and say that we did everything we could possibly do, we have run every test available, we have examined every possibility, we have exhausted our resources and our options. I want to say all those things and mean them. I want to go home at night be certain there was really nothing else we could have done. 

I may not be an oncologist, but with whatever I end up with as a career, I will not slack. I will do everything I can to catch things as early as possible.