One Job May Save My Life

One Job May Save My Life

For thirty- six years my dad had been working for Carmex making the tubes that contain the lip gel. He had had started this job as a young man right out of college to raise money to support his bride to be, my beautiful mother. Within the last 3 years he got so fast they promoted him to regional manager so that he could teach his ways to incoming trainees and thus produce the next generation of lickity split tube producers.

We moved to a new house, my older brother was sent through college, and he was the dad of the year.

Fast-forward to 6 months ago, during one of my fathers tube instructional sessions his left hand froze. He was always trying to be a hero so he shrugged it off and continued, he kept it from my mother and us for a couple of weeks. A few weeks following that my mother noticed a few small brown bumps on the side of his arm. She made him see a doctor the following morning. Tests were run and the doctors suspicions came back correct, the diagnosis came back two weeks later, he had skin cancer.

Since his diagnosis he has begun Chemotherapy and his battle is in motion. My dad has provided a life better than I could have ever imagined. He has taken a break from his work temporarily but plans to continue.

It’s funny how life can foreshadow itself for you, let you know what is going to happen before it does in a way, but even when it happens you are still left dumbfounded completely unprepared. My grandpa recently passed from skin cancer, he had been battling for a few years and his overall health depleted. I always got feelings that this could happen but in my head I always denied it. My dad lived a healthy lifestyle for the most part. I know there is a reason for everything and I am going to have to stay strong and patient until the further is revealed. It kills me though to stand on the side lines and watch as chemo sucks his life, melts him like the wicked witch from the west.

I have always felt a calling to the medical field, a fascination with the human body, and now with the ever increasing ways to manipulate sickness, it’s intriguing. I was really unsure up until this point exactly what field to pursue, neurological study made me excited but seemed a little above my abilities. A physical therapist was on top for a while following some sports related injuries I incurred last year. Various cancer research, skin cancer in honor of my grandpa, and well now my dad as well. I have decided to travel into the profession of oncology at the Mayo-Medical School.  More specifically skin cancer research. I want to know more about various cancers so that I might be able to help prevent and stop them. I want to stagnate the sorrow that has overtaken me and thousands of others across America.

Since my father’s diagnosis, he has been out of work, medical expenses are priority. I have a summer job that begins when school lets out. I also have a small lawn and shoveling business that I began 3 or 4 years ago. I have limited resources and I am doing all I can to supply myself with sufficient funds for college expenses. This scholarship would be most helpful in the pursuit of my aspirations.

Through my future occupational goals my vision isn’t to further myself financially. I see myself using my God given drive and desire to carry me to the next stretch. I can’t bare to see my dad in this condition and I am sure it is just as difficult for thousands of others just l like me. Through my career it would bring me great pleasure to bring hope for the sick and smiles to the suffering. With all I have I pray to God that I don’t form this miserable form of cancer or any other for that matter. But I can’t control my fate, who knows what medical advancements I will make, this One Job May Save My Life.

 

 

 

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