Medical student, 27, reveals how she discovered her own CANCER during an ultrasound class – as she admits she is GRATEFUL for her diagnosis because it ‘makes her feel strong’
A medical student has candidly revealed how she discovered her own thyroid cancer during an ultrasound class.
Sally Rohan, who shared her story social mediaencountered the “lumps” during her freshman year at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine in New Jersey.
The 27-year-old, from Ukiah, California, has since spoken exclusively to DailyMail.com to shed more light on her medical journey and the emotional impact it has had.
She insisted the experience would “only make her stronger”, as she bravely insisted: “I'm glad it's me and not someone else.”
Sally Rohan, who shares her story on social media, encountered the “lumps” during her freshman year at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine in New Jersey.
The 27-year-old, from Ukiah, California, has since spoken exclusively to DailyMail.com to shed more light on her medical journey and the emotional impact it has had
Sally, who had no symptoms, told DailyMail.com: 'We had our first ultrasound class during our first year of medical school where we learned how to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland.
'Our school would like us to start ultrasound early because it is such a useful tool.
'To be honest, when I first saw the lump, I was mostly curious. The instructor said that incidental findings occur all the time in ultrasound classes, so I wasn't really concerned about it.
“If anything, I felt a little cool and special because my thyroid helped us see something new.”
She continued, “My friends and I were joking about it while we were watching it, but they stopped for a moment to make sure I was okay with the jokes.
'I thought it was really nice of them to joke with me, but also make sure I still felt good. I remember thinking they were going to be great doctors.”
Explaining the weeks that followed after she made the discovery, she said: 'I called my GP in California after I saw the lump, and they ordered blood tests to check my thyroid hormone levels.
“I was about to turn 26 and get kicked off my parents' insurance. I was told that with my timeline it made more sense to just wait a month or so and do a full analysis once I had new reporting in New Jersey.
She said the process took almost a year before she could actually start scheduling appointments that would give her the answers she needed
Sally is scheduled for a pre-surgery CT scan next week, but added: 'We don't quite know the exact plan yet'
“I think they thought I would get mated right after I turned 26, but it wasn't that simple, and I didn't know it.”
She said the process took almost a year before she could actually start scheduling appointments that would give her the answers she needed.
The findings stuck in her mind, but Sally added: 'At the time it wasn't scary to me, it was more of an inconvenience that stressed me out just thinking about it – almost like remembering an oil change .
'Part of me feels irresponsible for not taking the possibility of cancer more seriously.
“Another part of me is grateful that I found the cancer when I was approved for Medicaid, because otherwise it would have caused a lot of financial stress for me.
'I try not to get too worked up about it. If I hadn't studied medicine, I might not have had a reason to discover the tumors for years.”
Sally added that the experience would 'only make her stronger' as she bravely insisted: 'I'm glad it's me and not someone else'
While telling DailyMail.com about the emotional toll, the medical student shared: “It was really weird.
'I've had so many different feelings about it, and even though I have difficult days, I have to wonder if I would have ever known myself so well otherwise.
'I feel more in tune with my own life than ever before, and that makes me feel strong and proud of myself. I've never felt so bored in my life.'
She continued, “My view is that if I have to get cancer, I should at least be able to joke about it.
“I have no idea where the positivity comes from, and sometimes the memory of my cancer is more frightening and tiring than entertaining, but when I feel happy, I try to make myself feel happy.”
Sally has a CT scan scheduled before surgery next week, but adds: 'We don't quite know the exact plan yet.
“What I do know is that I don't have to be back in school until the first week of January, so I have the opportunity to recover in December and then come back without falling behind in medical school.
'I'm very grateful to have that opportunity, but I'm also open to it and want to see how I feel after the operation.
“When I'm tired, I want to give myself the grace to rest and take a year to get used to my new medications. I'm all about keeping my options open.
“The way I see it, my journey through medical school will no longer look like that of my peers, so I might as well be as creative as I can and consider all my options.”
She further told DailyMail.com about her positive outlook, adding: 'I don't know why I feel so good, so happy and so unafraid.
“But all these people keep telling me I'm brave, and it makes me happy that I'm the one going through this and not them.
'I find medicine interesting, and I can learn so much from this experience and use it to help my patients in the future.
“I have an amazing support system, access to healthcare and so much love for where I am in life.”
She concluded, “I really think this experience will make me stronger, and I think if this is my vision, I'm probably the perfect person for the job.
“No one is lucky enough to get cancer, but if someone has to have it, I'm glad it's me because I feel good, and maybe someone else doesn't.”