Dr. Glaucomflecken Profile picture
Jan 12, 2018 14 tweets 3 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
Tomorrow is match day for ophthalmology. I'd like to share my match day experience from 5 years ago. Here we go...
3 days before match, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. As an MS4, I knew enough to recognize that my testicle was not supposed to grow another testicle, so I went in to the doctor
Ultrasound-->Diagnosis. I had trouble believing it at first. I vividly remember my 11 mo old daughter toddling around the exam room, carefree, while a big vascular tumor lit up the ultrasound screen
The radiologist gave me the news. I have had many doctors over the last 5 years. Oncologists, internists, endocrinologists, urologists. To this day, that radiologist was the most compassionate doctor I've ever had.
Fast forward to match day. I'm halfway thru a big bottle of oral contrast for my staging CT when I get a call from my residency program director. I matched.
I don't remember what was said, but I do remember hanging up & thinking I must have sounded like the unhappiest person to ever match into ophtho. I pictured him turning to the dept chair and saying, "geez you'd think I'd just told him he had cancer or something."
Shortly after my diagnosis, I started doing stand up comedy again. This may come as a surprise, but I process stress through humor. Eventually I joined Gomerblog and twitter, all with the unfailing support of my wife, my rock.
Now here I am, 4 years of training, multiple surgeries, god knows how many CTs, roughly 1 million prior authorizations, and one recurrence later, I made it. I'm an ophthalmologist, and I'm cancer free.
Cancer as a young adult is a desperately lonely experience. You spend hours in waiting rooms with people 3x your age thinking what am I doing here? How did this happen?
I then found @FirstDescents, a non-profit that brings young ppl with cancer together to meet & bond over a shared outdoor experience. I participated in one of these trips last summer and having seen the good this organization does, I want to do what I can to raise money for FD.
Many of us in #medtwitter and beyond will treat, counsel, and console young adults affected by cancer. Even if all this thread does is let you know that this organization exists for a demographic of patients who need this kind of support, it's worth it.
Here's my donation page with my story and more info about @FirstDescents. Donate, like, retweet, tell your friends and family, tell a patient. Anything helps. support.firstdescents.org/fundraiser/123…
As part of this fundraising campaign, I am offering to come perform medicine-themed stand up comedy at your office party, conference, birthday, Tuesday billing dept lunch meeting, whatever. Its like my twitter feed, but in speech form. If you are interested, DM me and we'll talk.
Thanks for reading and good luck to all the ophthalmology applicants out there. You've worked hard, enjoy it! And if you are a young person battling or recovering from cancer, don't do it alone. Talk to me. Talk to somebody.

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More from @DGlaucomflecken

Mar 6, 2018
(First date)

Her: "So what do you do?"

Him: Well I'm applying to med school. If I make it, I'll spend the vast majority of my time studying for the next 4 years. You and I will be able to go on (cheap) dates very occasionally, but even then I'll feel guilty about not studying.
I won't have any money, so you'll have to support me on your income, otherwise I'll have to take out more student loans on top of 40k per year tuition. My parents don't make enough to help with tuition but they make too much for me to get a need based scholarship.
It will take time for me to figure out what kind of doctor I want to be, but my decision will be dictated somewhat by how well I do on a test and if attendings like me personally. This decision will heavily influence my earning potential & how quickly we can pay off my 300k debt
Read 11 tweets
Feb 6, 2018
The eyedrop aisle at your local pharmacy can be scary and confusing, so let's talk about it. I have no financial interest in these products, but would LOVE to have some financial interest. Let me know where I can find some. Ok, here we go...
First, a word about brand vs generic. They both have the same active ingredients, but different preservatives (not listed). I've found generic preservatives to induce more allergy than the brand name. Generic is still a good option, but stick w/brands if you can afford it
Refresh and Systane, royalty in artificial tear land, the most boring fictional land out of all the fictional lands.
Read 8 tweets

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