By Months later, we welcomed our first son, Johnny, into our world. He was my heart and soul and watching him grow was like watching my heart walk outside of my body. Even though I was only 18 years old, I knew being a mother was a blessing, and it made me even more motivated to complete my education so that I could give him the best life possible. However, friends, family, and even complete strangers did not feel the same. They told me “I would never amount to much” because I was a teen mom. Even family members told me I would work a regular 9-5 job making minimum wage like every other teen mom out there, but I was determined to prove them wrong. At that point, I had already completed cosmetology school while pregnant, but I was still taking college classes and I was adamant about finishing my degree.
In May of 2014, I graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Forensic Studies. I graduated at the top of my class and was offered a position at the Clark County Coroner’s Office in the Death Investigations Academy. I completed the academy and started working and training as an autopsy technician. The human body was so fascinating to me. I can remember the first time I watched and assisted an autopsy. The Y-incision was made, exposing the entire internal cavity of a human. All I could think about was the way each of our organs functions so precisely to allow us to sustain life, and each unique cell working in sync to maintain homeostasis. I sat there in disbelief, questioning everything I ever knew and understood about life. From that point on, I knew I needed to go back to school and learn more about the human body. And that, my friends, is how I ended up in nursing school.
At this point, I was pregnant with my second son, Michael, and two days after that autopsy, I applied to our local college, which was said to have an excellent nursing school, in order to pursue my second career.
During my last prerequisite course, my mother received the devastating news that she was diagnosed with tonsil cancer; a very rare cancer that needed to be treated out of state. This news was not easy for me to digest, but I had to stay positive for the sake of my mother and siblings. Shortly after diagnosis, she moved to Arizona along with my two younger sisters to complete a six-month treatment plan, and I stayed in Las Vegas caring for my two younger brothers. It was especially difficult to continue school and go back and forth from Las Vegas to Arizona so that we could visit her often. Also, going from being a mom of two boys to caring for four boys was quite a change for me, but we made the best of it.
Once my mom’s treatment was completed, she came back to Las Vegas and we began to live a semi-normal life again. During this same time, I was experiencing severe anxiety-like symptoms and all of my doctors attributed it to the fact that my mom just went through an extreme medical diagnosis, but I knew it was more than that. My heart would begin to race so fast in a lecture that I would feel as if I was about to pass out. I also started having weird numbness and tingling of my extremities. About one month passed and at this point, I had been offered a seat in the Spring 2014 section of the nursing program. Receiving the phone call saying I was selected was definitely one of the best moments of my life, and I felt so proud of all of my accomplishments. However, I still didn’t feel 100% like myself, and my signs and symptoms started taking over my entire life. I searched the entire Las Vegas Valley for a physician that would listen to my concerns and do something about it. Eventually, after multiple failed attempts, I found a physician who listened. He ordered all the proper testing and on May 25, 2016, which also happens to be World Thyroid Day, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
I remember receiving the phone call like it was yesterday. My doctor called and I could feel my heart pounding as I saw his name show up on my phone. I had a bad feeling from the beginning, from doing my own search and just being educated in medicine I knew something was wrong, and I knew it wasn’t going to be good news. When I answered, he came right out and said, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but you do have thyroid cancer and we need to schedule your surgery as soon as possible.” My throat felt like it fell into my stomach as I looked around the room at my beautiful sons and prayed and hoped I would be there to watch them grow and nurture them into adulthood. It is often said that thyroid cancer is the “good cancer,” but from being a survivor myself, I can tell you there is absolutely nothing good about ANY cancer, and the thyroid is no different. Yes, it may be slow-growing, but it completely changes your life. One day you are out having fun with your family, and the next day your life can completely change with one phone call, and mine certainly did.
After my diagnosis, I began to see life a lot differently. I started appreciating my life more and being able to be with my loved ones each day was truly a blessing. I started doing more things for people. I started getting involved with charities and people who help young ones battling childhood cancer. Being able to touch the lives of others has really helped teach me the lesson of giving back and loving those around you.
With one semester left of nursing school, I plan to stay at Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas in the pediatric emergency unit. I am currently working there as a nurse apprentice, and I have learned so much and have been so blessed with this opportunity. Being able to be exposed to all different situations in a nursing role before even graduating has helped form me into a well-rounded future nurse. I love working with little kiddos and brightening their days, whether that be by singing Moana with them, blowing bubbles, or simply holding their hands when they’re upset. My long-term goal is to become a nurse practitioner in emergency medicine as well.
So, this is for all the ladies out there who feel they will not amount to much because they know heartbreak, they know struggle, they know what it’s like to be a teen mom, and they don’t think they are worthy of love and education. Girls, you are worthy, you deserve love, and YOU are the maker of your thoughts and your future. Make your thoughts positive, believe in the good, be the good, go out and inspire others, and never take your eyes off the prize. Always appreciate where you are going, but never forget where you came from and all the struggles you overcame to be successful. With all the trials and tribulations that life has thrown me, I have succeeded, and I hope I have inspired and will continue to inspire MANY people along the way. XOX-Alex
@alexx_xox
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