Hey everyone, I’ve heard about blind over the last couple years, but I’ve avoided it just because I felt that it was mostly trolls and negativity. Joined recently though after talking with a friend. Here’s the situation, I recently joined Amazon in October over at AWS marketplace. Things have been rocky, and I’ve probably had the worst luck in my life over a two month span and just a lot of stuff I can’t control on the medical side. For contacts, when I switched over my insurance to AWS (Amazon), I guess there was an HR issue and for some reason my profile got messed up so my insurance was no good. I am diabetic and need insulin daily. I went without insulin for 3 to 4 days and had an incident that sent me to the hospital. While there they took my blood and told me I needed to follow up with my endocrinologist , but as well with an oncologist. This was sickening to hear at the time, but I also know that ER doctors sometimes overreact and they are not qualified to diagnose such serious conditions. I didn’t think anything of it to be honest because I am in my early 30s. I also literally just got married to the love of my life. I’m supposed to be someone that she can rely on for support not be the one in trouble and over the last month and a half that’s all it’s been. I feel guilty. On Monday, I had a follow up with my endocrinologist and went over to the oncologist after. I was told to go get a bone marrow biopsy, this was all the same day. Luckily, my neighbor is an oncologist and was able to get me to see someone they knew love and the center I went to had everything in house. Within 24 hours of my bone marrow biopsy, I found out that I had acute myeloid leukemia yesterday. In the span of 10 days I went from thinking I was having a diabetes problem, to having a pretty advanced cancer. Now, I’ve been having horrible symptoms from both the effects of diabetes and my cancer because it brought it out. I’m currently writing this out in the parking lot at Moffit cancer center. I don’t know how to feel or what to do. I haven’t told my wife yet, only my dad. I’m also sorta behind with work just being here a little over a month, this week I basically will not be working much as I have more tests to confirm the severity of my diagnosis. My neighbor also has a friend who is an Oncologist at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas that I might be able to get fast tracked in. I literally had ZERO symptoms before my diabetic episode that led to some stuff coming out. I don’t know how to feel emotionally. I’m in tremendous physical pain as well as my kidney was affected from the diabetic episode which I guess from my understanding is really a leukemia thing. I now non stop feel sick and pain. Yesterday I told my manager that I was thinking of resigning and I’m having my one on one, here in about 15 minutes before I go into my medical appointment. My manager is a good guy, but I don’t know what to do. A month ago my life seemed perfect. I had zero worries. I was starting a new job I was happy about and working remotely from Tampa to NY. I’ve heard the Amazon horror stories and I don’t know if I can work at the level needed during all this. I have so many questions, one being - am I going to be alive this time next year? How could I not feel any symptoms, this was completely out of the blue. I want to work and to be honest it seems like a good distraction. Is there a way I can take some time off this week to focus on my medical and develop a plan with my manager so I can continue working? Has anyone had experience with this ? I’m kinda lost. #engineering #software #swe #cancer #health #amazon #aws -————————————————-——————————- Update 1 : first off, thank you for the overwhelming and unconditional support. It means the world. I’ll be getting back to as many people as I can who reached out etc. I got my second opinion back from MD Anderson and I’m going to get my port put in me today here in Houston. I’m here already waiting for the prep. I’ll be starting treatment officially on Friday. I’m scared and to be honest feeling every emotion possible probably. I’m not able to qualify for critical care insurance because it’s now considered a pre-existing condition according to them, but I advise everyone to learn from my situation and get that onto your plan ASAP because you never know when somethings going to happen. Our insurance is really good when it comes to cancer treatment, so far at least. Here is my plan and what I’ve done : I’m going to stay, I’m not going to let cancer bring me down and cause me to spiral. I have great support from my family and the few friends I’ve told. I’ll continue working as I need the benefits and to be honest, I need the distraction. I absolutely hate talking about my diagnosis 24/7 with my family and I want to not be reminded of my current condition. I’m told that people at least after they get used to the chemo can work no problem. I am, however, going to switch teams. A team where I can be more comfortable with the workload and Projects going on while I’m receiving treatment. I already have two prospects. I need to get my ducks in a row and cement all the documentation but to be honest, that’s been my last priority recently as I’ve been going nonstop and haven’t really had a chance to relax. There’s no metastasizing, yet and that’s the goal. AML unfortunately has a lot of no symptoms until triggered or you start feeling them. In many ways the insurance mishap was a blessing in disguise. I’ll continue to update everyone. Thank you for all your support, I wish I could give all of your handshake. -————————————————-——————————-
♥️ yea absolutely do everything needed medically. Talk to your manager about your ongoing situation, this is not the time to think about what ifs that are work related. Just take the time needed to take care of your health and be with your loved ones. Nothing else matters. I cannot begin to imagine what you must be going through, all I can do is pray because I believe in it. Take care OP
Stay Strong! There are so many advanced treatments now for AML too. Hope you get better soon.
First, don't resign. You will lose important benefits that you will need.
FMLA, STD and LTD are all options you should investigate
Please don't resign and look into which benefits you qualify for. If you qualify for STD and LTD you'll have income that will be great to have while you're pursuing treatment.
Very sorry to hear this :( Hope you get better soon. For a serious condition like cancer, I’m sure Amazon will let you take an extended time-off. Don’t stress over work and do whatever you need to do to get better.
❤️❤️❤️ Stay strong brother.
Sending good wishes
You have all your life to work. It is time to focus on yourself and your recovery. I would take short term disability right away. You will have plenty of options after you are fully recovered and Amazon is not the only company on planet earth
Stay strong brother. Sending prayers and positivity your way. Youre also going to have to break it to your wife at some point. The support will really help bolster your spirits during this time
First of all you need to gather more details about your situation. Take advice from doctors on what the course of the treatment entails. Set expectations with your manager once you have all the details and course of action for the next 6 months. If manager doesn’t cooperate take FMLA. I am not sure leukemia is life threatening. Hope you recover soon. GL
Stay strong 💪 Sending good vibes and wishes. 🙏