I was reading an article about a young man applying for a job, he was questioning one of the cliche`

GregP_WN

"Where do you see yourself in 5 years"? While I was reading I started thinking about myself in that same situation. lots of things would have probably prevented me from getting that job. Age, health, my lack of enthusiasm for starting another carrier at my age, etc.

But the first and biggest issue that came to mind was cancer. Where do I see myself in 5 years I thought wow, my answer would have nothing to do with that company, or most likely any company that I might be interviewing for.

So put yourself in front of someone (anyone, any company) and answer that question. I have a blog post around this question because it intrigued me so much. This is just another example about some of the outside things that will affect cancer patients that don't affect the average person on the street.

GregP_WN

Here is a link to my article on the blog page. Click Here>> https://bit.ly/2EBY0fC

Bengal

I concentrate on where I will be tomorrow, next week. I do expect to be "somewhere" 5 years from now but I don't even look that far ahead and I certainly don't make plan that far in the future. I remember when I was first diagnosed the doctor said, don't worry, statistics say you've got five years. That was supposed to make me feel better about my situation? I come from a family with female nonagenarian (one great aunt lived past 100) on both sides so learning I could expect to live to 70 was not particularly encouraging. But, one day at a time.

meyati

They start asking students the same question when they are sophomores or younger. I am still so perplexed by that. I certainly can understand being asked about educational goals.

According to the Ancient Egyptians scrolls, young people drive their chariots to fast, they party loudly, and so on. I had one honor student that talked to a Marine recruiter and she was ready to go to Boot Camp 2 weeks after she graduated-they didn't seem to understand that she needed time off--She's probably an officer now. I told the counselors that she wasn't the first one to escape from academics. A person can be extremely intelligent, and not really be suited for academics.

po18guy

Shortly after I was (finally!) diagnosed, I received a magazine subscription renewal in the mail. I noted that the "best deal" was a three-year renewal. Three years? Ha! Will I even be alive in three months? So, being optimistic, I checked the three year box and sent it in. Long story short, I have sent in three additional three year subscriptions. And irony of ironies, the magazine has now died!

myb

At the start of my cancer journey, 5 years seemed like a lifetime to go, but that was my goal! I have made 5 years of surveillance and then 3 more. I'll never be the old me, as cancer has changed me with long time side effects and a different outlook on life. Most importantly, I advocate for the importance of being screened for colon cancer as mine was found at my colonoscopy at 50 with no symptoms and diagnosed stage 3.

GregP_WN

They need an "In Your FACE" post card sent to them PO.

legaljen1969

@Meyati, I understand wanting students to have some idea for planning and considering their education goals. I think it's so much pressure on kids that age. I don't know if you are talking about a sophomore in high school or college though. A sophomore in high school probably has no idea what will happen in 5 years. Even a sophomore in college might have trouble answering that question.

They start career tracking with children around 6th or 7th grade now. Some males haven't even had their voice change yet, some girls haven't even needed their first bra or maybe not even hair has grown in unmentionable places and they want them to map out their entire career and life? LOL

My "five year plan" changed so many times throughout my life that by the first time the question was asked in an interview, my answer was that I had made 5 year plans before and every one of them had changed due to circumstances beyond my control. So I didn't really believe in a 5 year plan, but my plan was to be able to look back in 5 years and know that my life was better for whatever lessons I learned and got to teach in that time. That was the start of a 5 year employment with a family law attorney who had the greatest amount of compassion and care for others. We worked very well together and did everything we could to make a bad situation seem a little more manageable. He was elected to a judgeship which was to last 6 years. When he was giving his little "speech" from the bench, he said he had asked me about my 5 year plan and I told him I didn't believe in a 5 year plan but I could only hope to make a plan every day so that when I got to 5 years I had made a difference. He talked about how six months into my employment with him, his daughter was diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes and his whole world changed- that his "5 year plan" changed a lot at that time and he watched me step up and manage his practice as much as I could. He said that his "6 year plan" for his judgeship was to work as hard as he could every day to be a good dad, a good boss and a great judge and hopefully at the end of 6 years he could look back and say he had done things right.

meyati

Middle school into high school. One of my friends -he's gone now-had an extremely bright son in the sciences- he was put in an accelerated program that kept him busy in summer and triple timing it during school. He had an internship through the Air Force at one of the national laboratories. He didn't get paid-except for college credits. He didn't have down time with the adults he worked with. At school-and I vouch for this- he was treated like a nitwit 3rd grader. When he was a junior, he rebelled. He refused to go to the labs-refused to go to the tutor and he refused to go to school.

He negotiated that he'd finish that year, and then take a year off. He never went back to school or the lab. He's doing quite well- he runs several butcher shops that the family has. He loved talking to the kids.

Students need to know there options, but counselors and teachers often don't know what's really going. Some don't listen, and they only have an agenda.

It's gone the other way too. This kid was working hard at a menial job-just out of school. I asked why he wasn't going to college and playing foot ball. His counselors said that he was too dumb. He didn't have a good SAT- but it was good enough to enroll- I explained about walk ons with the football team. He walked on-Did his school work-trying to figure out what his future was. He got a scholarship with the team and became a good lineman-He was huge. He became interested in sports therapy- it took him about 6 years to start his own business, but he was doing well til COVID.

So, here you have one super intelligent young lady that joined the Marines-- a genius in a national lab owning and now running butcher shops and a family ranch, and a dumb jock told he had to do menial jobs that was on the first string and ended up in the health field. Oh one more--A girly girl with the painted nails and latest hair styles that was smart enough to go to West Point- and she loves the Army-- Been to Iraq and everything- she usually runs the motor pool. Her family kept expecting her to come home crying.

Life is hard for these kids- they need counseling, but they shouldn't be railroaded.

Coloman

It's a fair question for us to ponder being a cancer patient. I have actually postponed purchases that were larger and long term due to having been diagnosed with cancer and not knowing for sure what the future might hold. I was going to buy a new car but I put that off. I don't know if that just means I'm not positive enough or what.

centered1

To tell the truth, I don't do a lot of thinking about tomorrow. I like good surprises, and can't do much about the bad ones. I enjoy today to the best of my abilities and use it up completely. I do have two wishes...they both include personal independence...my right mind..and the physical ability to take care of myself. Today is such a precious gift. Why should I count the days ahead, let alone the years.

JaneA

Five years ago, I was neutropenic and trying to complete the last two infusions of my mop-up chemo. I was wondering if I would be in the 5-year statistics as a Stage IV rectal cancer survivor. Well, I'm still here. I am so grateful to still have good quality of life - I attribute that to exercise and strength and balance training. With the pandemic, I just look forward to seeing the world recover. I try my best to stay safe and keep from getting depressed. Living in the country is definitely an asset in these times. Birds and the nearby lake and watercolors keep me busy.

LiveWithCancer

@legaljen1969, I love your response to the question about 5-year plans. I wish I had known of it when I was asked that question many years ago. I was a secretary at the time and applying for a secretarial job at a very large company owned by Ross Perot. I was really shocked when they wanted me to tell them what my 5-year plan was. To be a better secretary??? I was young-20s with a young child. My primary goal at the time was to earn enough money to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. I still don't know what I should have said but I must have told them I wasn't really sure ... because they told me to come back and apply later if I ever figured it out.

I never went back there, but I did end up going back to college and getting my degree - something that was nowhere in my mind when I was asked the question, but that did occur during that 5-year period. My life, like everyone's, has changed so significantly over time, frequently because of circumstances completely out of our control, that I think 5-year plans are a waste of time. Your response though was/is perfect.

meyati

I guess I should say that my plan is being able to look myself in the mirror every morning and to sleep well. --meaning that I didn't hardly do anything to be ashamed of.

I actually had a doctor ask me if I was a psychopath, because I just never had much trouble sleeping. I told him that I didn't think so. When my kids and grandkids were little, I'd wake up and care for them-fuss over them. When I get a new dog, it sleeps in my room and the door is closed, and I wake up and rush them out for potty time. I stand in the rain and snow. Then as they get older and get used to the house-the dogs could set a bomb off and I wouldn't hear it.