Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

I found a marble-sized lump under my armpit a few days ago. I quickly got it checked out, and the preliminary report just came back that it's probably cancerous.

What the hell should I do?

I'm 25, and otherwise healthy, so was not expecting this.

I really care about this new team and was excited to work with them. I feel horrible about joining a young business as an albatross instead of an asset.

I left my old job on good terms but have no idea how they could justify re-hiring an employee who left and may not be productive / able to work.

If I start at my new job I'm afraid I will endanger the business and raise everybody's premiums. I think they have a fairly generic group plan.

If I don't start my new job, how will I support myself?

My fiancé also works at a small startup so if I joined her insurance the same issues would apply.

I think I can still purchase my old insurance through Cobra, but I don't know how long that will last.

Thanks.

Second: if what you're facing is lymphoma (not unlikely given what you've said), you've probably already been told this, but: lots of good outcomes, especially for younger patients. I've known multiple people that faced it (more than one of them older), and all of them beat it.

Third: what you really want to know: do nothing differently. Retain your new job. You're fortunate in that you have a career in which you'll be able to remain productive during treatment.

Having an illness doesn't make you an albatross. Your condition almost definitely won't meaningfully impact your employer's HR costs (speaking from some experience here), and those costs are not your problem. You are not endangering your new employer. Don't listen to anyone who suggests your are.

Stay frosty, and do not casually make decisions that will impact your insurance coverage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Or8xLOGBu8

I don't know if a company's insurance premiums actually rise if an employee gets sick. Even if they do, that's not your problem.