I am the premed mother of 6 (plus 4 more step children, yes 10 total)…
I am 34. Is it too late for me?
I have a great support system.
I do have some anxiety… What if I can’t make it? I hunger for this!
I have never been this happy.
Returning to school and studying for my MCAT’s…2 years away, seems to have filled some hole in my heart.
Any advice?
Thank you!
Reading all these posts has given me hope.
Hey!
Congrats on following your dream – it takes a LOT of courage when you’re older and have multiple children. I am 41 and have four children, most of which are teens. I completely understand, and I do mean completely, how being in school and following your heart makes you happy! I have a great support system, like you (I helped my husband thru med school 20 yrs ago). I think that with a great support system, you’ve won more than half the battle.
Here are some ideas I use to deal with anxiety. Just think about how wonderful it will be to reach your goal; picture it with lots of detail. Tell yourself how admirable you are for having the courage to do this. Since I started, I’ve met a LOT of people with unrealized dreams who don’t even have the courage to TRY! And here you are – you’re actually doing it! Can you imagine anything worse than looking back on your life and wondering if only I…? That keeps me going, for sure! Also, it’s good when anxiety strikes to take things one at a time, one hour or even one minute at a time and think about only what is necessary in that minute. If you start to worry, tell yourself you’ll worry later. Then set aside a few minutes to think of all the worst-case outcomes of your worries and what you would do. Chances are, you would handle it all just fine and come through stronger and better. And whatever you do, don’t pay attention to the naysayers; they will come around – mine did. They don’t truly know you and what’s in your heart.
I don’t have to tell you how hard it is, but it just makes the goal even sweeter when you get there.
Best wishes on all of it. I hope you’ll post again – I would love to keep up with you!
Michele
I also have two children, both college age. I appreciated reading your comments because while I want this ALOT…I have many doubts and need all the encouragement I can get! Unfortunately, besides my children, I don’t really have a good support system. That’s why I’m glad I found this site!
Thanks for the advice! Worry is most worst enemy.
As for naysayers…I currently have zero. My husband said that it’s about time and if anyone can do I can. I wish I had his confidence. And my said “You’ve always been a healer.” My grandmother said “I’ve always asked you to go over what the doctor tells me.” Friends at church have volunteered to help me study and to help my husband with the kids.
The only negitive so far was from my spiritual advisor (my priest), he said “…just be careful, go slow, put your kids first, and pray.” His tone made me feel like, he doubted that I could/should become a doctor.
All this “support” adds pressure…I don’t want to let everyone down. 
Thanks again and I will be posting whenever I have news.
Gwen
Hey, Yolanda and Gwen,
I’ve been gone awhile thanks to finals. I hope y’all are still interested this discussion! That’s great you have such good support systems. I think the bottom line is that once you start with the classes and start getting into the whole process, doubts and fears of letting people down melt away. I think you just concentrate on doing it and because you know that it’s the right thing for you, there is no room anymore for doubt and fear. All that ends, in my opinion, when you make that initial decision to take this path. I still get stressed out having to do so much and cry sometimes, but I KNOW that I can do it and that doesn’t change. Not that there’s anything special about me, but once that hurdle is overcome of “do I or don’t I try?” the actual doing is not as bad. You get that confidence and strength when you start following your dream and each little success every day builds this new confidence. Does that make sense to anyone? It’s really hard to explain…