A former paratrooper who had her military dreams crushed after she was diagnosed with bladder cancer has revealed how her boyfriend dealt her a further blow by breaking up with her because she had become ‘too skinny’ during her recovery.
Stephanie Pilipovich, now 23, from San Bernardino, California, first joined the US military in February 2017, having graduated as a paratrooper that same year.
But just 18 months later, Stephanie was diagnosed with bladder cancer while stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and her dream of a long military career came crashing down around her.
Stephanie first began experiencing bladder issues in April 2018, when she started suffering from recurrent UTIs. However doctors initially put her symptoms down to tiredness from all the hard work she had put in during her paratrooper training – as well as the extreme conditions that she faced while camping in the cold.
Battle: A former paratrooper has revealed how her military dreams were dashed when she was diagnosed with bladder cancer – only for her boyfriend to then dump her during recovery
Upset: Stephanie Pilipovich, now 23, was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, after battling UTIs for six months, and she had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor from her bladder
Shrinking: During her recovery, Stephanie had to give up her rigorous paratrooper training and quit the gym, and her weight plummeted to 105lbs (pictured), prompting her ex to leave her
Transformation: In 2020, Stephanie was also diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which contributed to her weight loss – however she has since found a way to get healthy again
But six months later her symptoms had failed to go away, so she was referred to a urologist – who discovered that Stephanie had a tumor on her bladder.
‘I was so scared but also a little relieved to finally have some answers after suffering for six months,’ she told Jam Press.
‘Bladder cancer is much more common in elderly women in the 60- to 80-year-old category so for half a year it wasn’t on the doctors’ radar.
‘I just kept trying to stay hydrated and rest to get rid of UTIs but they came back every month without fail. I knew something wasn’t right and now I could get treatment.
‘I had to go to all my appointments alone as I was stationed so far from home.
‘Finally I was referred to see a specialist and I had so many tests – a cystoscopy, CAT scan, MRI and two biopsies – which eventually confirmed I had a cancerous tumor.
‘After my diagnosis I felt so hopeless. I’ve never felt so alone.
‘My anxieties meant I became really withdrawn and isolated myself from everyone in my life. I didn’t have the energy to stay in touch.’
Thankfully, the doctors explained that Stephanie had Stage Ta noninvasive papillary carcinoma – the earliest stage of bladder cancer that involves only the surface layer of the bladder.
Luckily, the disease hadn’t spread and doctors swiftly booked in Stephanie to have the tumor removed in a procedure called TURBT, where the tumor is extracted through the urethra instead of open surgery.
That was in November 2018 and because the tumor hadn’t spread Stephanie didn’t have to endure chemo or radiotherapy – although doctors continue to monitor her to make sure it doesn’t come back.
Stephanie struggled with the changes to her life, saying: ‘I had to quit the gym and I’d always been really fit. I just wanted to hide away.
Nervous: When Stephanie left the military in 2020, she was devastated, and felt completely lost because she didn’t know what she could do with her life
Then and now: After her break-up and her hypothyroidism diagnosis, Stephanie (pictured left at 110lbs) reinvented herself as a model
Rise above it: Although she was devastated to have to leave the military because of her medical issues, Stephanie says modeling has given her a new purpose in life
Heartbreak: ‘I wanted to make the military my whole life,’ she said. ‘This was where I thought I would belong forever. ‘When I had to leave, I went back into a state of deep depression’
‘I had 10 days leave from work after my surgery and then I went back to work on light duties for two weeks.
‘It took all my strength to show up and be strong. I had to put on a mask because inside I was in a really dark place.
‘When I was on my own I just cried.
‘It felt like a chapter in my life book that I would just burn. I hated every moment but now I can see how much I learnt from reaching my lowest point.
‘It took me some time but after making a good physical recovery from surgery I took up weightlifting to build up my physical and mental resilience.
‘I was a paratrooper. I needed to feel strong to perform well in my job.’
After her surgery, Stephanie had a very hard time recovering from the weight loss that happened as a result.
She first put this down to anxiety and depression, turning to yoga and medication to control her health and fitness levels.
The model also claims one of her exes ex, not named for privacy reasons, said she was ‘too skinny’ and broke up with her because of it.
Experienced: Stephanie has put her time in the military (left) to good use in her modeling career, posing for themed shoots with weapons brands and modeling camouflage gear
New direction: While she no longer gets the thrill of jumping out of planes with the military, Stephanie is flown to all kinds of exotic locations for photo shoots
She said: ‘He told me I was too skinny and needed to put on some weight, and I found out he was repeatedly cheating on with me with other people who were more his type.’
On a routine follow-up for the bladder cancer, Stephanie told her doctor that she was still losing weight at an alarming rate.
In July 2020, the model was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, an overactive immune system condition which along with other conditions was likely contributing to the difficulty in gaining weight.
Doctors believed there might also be a genetic link to the model’s medical issues – but unfortunately, as she was adopted, they were unable to do the required testing to find this out for sure.
Stephanie was medically retired from the US Army in 2020, due to continued health complications.
She said: ‘I wanted to make the military my whole life. This was where I thought I would belong forever.
‘When I had to leave, I went back into a state of deep depression, not knowing what I would do after I got out.
‘I had a friend who had left a year before and she offered to help me find some direction on what to do.’
Stephanie turned to social media – the first step in her journey to becoming a model.
She said: ‘In September 2020, I set up my OnlyFans and tried to grow my Instagram profile with lingerie modelling and military-themed sexy shoots.’
While she misses life in the military, Stephanie’s new job does come with some great perks.
Instead of jumping from planes, she now flies inside them to luxury locations for photoshoots in Miami and Las Vegas.
Stephanie has posed for military shoots with weapons brands and modelled camouflage gear – but a lot of her income is also generated through OnlyFans.
She added: ‘I was just 18 when I joined, the army was my whole personality, I was on 24/7.
‘Leaving the career I loved has been a huge transition. I took six months off and tried to create a plan for myself going forward.
‘Jumping from planes was such a high scale adrenaline-filled existence. So I am trying to find a balance in my life now that my time is my own.
‘A year ago, I could barely afford my car payment and I lived in a one-bedroom apartment and had to depend on assistance to meet my bills.
‘Now, I am able to live in a three-bedroom home, financing my next business adventure and finally able to pay back all the people who helped me along the way.
‘Modeling takes a different kind of bravery from my army days.
‘In a way it is much more frightening putting my true self out there.’
Her medical condition is still an issue but Stephanie is working with doctors to map her genetics, which they hope will help in learning more about her symptoms.
She added: ‘I have risen above my demons and I am thankful for the life I have and as dark as it may seem sometimes, I know that if I am able to make it through, then others can as well.’
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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