Woman posted a video about new doormat her husband ordered online—the DMs pushed her to visit a doctor
The whole idea of “see something, say something” doesn't only apply to emergency cases. It also means calling out something unusual or even informing another if something feels wrong. You could spot something off at any given point and revealing it can be more impactful than you think. A mom named Lauren Bockholt (@stufflaurendoes_) was excited to share a story on TikTok about a doormat her husband brought, Newsweek revealed. However, when the internet saw the video of the mom with her toddler, speaking into the camera, they spotted something and called it out, urging the mom to visit the doctor.
Bockholt was casually sharing a funny Etsy purchase her husband had made. While she thought it might have been art or so, she was “at a loss for words” when she saw he instead got a doormat that read, “Whalecum,” the pun that reads just like “Welcome.” The woman had her baby strapped to her chest and spoke into the camera for a minute as she shared the story. That minute was enough for the internet to make a worrisome observation. Instead of laughing about the doormat, strangers messaged the mom with loaded caveats. In another video, Bockholt mentioned that when she posted the clip, she had “people coming out to let me know that I have something wrong with my thyroid.”
One of the messages she received was, “You have a fat neck, you must be having a thyroid problem.” She kept receiving such messages that she might have an undiagnosed thyroid issue. “You know, when I knew it was a big problem? It was when the men started messaging me,” Bockholt noted. She explained that she seldom received texts from men about her videos. "It was mostly women who had thyroid conditions or cancers, or husbands and sons of women who had thyroid cancers and conditions,” she explained.
@stufflaurendoes_ Now that I see it I CANNOT unsee it!! & that’s what everybody who has been affected by a thyroid condition or has somebody in their life that has experienced a thyroid disorder or thyroid cancer has said! It’s so crazy to me and I cannot wait to get answers from my doctor on what is going on and get a gameplan together to move forward. Follow along for regular updates ❤️😭 #thyroid #thyroidproblems #hashimotos #hyperthyroidism #hypothyroidism ♬ original sound - Lauren✨Chaotic SAHM of 2
In yet another video, the mom decided to take pictures of her neck and see if there really was a bulge or lump as people had mentioned. When she compared a close-up of her neck from 2025 to one from 2021, she was shocked to see the difference. While the older photo had no lump, the current picture showed a serious swelling and it was only when she saw the difference that she knew the TikTokers were right. With the overwhelming amount of alerts she received, Bockholt decided to see a doctor and check. "I told my doctor that it might be a little weird, but I'm here because strangers on the internet told me I need to get my thyroid checked and I felt pretty crazy,” she recalled.
@stufflaurendoes_ Get ready with me while I explain how hundreds of strangers on TikTok potentially saved my life. Sorry for a long winded explanation but I’m also still processing 😅 lots of updates to come! If you can relate, I’m sorry & I’ll take any bit of advice or recommendations yall have ❤️ #grwm #thyroid #thyroidhealth #thyroidproblems #hypothyroidism #hyperthyroidism #thyroidcancer #thyroidhealing #hashimotos #health #getreadywithme #grwmstorytime #storytime ♬ original sound - Lauren✨Chaotic SAHM of 2
The moment with the doctor was one the mom might never forget. “He became concerned and palpated my neck and said he does, in fact, agree with the people of TikTok,” the woman remarked. Now rightly diagnosed, Bockholt has the TikTok community to acknowledge. She is now sharing her journey towards healing and recovery. @nikkibcracra said, “Sending positive energy your way. Thank God you went.” @buffieburnettevice added, “Thank God for people speaking up.”
You can follow Lauren Bockholt (@stufflaurendoes_) on TikTok for more content on thyroid and health.
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