Patient Perspective: Breast Cancer Part II

Transcript

00:00 --> 00:03Funding for Yale Cancer Answers is provided
00:03 --> 00:07by Smilow Cancer Hospital and Astra Zeneca.
00:07 --> 00:09Welcome to Yale Cancer answers
00:09 --> 00:11with your host. Dr Anis Jaguar.
00:11 --> 00:13Yale Cancer answers features the
00:13 --> 00:15latest information on cancer care by
00:15 --> 00:17welcoming oncologists and specialists
00:17 --> 00:19who are on the forefront of the battle
00:19 --> 00:21to fight cancer this week in honor
00:21 --> 00:23of breast Cancer Awareness Month.
00:23 --> 00:25It's Part 2 of a conversation
00:25 --> 00:26with breast cancer survivor,
00:26 --> 00:27Claudine Maury.
00:27 --> 00:30Dr Chad Power is a professor of surgical
00:30 --> 00:32oncology at the Yale School of Medicine
00:32 --> 00:35and one of claudins physicians. So
00:35 --> 00:38we had gotten to the part of
00:38 --> 00:40the story where you you were.
00:40 --> 00:43As I said in your early 40s,
00:43 --> 00:45you had gone to your Doctor Who had given
00:45 --> 00:48you a clean bill of health and then a
00:48 --> 00:51couple of days later you had found a lump.
00:51 --> 00:52You were proactive.
00:52 --> 00:54You went back to your doctor.
00:54 --> 00:56One thing led to another,
00:56 --> 00:57and you were given the
00:57 --> 00:59diagnosis of breast cancer.
00:59 --> 01:02You were also very proactive
01:02 --> 01:03in interviewing doctors.
01:03 --> 01:05He kind of talked to us about.
01:05 --> 01:07That, in terms of finding the plastic
01:07 --> 01:08surgeon that was right for you,
01:08 --> 01:10making decisions that were right
01:10 --> 01:13for you in terms of choosing whether
01:13 --> 01:15you wanted to have one breast,
01:15 --> 01:16or both breasts and,
01:16 --> 01:18and ultimately you did decide
01:18 --> 01:21to have a bilateral mastectomy.
01:21 --> 01:23And so the third kind of bump
01:23 --> 01:25in the road that we got to
01:25 --> 01:27was the morning of surgery.
01:27 --> 01:29I asked you how that was and you said,
01:29 --> 01:30you know, we we left,
01:30 --> 01:34you had your brother in law in tow.
01:34 --> 01:36And then you hit traffic and then
01:36 --> 01:38you lost your brother-in-law.
01:38 --> 01:38Yes,
01:39 --> 01:41yes, and I said it was literally
01:41 --> 01:44like we were in the Grand Theft Auto
01:44 --> 01:47game and just every single turn we
01:47 --> 01:49made we just hit another obstacle.
01:49 --> 01:52Uhm, so yeah, So what should have
01:52 --> 01:56taken no more than 20 minutes to get
01:56 --> 01:59to Smilow took an hour and a half.
01:59 --> 02:01And I of course called like
02:01 --> 02:02a panicked person.
02:02 --> 02:04And of course the nurses were
02:04 --> 02:04like don't worry,
02:04 --> 02:06everyone else is late too,
02:06 --> 02:09because what had happened was a fatal
02:09 --> 02:13accident and everyone did get taken to ER.
02:13 --> 02:14So everything was a little behind,
02:14 --> 02:17so they were very very kind.
02:17 --> 02:18But of course my blood
02:18 --> 02:20pressure was through the roof
02:20 --> 02:21by the time we got there.
02:21 --> 02:22And so
02:22 --> 02:25the moral of that snippet of this story is,
02:25 --> 02:27is is is a greater theme,
02:27 --> 02:29which is that. You know,
02:29 --> 02:31particularly for breast cancer survivors,
02:31 --> 02:33there are many, many bumps in the
02:33 --> 02:35road obstacles that will happen,
02:35 --> 02:38unforeseen things that will happen,
02:38 --> 02:39and it's really important
02:39 --> 02:41just to take a deep breath.
02:41 --> 02:42And know that it's going to be OK.
02:44 --> 02:49And that is the biggest takeaway is to just.
02:49 --> 02:53No, that everything is going to be
02:53 --> 02:56OK because there are going to be.
02:56 --> 02:58I literally felt like I had to
02:58 --> 03:00jump one hurdle after the next
03:00 --> 03:02that I wasn't expecting to jump.
03:02 --> 03:05So I think you just have to keep your
03:05 --> 03:08mind open because you don't know what's
03:08 --> 03:12going to happen until you go in for surgery.
03:12 --> 03:14You can think like we had thought.
03:14 --> 03:16Early stage you're going to.
03:16 --> 03:20You know this is great, but you know what?
03:20 --> 03:24It was another story and you just can't
03:24 --> 03:27predict that unfortunately, UM, so yeah.
03:27 --> 03:29So you do have to.
03:29 --> 03:32Stay open and try and not set
03:32 --> 03:34yourself up for disappointment.
03:34 --> 03:36I mean, it's a little hard,
03:36 --> 03:37so let's talk about that.
03:37 --> 03:40So you finally make it to the
03:40 --> 03:42hospital and you get into surgery.
03:42 --> 03:44What was that like for you and
03:44 --> 03:46what was it like for your family?
03:46 --> 03:48Because? You know,
03:48 --> 03:50I know that these surgeries can
03:50 --> 03:53be really long and oftentimes.
03:53 --> 03:55It's the family that's kind
03:55 --> 03:56of wringing their hands out.
03:56 --> 03:58Matt family waiting room going.
03:58 --> 03:59I hope she's OK.
03:59 --> 04:00I wonder what's going on.
04:02 --> 04:05Note that. It was and it was a long surgery.
04:05 --> 04:10I believe it was six hours uhm and I
04:10 --> 04:12was extremely grateful for my brother
04:12 --> 04:16coming my most of my family lives in
04:16 --> 04:18Long Island or Florida and my brother
04:18 --> 04:21came up and was in the waiting room with
04:21 --> 04:23Jim and also Jim had another friend.
04:23 --> 04:25So it was the three of them UM
04:25 --> 04:27and so at least they had.
04:27 --> 04:29You know, the three of them to keep
04:29 --> 04:31themselves company come for me.
04:31 --> 04:34I had never been in a hospital.
04:34 --> 04:37Much less a surgery room.
04:37 --> 04:43So completely, uhm, scary.
04:43 --> 04:44'cause it's just you know,
04:44 --> 04:45OK, you're in your robe.
04:45 --> 04:46And
04:46 --> 04:48I was kind of surprised because they walked.
04:48 --> 04:49Walked me to surgery,
04:49 --> 04:50which I I don't know.
04:50 --> 04:52I guess I was expecting I'd
04:52 --> 04:55get wheeled into surgery,
04:55 --> 04:56but no, I just walked in with
04:56 --> 04:58my gown and my head cap.
04:59 --> 05:01The last thing I remember was the countdown.
05:01 --> 05:03OK, we're gonna put this over here.
05:03 --> 05:05You know we're going to start the anesthesia
05:05 --> 05:08and I don't know I I maybe got down to
05:08 --> 05:1098 and that's the last thing I remember.
05:10 --> 05:14So Fast forward I don't know six hours.
05:14 --> 05:17Because you did your part of the
05:17 --> 05:21cancer removal, the Sentinel node
05:21 --> 05:25biopsy and then the breasts are.
05:25 --> 05:27I'm sorry the reconstructive
05:27 --> 05:28plastic surgery does his part,
05:28 --> 05:32so two parts, so I Fast forward.
05:32 --> 05:35I'm in recovery and my eyes
05:35 --> 05:38are not even open.
05:38 --> 05:42And I hear the nurse say something
05:42 --> 05:47about the drain under my arm.
05:47 --> 05:49And as soon as she said that,
05:49 --> 05:51I knew immediately.
05:51 --> 05:54It had spread to my lymph nodes.
05:54 --> 05:57It just immediately knew and I opened
05:57 --> 05:59my eyes and Jim was the first.
05:59 --> 06:00You know,
06:00 --> 06:02he's right there and I just looked at
06:02 --> 06:05him and I said it was in my lymph nodes,
06:05 --> 06:08wasn't it? And he said yes, yes sweetheart.
06:08 --> 06:10It was dumb.
06:10 --> 06:13So that was really hard because in
06:13 --> 06:16and that's scary. OK, I got this.
06:16 --> 06:18You know cancer removed but now.
06:18 --> 06:22It's in my lymph node, so now what happens?
06:22 --> 06:25So that was really scary for me
06:25 --> 06:28and I wasn't prepared for that.
06:28 --> 06:30Honestly, I really thought, hey,
06:30 --> 06:34we're in here early and stage one.
06:34 --> 06:35No biggie.
06:35 --> 06:38I'll get this done and then I'll be done.
06:38 --> 06:42So that wasn't the case.
06:42 --> 06:42Yeah,
06:42 --> 06:43so yeah.
06:44 --> 06:47So the The thing is that right?
06:47 --> 06:48Especially because you had been
06:48 --> 06:50given a clean bill of health.
06:50 --> 06:52You know just a few days before
06:52 --> 06:54you had noticed this lump.
06:54 --> 06:56Everyone thought that this was early,
06:56 --> 07:00but we had talked about the fact that.
07:00 --> 07:02You know? There's only two people
07:02 --> 07:04who can tell you anything for sure.
07:04 --> 07:06God and the pathologist and I,
07:06 --> 07:07I tell all my patients.
07:07 --> 07:09I'm not God and.
07:09 --> 07:13You know the imaging isn't God either,
07:13 --> 07:16and, and so you may go in thinking
07:16 --> 07:18that this is all early stage,
07:18 --> 07:20but that's why we check
07:20 --> 07:22the lymph nodes and Jim,
07:22 --> 07:24your husband actually found out that
07:24 --> 07:27the lymph nodes had cancer because
07:27 --> 07:29during the surgery as you mentioned
07:29 --> 07:32we checked those lymph nodes and we
07:32 --> 07:34get the pathologist to look at them
07:34 --> 07:36right under the microscope right then
07:36 --> 07:38and there to tell us whether we need
07:38 --> 07:41to take out all of the lymph nodes or not.
07:41 --> 07:45And so I was just as surprised as you were,
07:45 --> 07:47but you know, when the the
07:47 --> 07:49pathologist comes back and says no,
07:49 --> 07:51we see cancer cells there.
07:51 --> 07:52You know,
07:52 --> 07:54you need to take out these rooms, nodes.
07:54 --> 07:59The good news about that story though, is.
07:59 --> 08:02Very much like finding cancer at all.
08:02 --> 08:04The only thing worse than finding
08:04 --> 08:06cancer is not finding cancer,
08:06 --> 08:08and so it was good that we
08:08 --> 08:10found it and were able to take
08:10 --> 08:11care of it then and there.
08:11 --> 08:14But I can completely empathize with
08:14 --> 08:17how scary that must have been.
08:17 --> 08:18So in
08:18 --> 08:20in your head, you set yourself
08:20 --> 08:22up for the best case scenario,
08:22 --> 08:23because that's what you want.
08:23 --> 08:25You know you want to be positive.
08:25 --> 08:26You want to be hopeful,
08:26 --> 08:29and you know it's an honestly.
08:29 --> 08:34I really didn't know much, you know,
08:34 --> 08:36I just didn't know we don't have
08:36 --> 08:38cancer in our family, you know.
08:38 --> 08:41So I really was a complete
08:41 --> 08:43novice to the whole thing.
08:43 --> 08:44Yeah, so so yeah.
08:44 --> 08:48And I did thank God that I had made
08:48 --> 08:50the decision to get the bilateral
08:50 --> 08:53mastectomy because I felt like no,
08:53 --> 08:55not not having known because you can't
08:55 --> 08:58know until you do go in for surgery.
08:58 --> 09:00I felt like.
09:00 --> 09:03At least I made the decision.
09:03 --> 09:05I felt like I had a better
09:05 --> 09:07chance down the road.
09:07 --> 09:09Yeah, of a possible recurrence because
09:09 --> 09:12had I not made that decision and
09:12 --> 09:14then having it in my lymph nodes,
09:14 --> 09:16would I have felt the same?
09:16 --> 09:16Yeah,
09:16 --> 09:18so I was super grateful that
09:18 --> 09:20I had made that decision.
09:21 --> 09:22Yeah, and I think you know
09:22 --> 09:24there's a few points there that
09:24 --> 09:26I think are really important and
09:26 --> 09:28the first is that every woman,
09:28 --> 09:30every patient is going to make
09:30 --> 09:32the decision that's best for them.
09:32 --> 09:35So you should never. Feel brushed,
09:35 --> 09:37you should never feel pressured.
09:37 --> 09:40I always tell patients you know.
09:40 --> 09:41Knowledge is power, right?
09:41 --> 09:44And you always want to make
09:44 --> 09:46decisions based on knowledge and
09:46 --> 09:50not based on fear and so you know
09:50 --> 09:53it's so good when people kind of
09:53 --> 09:55taken all of the information,
09:55 --> 09:57process it and then really evaluate
09:57 --> 10:00it in terms of their own values,
10:00 --> 10:03because what you decided might have
10:03 --> 10:05been something that somebody else might
10:05 --> 10:07have looked at and said Oh my God,
10:07 --> 10:09why aren't you doing that?
10:09 --> 10:10It's an early stage cancer.
10:10 --> 10:11Why would you?
10:12 --> 10:13People did say that
10:13 --> 10:16all of that out and run your own race.
10:17 --> 10:20Exactly and again you have
10:20 --> 10:23to trust the inner voice.
10:23 --> 10:26My gut was telling me to
10:26 --> 10:28proceed in that direction.
10:28 --> 10:32Always listen to your inner voice.
10:32 --> 10:33Yeah, will never lead you wrong.
10:33 --> 10:34It really won't.
10:34 --> 10:36Yeah, and people can second
10:36 --> 10:38guess and you know what? You can.
10:38 --> 10:40Second guess my decision all you want.
10:40 --> 10:42It's my decision exactly right?
10:42 --> 10:45So and thank God we have the we have the
10:45 --> 10:48options here to make those decisions.
10:48 --> 10:49Thank God.
10:49 --> 10:51Yeah so I was.
10:51 --> 10:52I was extremely grateful.
10:52 --> 10:55Yeah. So so for patients out
10:55 --> 10:56there who are listening,
10:56 --> 10:59I think you know you really need to ask.
10:59 --> 11:02Jens, get all of the information
11:02 --> 11:04and then process it according
11:04 --> 11:06to what is right for you,
11:06 --> 11:08which might not be right for other
11:08 --> 11:11people and so they may have their
11:11 --> 11:12stories and their decisions.
11:12 --> 11:15And that's great and that might suit them,
11:15 --> 11:19but you need to do what's right for you so.
11:19 --> 11:20You're in recovery.
11:20 --> 11:23Jim gives you this news.
11:23 --> 11:27You're somewhat devastated. I'm
11:27 --> 11:29yeah, I'm devastated, but I'm
11:29 --> 11:30completely out of it as well. I think
11:30 --> 11:33I fell asleep. I think I I kind of closed
11:33 --> 11:35my eyes and kinda after it's here came down
11:35 --> 11:37my cheek. I think I I think
11:37 --> 11:39I fell back to sleep. Yeah
11:39 --> 11:41anesthesia does have its perks.
11:41 --> 11:43Yeah I I
11:43 --> 11:45don't you know what and I wasn't feeling
11:45 --> 11:47anything so because you did tell me
11:47 --> 11:48you're gonna feel like you got hit by a
11:48 --> 11:50Mac truck I didn't feel the Mack truck.
11:50 --> 11:57Yeah, so uhm exactly yeah yeah so yeah.
11:57 --> 12:01And then I remember my sister in law
12:01 --> 12:04which was in recovery so I did get brought
12:04 --> 12:07into my room rather quickly and I don't
12:07 --> 12:10know when it stayed very long it I think
12:10 --> 12:11it was like 10:00 o'clock at night.
12:11 --> 12:15By that point it was pretty late so everybody
12:15 --> 12:19went home and came back the next morning.
12:19 --> 12:22And then I woke up the next morning. Oh
12:23 --> 12:26so we're going to have to take a
12:26 --> 12:28quick break for a medical minute,
12:28 --> 12:30but when we get back on the other side,
12:30 --> 12:31we're going to learn more
12:31 --> 12:33about Claudine's journey.
12:33 --> 12:35What happens during her hospital stay?
12:35 --> 12:37What happens after?
12:37 --> 12:41Because it's now been seven years since
12:41 --> 12:44her diagnosis and so much has passed.
12:44 --> 12:47And as she said in the first episode,
12:47 --> 12:49there was so much for her to
12:49 --> 12:50learn and we're going to learn
12:50 --> 12:52with her right after we take a
12:52 --> 12:54short break for a medical minute.
12:54 --> 12:55Please stay tuned.
12:56 --> 12:57Funding for Yale Cancer answers
12:57 --> 12:59comes from Smilow Cancer Hospital,
12:59 --> 13:02where physicians collaborate with
13:02 --> 13:03diagnostic and interventional
13:03 --> 13:04radiologists, gastroenterologists,
13:04 --> 13:07and pathologists to provide expert care
13:07 --> 13:10for patients with pancreatic cancer
13:12 --> 13:16yalecancercenter.org/GI there are many
13:16 --> 13:18obstacles to face when quitting smoking,
13:18 --> 13:20as smoking involves the potent drug,
13:20 --> 13:22nicotine quitting smoking is a
13:22 --> 13:24very important lifestyle change,
13:24 --> 13:25especially for patients
13:25 --> 13:27undergoing cancer treatment,
13:27 --> 13:29as it's been shown to positively
13:29 --> 13:31impact response to treatments,
13:31 --> 13:33decrease the likelihood that patients
13:33 --> 13:35will develop second malignancies
13:35 --> 13:37and increase rates of survival.
13:37 --> 13:39Tobacco treatment programs are
13:39 --> 13:41currently being offered at federally
13:41 --> 13:42designated Comprehensive cancer
13:42 --> 13:45centers such as Yale Cancer Center
13:45 --> 13:47and its Milo Cancer Hospital.
13:47 --> 13:49All treatment components are evidence
13:49 --> 13:52based and patients are treated with FDA
13:52 --> 13:54approved first line medications as well
13:54 --> 13:56as smoking cessation counseling that
13:56 --> 13:58stresses appropriate coping skills.
13:58 --> 14:01More information is available at
14:01 --> 14:03yalecancercenter.org you're listening
14:03 --> 14:06to Connecticut Public Radio.
14:06 --> 14:06Welcome
14:06 --> 14:08back to Yale Cancer answers.
14:08 --> 14:11This is doctor in East shagbark and I'm
14:11 --> 14:13joined tonight by my guest Claudine Mori.
14:13 --> 14:15For those of you who just joined us,
14:15 --> 14:17this is Claudine story.
14:17 --> 14:19Through breast cancer and if
14:19 --> 14:22you missed our prior episode,
14:22 --> 14:25please do check it out on the Yale
14:25 --> 14:28Cancer Answers website or on iTunes
14:28 --> 14:30or wherever you get your podcasts.
14:30 --> 14:32Anyways, it's so Claudine,
14:32 --> 14:35we were at the part where you had
14:35 --> 14:38just completed a six hour surgery
14:38 --> 14:41found out in the recovery room that
14:41 --> 14:43your lymph nodes were positive.
14:43 --> 14:45Your family had gone home for the night.
14:45 --> 14:47It was a late night and you
14:47 --> 14:49wake up the next morning.
14:49 --> 14:52This was your first time ever in hospital.
14:52 --> 14:54What was that like?
14:54 --> 14:55I mean man,
14:55 --> 14:56it's kind of like if you're
14:56 --> 14:57gonna go into hospital,
14:57 --> 14:59go big or go home.
14:59 --> 15:01You know, that's really how I felt.
15:02 --> 15:03About the whole thing.
15:05 --> 15:07But I have to say,
15:07 --> 15:09if you have to be in the hospital,
15:09 --> 15:12the smilow breast cancer wing is where
15:12 --> 15:14you want to be because it was really.
15:15 --> 15:17It was nice. I mean like
15:17 --> 15:19I had a nice room.
15:19 --> 15:22I called the nurses my angels.
15:22 --> 15:26UM, you know I if I if I needed
15:26 --> 15:29anything they were there and I mean
15:29 --> 15:33I really just kind of at that point.
15:33 --> 15:34Obviously you can't.
15:34 --> 15:36Use your arms.
15:36 --> 15:40Uhm, I woke up to these contraptions
15:40 --> 15:43on my legs that were.
15:43 --> 15:45You know compressing and contracting,
15:45 --> 15:48which I guess is to just keep swelling
15:48 --> 15:51from happening because you're in your bed.
15:51 --> 15:54Uhm, I had four drains out
15:54 --> 15:57coming out of me which was
15:57 --> 16:00extremely uncomfortable and there
16:00 --> 16:03was that Mack truck that you
16:03 --> 16:04had talked about.
16:05 --> 16:08Yeah yeah, and I did warn you.
16:08 --> 16:09Yep, you did warn me
16:09 --> 16:12and I was like wow, she was right.
16:15 --> 16:20Uh, so. So yeah, and I will say having
16:20 --> 16:24not I couldn't use my arms because of
16:24 --> 16:30the surgery and I leading up to surgery.
16:30 --> 16:33I I was pretty much an avid exerciser
16:33 --> 16:36and they just brought this class to our
16:36 --> 16:39gym and it was called CX Works, which is
16:39 --> 16:42basically like a core class and I hated it.
16:42 --> 16:43I absolutely despise it.
16:43 --> 16:46It was a half hour of just.
16:46 --> 16:51I hated it, but let me tell you,
16:51 --> 16:53when I could not use my arms
16:53 --> 16:54to get out of bed.
16:54 --> 16:56All I kept saying was thank God I
16:56 --> 16:59did that core class 'cause all I had
16:59 --> 17:01to use my core muscles in order to
17:01 --> 17:03get out of bed because I couldn't
17:03 --> 17:05get out of bed like you know,
17:05 --> 17:07not using your arms, you're like OK,
17:07 --> 17:09how the hell do I get out of bed?
17:09 --> 17:12So I was very grateful for that,
17:12 --> 17:14UM, and if I did need help,
17:14 --> 17:18I did call and somebody did help me up.
17:18 --> 17:23And then I got to see so bizarre, like,
17:23 --> 17:28uh, the students that come through.
17:28 --> 17:29So I got to see them first
17:30 --> 17:31and it was like all of a sudden
17:31 --> 17:33there's like six people surrounding
17:33 --> 17:35me in white coats and Mike.
17:35 --> 17:37Hell is this and who are you?
17:39 --> 17:40So they were
17:40 --> 17:42checking in on me to see if everything
17:42 --> 17:44was OK and they were like so
17:44 --> 17:46do you think you can go home today?
17:46 --> 17:48And I looked at them like are
17:48 --> 17:51you out of your mind like?
17:51 --> 17:55Haven't even been here for 12 hours really.
17:55 --> 17:58So, uhm, so I was a little
17:58 --> 17:59in shock with that. 'cause
17:59 --> 18:01I was like wow, how my I don't think
18:01 --> 18:04I'm ready to go home today and then.
18:04 --> 18:07You came in. My Angel came in
18:07 --> 18:10and she said, I looked at you.
18:10 --> 18:12You asked me how I was feeling
18:12 --> 18:14and I said I feel like that Mack
18:14 --> 18:16truck hit me and you said you
18:16 --> 18:19died during I warned you and
18:19 --> 18:20you were absolutely right.
18:20 --> 18:22And I looked at you and
18:22 --> 18:23I said they're telling me
18:23 --> 18:24that I need to go home.
18:24 --> 18:27Today and you looked at me and you said,
18:27 --> 18:30Are you ready to go home today and I said.
18:30 --> 18:33No, and you said then don't worry, you won't.
18:34 --> 18:36Yeah and right there. Oh
18:36 --> 18:41my anxiety just washed away so I
18:41 --> 18:43did stay one more day and by the
18:43 --> 18:46second day I definitely felt like OK,
18:46 --> 18:49I'm ready to go home I know what
18:49 --> 18:51I have to do you know I knew how
18:51 --> 18:53to basically take care of myself I
18:53 --> 18:57was on pain meds but I did go home
18:57 --> 19:01so it was a it was a quick stay.
19:01 --> 19:04Relatively and then.
19:07 --> 19:09We had to make the appointment to
19:09 --> 19:12meet with an oncologist because
19:12 --> 19:15of the lymph node involvement.
19:15 --> 19:17And at that point, that's when you
19:17 --> 19:20learn the pathology of what was removed
19:20 --> 19:23and that's where you get your your.
19:23 --> 19:28Real diagnosis of what's to come next,
19:28 --> 19:31so come for the next, and I think it was.
19:31 --> 19:34I don't think I saw I think was about a
19:34 --> 19:37week until I actually saw my oncologist,
19:37 --> 19:41so I just went home and started
19:41 --> 19:43to rest and recover.
19:43 --> 19:50Which for someone, and I say this to people.
19:50 --> 19:51I'm the type of person that
19:51 --> 19:53I can do everything myself.
19:53 --> 19:56I don't need help, I'm just independence.
19:56 --> 20:01I can do it, you know. This is the
20:01 --> 20:04first time in my life that I actually.
20:04 --> 20:09Needed to ask for help. And.
20:09 --> 20:12People really want to help you.
20:12 --> 20:17Yeah, and it is amazing too.
20:17 --> 20:21Ask for help and to receive help.
20:21 --> 20:23And to realize.
20:23 --> 20:24It's OK,
20:24 --> 20:26it doesn't make me weak because as a woman
20:26 --> 20:28we see that as like a sign of weakness.
20:28 --> 20:31So I need help.
20:31 --> 20:36Now it is a wonderful opportunity to feel
20:36 --> 20:40the goodness of people in the universe,
20:40 --> 20:42and that was probably one of
20:42 --> 20:45my first lessons to learn here
20:45 --> 20:48in this long road of lessons.
20:48 --> 20:50Yeah, so important, right?
20:50 --> 20:53And I think that you said it.
20:53 --> 20:55Well, people want to help
20:55 --> 20:57you and sometimes they don't
20:57 --> 21:00really know what help you need.
21:00 --> 21:02And so, in a sense,
21:02 --> 21:04you're helping them by asking
21:04 --> 21:05for the help that you need,
21:05 --> 21:09and they are so thrilled
21:09 --> 21:10to be able to help.
21:10 --> 21:14It is amazing how thrilled they are to help,
21:14 --> 21:16and it feels really.
21:16 --> 21:18It's kind of therapy for you
21:19 --> 21:21because you're like Oh my God,
21:21 --> 21:23like these people are really out there
21:23 --> 21:25and they really care and they do.
21:25 --> 21:28But we have to not shut them out because
21:28 --> 21:31how many times we shut people out.
21:31 --> 21:36Afraid yeah, so again lesson #2.
21:36 --> 21:37Give up the fear.
21:38 --> 21:41Yeah, yeah, exactly and let
21:41 --> 21:44people in and come there.
21:44 --> 21:47There really is so much love
21:47 --> 21:49when you're open to it, correct?
21:49 --> 21:53So then you're recovering at home and
21:53 --> 21:56you go and you see the oncologist.
21:56 --> 22:00And what was that like and what did they say?
22:00 --> 22:02And how did that kind of launch
22:02 --> 22:04your next phase of this journey?
22:05 --> 22:08At that point, I will say that
22:08 --> 22:11that day was the worst day ever.
22:13 --> 22:17I tried again. I got my oncologist.
22:17 --> 22:20I believe you recommended my oncologist.
22:20 --> 22:22I again didn't do any research.
22:22 --> 22:24I just trusted the recommendation
22:24 --> 22:28and went with it so it was a very
22:28 --> 22:31busy day in oncology that day and
22:31 --> 22:34didn't really have a room for us so
22:34 --> 22:36it was. It was
22:36 --> 22:38like a closet. We got like the
22:38 --> 22:40room was so small there was maybe
22:40 --> 22:426 by 6 and you've got myself.
22:42 --> 22:44Jim and my sister-in-law because
22:44 --> 22:47like I said in the first episode,
22:47 --> 22:51bring people with you because you are not
22:51 --> 22:55going to absorb what you're going to hear,
22:55 --> 22:57and you're probably not going to remember
22:57 --> 22:59the questions that you want to ask.
22:59 --> 23:02They're just not going to come so.
23:02 --> 23:04Have somebody with you.
23:04 --> 23:06I don't care if they're your neighbor,
23:06 --> 23:10I just have somebody with you come so you
23:10 --> 23:13don't get to see your oncologist first.
23:13 --> 23:15You get to see a fellow so and
23:15 --> 23:16I believe I'm saying that right?
23:16 --> 23:18It's they're called fellows.
23:18 --> 23:19They are called fellows,
23:19 --> 23:20even though they may be girls,
23:21 --> 23:24correct? It was a girl.
23:24 --> 23:29So the fellow comes into the room and she.
23:29 --> 23:32Turns her back to me and she looks
23:33 --> 23:36at the screen and she starts
23:36 --> 23:40reading the pathology of my cancer
23:40 --> 23:44that was removed and she says OK.
23:44 --> 23:47So the first tumor was 3.8 centimeters.
23:47 --> 23:50The second tumor was 1.2 centimeters
23:50 --> 23:52and your stage two a cancer
23:52 --> 23:54and it was in your lymph nodes.
23:54 --> 23:56You had all of your lymph nodes removed
23:56 --> 23:58in your right arm and your left arm,
23:58 --> 23:59four of which had cancer.
23:59 --> 24:01One was extra encapsulated.
24:01 --> 24:06So you're gonna need 16 weeks of chemo.
24:06 --> 24:09You will lose your hair within 21 days.
24:09 --> 24:10After that you will not.
24:10 --> 24:13You will need to maybe do radiation but.
24:13 --> 24:19And. When I tell you that it was, she was.
24:19 --> 24:21Never turned away from the screen,
24:21 --> 24:24all I saw was her back the whole time
24:24 --> 24:27and as soon as she said one I had
24:27 --> 24:28no idea extra encapsulated.
24:28 --> 24:30What the hell is that like?
24:30 --> 24:33I don't know when you talking like
24:33 --> 24:36Medicalis language are you speaking?
24:36 --> 24:38She said you will need 16 weeks
24:38 --> 24:39of chemo and you will lose your
24:39 --> 24:40hair in 21 days. I'm like
24:42 --> 24:43you might as well
24:43 --> 24:45had just ripped my heart out
24:45 --> 24:47at the moment because yeah.
24:47 --> 24:50One I did not want to do chemo and two.
24:50 --> 24:53I certainly didn't want to lose my hair so.
24:53 --> 24:58At that point, I was in sheer like shock,
24:58 --> 25:01shock, panic because again,
25:01 --> 25:04I didn't really do research because.
25:04 --> 25:07Going on the Internet doing research,
25:07 --> 25:08it's just scary.
25:08 --> 25:11There's too many unknowns and you're
25:11 --> 25:13looking at everybody else's story.
25:13 --> 25:14That's not your story.
25:14 --> 25:15You have no idea.
25:15 --> 25:17So why set yourself up?
25:17 --> 25:19But exactly, I don't, and I don't know
25:19 --> 25:20if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
25:20 --> 25:22'cause I really wasn't prepared
25:22 --> 25:23to hear what she said.
25:23 --> 25:24But you know what?
25:24 --> 25:26Everything happens for a reason, and this
25:26 --> 25:30is how I received it and my thank God,
25:30 --> 25:32my my sister-in-law and Jim said,
25:32 --> 25:34wait, you need to slow down?
25:34 --> 25:39And we need to talk options and we
25:39 --> 25:41want to talk to the oncologist.
25:41 --> 25:41Yeah,
25:41 --> 25:47so she said OK and she said she said I don't,
25:47 --> 25:49she wasn't she kind of like rebutted
25:49 --> 25:51a little bit and we said no,
25:51 --> 25:53we really want to speak to the
25:53 --> 25:53oncologist now.
25:53 --> 25:56So she said, OK, when she's ready
25:56 --> 25:59we'll bring you into the room.
25:59 --> 26:01So now there's like she leaves and
26:01 --> 26:02we're all looking at ourselves.
26:02 --> 26:06Like what the hell I'm in tears and now
26:06 --> 26:08my friend had just gone through chemo,
26:08 --> 26:09just gone through cancer and chemo
26:09 --> 26:11and she didn't lose her hair.
26:11 --> 26:12So immediately I called my friend.
26:12 --> 26:14What chemo did you have that you
26:14 --> 26:16didn't lose your hair so she's like,
26:16 --> 26:19well I did and I got, I think I think
26:19 --> 26:22she said CMF or something like that.
26:22 --> 26:23So I said OK.
26:23 --> 26:24So I.
26:24 --> 26:25Wrote it down or I had Dorothy
26:25 --> 26:27write it down and we were like,
26:27 --> 26:28OK, we'll ask about that.
26:28 --> 26:30And you know we were like
26:30 --> 26:31there's got to be options.
26:31 --> 26:32And then I look at them like what's
26:32 --> 26:36extra encapsulated and Dorothy was like
26:36 --> 26:38I have no idea what like none of us.
26:38 --> 26:38We talked
26:38 --> 26:41about shell shock so
26:42 --> 26:44we go into the room to meet
26:44 --> 26:47up with the oncologist and.
26:47 --> 26:53The oncologist comes in and just the again.
26:53 --> 26:57One of the most amazing people and
26:57 --> 27:01she explained everything to me and she
27:01 --> 27:04said extra encapsulated means that it
27:04 --> 27:07was ready to burst. So I'm like, OK,
27:07 --> 27:10that's probably a really bad thing.
27:10 --> 27:13UM, and I'm thinking, OK.
27:13 --> 27:17So then maybe it has traveled UM,
27:17 --> 27:20so she said to me and I.
27:20 --> 27:23I told her about my friend had done the CF.
27:23 --> 27:24Whatever it was, let's just say
27:24 --> 27:29that's what it is chemo and she said.
27:29 --> 27:33I truly recommend for your cancer
27:33 --> 27:36and for your diagnosis.
27:36 --> 27:40The UM, it was. AC T chemo.
27:40 --> 27:43So it was Anna.
27:43 --> 27:47Forget the name exactly of the AC1.
27:47 --> 27:48Cyclophosphamide,
27:48 --> 27:50she's hell yeah,
27:50 --> 27:52I just remember Red Devil
27:52 --> 27:55yes, that's the adriamycin went yeah,
27:55 --> 27:57Glen so yeah I remember the red devil
27:57 --> 28:00and then the tax all part was the
28:00 --> 28:04team yeah yeah so she said to me.
28:04 --> 28:07We can do whatever chemo you want,
28:07 --> 28:10she said, but the other chemo is like
28:10 --> 28:121950s came out told and she said.
28:12 --> 28:14But if that's what you want,
28:14 --> 28:17she said that's what we'll do, she said.
28:17 --> 28:20But I'm going to tell you.
28:20 --> 28:22This is the gold level.
28:22 --> 28:26Of chemo and this is how I want to treat you,
28:26 --> 28:29because if your cancer comes
28:29 --> 28:31back I cannot cure you.
28:31 --> 28:34And let me tell you that landed really hard.
28:35 --> 28:38Claudine Marie is a breast cancer survivor.
28:38 --> 28:39If you have questions,
28:39 --> 28:40the address is cancer.
28:40 --> 28:43Answers at yale.edu and past editions of
28:43 --> 28:46the program are available in audio and
28:46 --> 28:48written form at yalecancercenter.org.
28:48 --> 28:50We hope you'll join us next week to
28:50 --> 28:52learn more about the fight against
28:52 --> 28:53cancer here on Connecticut Public
28:53 --> 28:55radio funding for Yale Cancer
28:55 --> 28:56Answers is provided by Smilow
28:56 --> 29:00Cancer Hospital and Astra Zeneca.

Download Audio Download Transcript

Information

November 7, 2021

Yale Cancer Center

visit: http://www.yalecancercenter.org

email: canceranswers@yale.edu

call: 203-785-4095

7128

To Cite

DCA Citation Guide