Patient Perspective: Breast Cancer Part III

Transcript

00:00 --> 00:01Funding for Yale Cancer Answers
00:01 --> 00:03is provided by Smilow Cancer
00:03 --> 00:05Hospital and Astra Zeneca.
00:07 --> 00:09Welcome to Yale Cancer answers with
00:09 --> 00:12your host, doctor and East JGP are Yale
00:12 --> 00:14Cancer answers features the latest
00:14 --> 00:16information on cancer care by welcoming
00:16 --> 00:19oncologists and specialists who are on the
00:19 --> 00:21forefront of the battle to fight cancer.
00:21 --> 00:22This week in honor of Breast
00:22 --> 00:23Cancer Awareness Month,
00:23 --> 00:25it's part three of a conversation
00:25 --> 00:27with breast cancer survivor,
00:27 --> 00:27Claudine Maury,
00:27 --> 00:30Dr Chad Power as a professor of
00:30 --> 00:32surgical oncology at the Yale
00:32 --> 00:33School of Medicine and one
00:33 --> 00:36of claudine's physicians. For
00:36 --> 00:39those of you who have tuned in before,
00:39 --> 00:41you'll know that Claudine.
00:41 --> 00:44Had a diagnosis of breast cancer seven
00:44 --> 00:46years ago when she was just over 40.
00:46 --> 00:50Initially she had had a clean bill of health,
00:50 --> 00:51found a lump all by herself.
00:51 --> 00:54A few days later had a
00:54 --> 00:55diagnosis of breast cancer,
00:55 --> 00:57went through a big surgery,
00:57 --> 01:00found out that it was in her lymph nodes
01:00 --> 01:03and we got to the point in the story
01:03 --> 01:06where she went to see the oncologist.
01:06 --> 01:11And initially was told you need chemotherapy.
01:11 --> 01:14You're gonna lose your hair and this
01:14 --> 01:15was really devastating for her.
01:15 --> 01:18So Claudine we got to the point in
01:18 --> 01:21the story where you had found out
01:21 --> 01:24from a friend that she had had a
01:24 --> 01:26certain kind of chemotherapy where
01:26 --> 01:29she didn't lose her hair called
01:29 --> 01:32CF and and your oncologist looking
01:32 --> 01:35at the size of your cancer.
01:35 --> 01:38The fact that it was in your lymph node said.
01:38 --> 01:41You know we can do whatever you want to do,
01:41 --> 01:45but CF is really 1950s chemotherapy.
01:45 --> 01:49I'd really rather treat you with a CT,
01:49 --> 01:52which is the gold standard.
01:52 --> 01:55And we had left the story
01:55 --> 01:57at the cliffhanger there.
01:57 --> 01:58So what happened?
01:59 --> 02:03So when she looked at me and she said
02:03 --> 02:08to me that if the cancer came back.
02:08 --> 02:11And she couldn't cure me.
02:11 --> 02:14Like I said, she looked at me with
02:14 --> 02:17such care and such love and she
02:17 --> 02:20didn't even I was a stranger to her.
02:20 --> 02:25And she said, I understand your fear.
02:25 --> 02:29And she said, let's set you
02:29 --> 02:31up with the appointment.
02:31 --> 02:33She said we're going to need to
02:33 --> 02:35run scans because we do need to
02:35 --> 02:37see if it's if it has spread.
02:37 --> 02:39So we'll set up your next
02:39 --> 02:41appointment to have your scans done.
02:41 --> 02:43We'll set up the appointment
02:43 --> 02:45to start the chemo, she said.
02:45 --> 02:47Go home, think about what I've said.
02:47 --> 02:49If you need to do any research.
02:49 --> 02:52If you need to call me and ask me
02:52 --> 02:54any questions I'm here for you.
02:54 --> 02:58And we made the appointments and going home.
02:58 --> 03:03I remember people say to you,
03:03 --> 03:06it's just hair, it'll grow back.
03:06 --> 03:10If you haven't ever lost your hair before.
03:10 --> 03:11As a female,
03:11 --> 03:16please don't say that to anybody because.
03:16 --> 03:19You just don't understand until
03:19 --> 03:24it happens and for me.
03:24 --> 03:28That was the hardest part of all of this.
03:28 --> 03:32UM, but I did go home,
03:32 --> 03:35and I did think about it and I
03:35 --> 03:37remember sitting on the porch and I was
03:37 --> 03:40talking to my husband and I said to him,
03:40 --> 03:41I really.
03:41 --> 03:45Think that she needs to be my doctor.
03:45 --> 03:50I said because she really cares and.
03:50 --> 03:54I'm going to take her advice so September
03:54 --> 03:5811th it was actually our anniversary.
03:58 --> 04:02UM was the day that I had to go in and get
04:02 --> 04:05all of my scans done to see if it had spread.
04:05 --> 04:08We did find out that it didn't spread,
04:08 --> 04:10so that was good news.
04:10 --> 04:10Yes,
04:10 --> 04:13that was probably the best news,
04:13 --> 04:14but I still of course needed
04:14 --> 04:15to go through with chemo.
04:15 --> 04:18So then we start this wonderful
04:18 --> 04:20thing called chemo training.
04:20 --> 04:22Where you meet this amazing nurse
04:22 --> 04:24who gives you this fabulous
04:24 --> 04:26book of all the information that
04:26 --> 04:28you really don't want to know.
04:30 --> 04:31And she tells you all about
04:31 --> 04:33what's gonna happen over the next
04:33 --> 04:3816 weeks. Come back to episode one.
04:38 --> 04:41When I asked the question why me I got
04:41 --> 04:43the answer because I had something to
04:43 --> 04:47learn and after that my attitude changed.
04:47 --> 04:48I'm going to be OK,
04:48 --> 04:50I just need to get through this.
04:50 --> 04:53I just literally kept saying I just need to
04:53 --> 04:55get through this and eat turtle that came.
04:55 --> 04:57I jumped over the hurdle.
04:57 --> 05:00UM, but I did have to have a port
05:00 --> 05:04installed which I do recommend to anyone.
05:04 --> 05:06Or if they do have to go through chemo to
05:06 --> 05:09get the port because it is extremely helpful.
05:09 --> 05:11It's not uncomfortable when you're
05:11 --> 05:13getting chemo put through you or any
05:13 --> 05:14other blood work or any other thing,
05:14 --> 05:17because any Ivy can just go right through the
05:17 --> 05:18port so it does make it really convenient.
05:18 --> 05:20If you do have to go for those
05:20 --> 05:22chemo treatments or whatever other
05:22 --> 05:24treatments that you need to go for.
05:24 --> 05:26So even though I hated it,
05:26 --> 05:28I it was a love hate relationship.
05:28 --> 05:29I I did, I did celebrate the
05:29 --> 05:31day that it did get removed.
05:31 --> 05:32I did pretty much have a
05:32 --> 05:34party that day for myself.
05:34 --> 05:35Uhm, but it does.
05:35 --> 05:39It is a blessing to have that so.
05:39 --> 05:40I was very grateful.
05:40 --> 05:42You know there's so many things
05:42 --> 05:43about cancer treatment that are
05:43 --> 05:45a love hate relationship, right?
05:45 --> 05:48Oh my God, you you really hate chemo,
05:48 --> 05:50but you know that it comes from
05:50 --> 05:53a place of love that that that
05:53 --> 05:55your oncologist really wants.
05:55 --> 05:58But what's best for you and the same for
05:58 --> 06:02the port and the same for everything else.
06:02 --> 06:04I think that what you said was
06:04 --> 06:07really true in the sense that
06:07 --> 06:08keeping a positive attitude,
06:08 --> 06:12knowing that you can get through this,
06:12 --> 06:14UM is so important
06:15 --> 06:17and you know, I honestly, I was like,
06:17 --> 06:18OK, let's get this started because I want
06:18 --> 06:21this to be over as soon as possible. And
06:22 --> 06:23you know the fear is
06:23 --> 06:24of the horror stories.
06:24 --> 06:26So all of the horror stories where you
06:26 --> 06:27know you think you're going to be sick.
06:27 --> 06:28You think you're going to be in bed for
06:28 --> 06:3016 weeks and you're not gonna be able to
06:30 --> 06:31do anything you're gonna be throwing up,
06:31 --> 06:34and you know you just all the horror stories.
06:34 --> 06:36So. And of course,
06:36 --> 06:38everyone takes it differently.
06:38 --> 06:41Everybody responds differently to drugs,
06:41 --> 06:43so you never know what you're going to get.
06:43 --> 06:45You just don't really know how
06:45 --> 06:46your body is going to respond.
06:46 --> 06:49She did say to me in chemo
06:49 --> 06:50training that exercise is key.
06:50 --> 06:51No matter what you do,
06:51 --> 06:53even if it's just a walk,
06:53 --> 06:54because it just helps everything.
06:54 --> 06:56It helps the toxins get out of your body,
06:56 --> 06:58which is what you want to do.
06:58 --> 07:01You want to drink lots of water and you
07:01 --> 07:03want to exercise and you know of course,
07:03 --> 07:05like when I was going through surgery,
07:05 --> 07:07I kept saying when can I get back to the gym?
07:07 --> 07:09When can I get back to the gym?
07:09 --> 07:09I
07:09 --> 07:11was like a broken record. They're like,
07:11 --> 07:13well, you gotta heal state 10 weeks
07:13 --> 07:15just from surgery and I did have to
07:15 --> 07:17go to physical therapy because I
07:17 --> 07:20could only raise my arms chest level.
07:20 --> 07:22So I did need to work on getting
07:22 --> 07:24my range of motion back.
07:24 --> 07:29Uhm, I did deal with Lymphoedema,
07:29 --> 07:32which although they said is rare,
07:32 --> 07:34I did have to deal with it
07:34 --> 07:37and I will say to people,
07:37 --> 07:39once people have lymphoedema or the
07:39 --> 07:40there's that big fear around lymphoedema.
07:40 --> 07:42And no I didn't know what the hell
07:42 --> 07:44it wasn't till of course get slapped
07:44 --> 07:46in the face with it and it is your
07:46 --> 07:49arms or you know part of your body
07:49 --> 07:51swelling because the lymph nodes.
07:51 --> 07:53Now fluid has to find different
07:53 --> 07:55ways to travel,
07:55 --> 07:57so it does kind of get trapped.
07:57 --> 07:59So the physical therapist did help
07:59 --> 08:02with massage to try and start getting
08:02 --> 08:04that fluid to move into different
08:04 --> 08:06areas and get other lymph nodes to
08:06 --> 08:08work and filter that fluid out.
08:08 --> 08:11And immediately people are like
08:11 --> 08:12Oh my God, OK,
08:12 --> 08:14you can't lift anything with that arm.
08:14 --> 08:16Don't lift your bag, don't lift your
08:16 --> 08:18personal carry a person on that arm.
08:18 --> 08:20If you have make sure you have
08:20 --> 08:21a an emergency kit because.
08:21 --> 08:22God forbid don't let it bleed.
08:22 --> 08:24You know you can't get it cut.
08:24 --> 08:28Oh my God, people calm down.
08:28 --> 08:31Again, don't live in fear.
08:31 --> 08:33I continued to use that arm.
08:33 --> 08:35I continued when
08:35 --> 08:36I was able to get back to the
08:36 --> 08:38gym and I lifted weight and I
08:38 --> 08:40did everything that I used to do.
08:40 --> 08:42And guess what? It got better,
08:42 --> 08:45yeah, and that's such a key point
08:45 --> 08:48because it is a common misperception
08:48 --> 08:51that if you have lymphoedema or you're
08:51 --> 08:54at risk of getting lymphoedema that
08:54 --> 08:57lifting weights will make it worse.
08:57 --> 08:59There's actually randomized control
08:59 --> 09:02trial data that lifting weights actually
09:02 --> 09:06makes it better. So I am so glad,
09:06 --> 09:11right like you should live your life, I mean.
09:11 --> 09:13I tell patients that the reason
09:13 --> 09:16why we're treating this cancer.
09:16 --> 09:18Is so that you can live your life.
09:18 --> 09:21We're going to take care of the cancer
09:21 --> 09:23so that you can live your life.
09:23 --> 09:25You're not going to put your life
09:25 --> 09:27on hold because of this cancer.
09:27 --> 09:29We're going to deal with the cancer so
09:29 --> 09:34that you can live your life exactly. So
09:34 --> 09:35the whole reason
09:35 --> 09:38why I got cancer to remember
09:38 --> 09:40to get back to living life.
09:40 --> 09:42Yeah, 'cause we forget
09:42 --> 09:44and I think that that is one
09:44 --> 09:46of the biggest lessons that.
09:46 --> 09:49People who go through cancer get and I
09:49 --> 09:51think it's one of those lessons that
09:51 --> 09:53people who have not gotten cancer
09:53 --> 09:56should remember is that you know,
09:56 --> 09:57every day is a gift.
09:57 --> 09:59That's why it's called the
09:59 --> 10:00present and you know,
10:00 --> 10:02we need to live our lives in
10:02 --> 10:04the present and we need to be
10:04 --> 10:06grateful for what we have and we
10:06 --> 10:07need to live life to the fullest.
10:07 --> 10:10And we need to love the people around us.
10:10 --> 10:12Because you know,
10:12 --> 10:16you don't really need the big seat
10:16 --> 10:19to give you that epiphany, but man,
10:19 --> 10:21boy, if you get that diagnosis,
10:21 --> 10:23it really does give you that epiphany.
10:24 --> 10:27I said, you know my life.
10:27 --> 10:30I was very off balance.
10:30 --> 10:32My life was completely.
10:32 --> 10:35I was the example of someone
10:35 --> 10:38that had no work life balance
10:38 --> 10:41and I said to myself.
10:41 --> 10:43You know I can't get like a
10:43 --> 10:44little small kick in the ***.
10:44 --> 10:45No, I get it.
10:45 --> 10:47I need to get a big kick in the ****
10:47 --> 10:49for me to really like
10:49 --> 10:54wake up and my entire perspective
10:54 --> 10:56changed my priorities.
10:56 --> 11:00Changed the way I handled work.
11:00 --> 11:03Changed because we get on this.
11:03 --> 11:05We're like these little hamsters
11:05 --> 11:07on the wheel and we run, run, run,
11:07 --> 11:09run, run and we think that making
11:09 --> 11:11more money and getting the bigger
11:11 --> 11:13job and getting the promotion.
11:13 --> 11:15And having the big house in the car and
11:15 --> 11:18all this other stuff is so important.
11:18 --> 11:19And then you get a slap in the face,
11:19 --> 11:22and you're like, Oh my God,
11:22 --> 11:24everything that I thought was so
11:24 --> 11:26important is so not important.
11:26 --> 11:28I'm not spending time with my family.
11:28 --> 11:30I'm not living life.
11:30 --> 11:32I'm not enjoying waking up every
11:33 --> 11:36day because I have to do this job
11:36 --> 11:38that consumes every minute of my.
11:38 --> 11:41Yeah, my brain of my energy.
11:41 --> 11:44I'm not getting in the gym like I want to.
11:44 --> 11:46I'm not in, you know, I'm not.
11:46 --> 11:49I'm not doing the things that make
11:49 --> 11:52me happy yeah but we get stuck
11:52 --> 11:55until something like this happens.
11:55 --> 11:58And what I learned was.
11:58 --> 12:01I am going to make it a mission.
12:01 --> 12:05To make sure that I can pay forward
12:05 --> 12:08and I can teach people what I learned.
12:08 --> 12:10Without them having to go through
12:10 --> 12:12what I went through,
12:12 --> 12:12so
12:12 --> 12:14important and it reminds me of something
12:14 --> 12:17you said in the first show, which was.
12:17 --> 12:21If you had to do it all over again.
12:21 --> 12:24Would you go through cancer to learn
12:24 --> 12:27that lesson and you said absolutely
12:28 --> 12:30every every day. I would say
12:30 --> 12:31the same answer absolutely.
12:32 --> 12:34We're going to take a short break
12:34 --> 12:36for a medical minute and learn more
12:36 --> 12:38about all of the lessons you learned
12:38 --> 12:40through your cancer journey so that
12:40 --> 12:42you can pay it forward to our audience.
12:42 --> 12:43Please stay tuned.
12:44 --> 12:46Funding for Yale Cancer answers
12:46 --> 12:47comes from Astra Zeneca dedicated
12:48 --> 12:49to advancing options and providing
12:49 --> 12:52hope for people living with cancer.
12:52 --> 12:57More information at Astra Zeneca Dash us.com.
12:57 --> 13:00The American Cancer Society
13:00 --> 13:02estimates that nearly 150,000 people
13:02 --> 13:04in the US will be diagnosed with
13:04 --> 13:06colorectal cancer this year alone.
13:06 --> 13:09When detected early colorectal cancer
13:09 --> 13:11is easily treated and highly curable,
13:11 --> 13:13and men and women over the age of
13:13 --> 13:1545 should have regular colonoscopies
13:15 --> 13:17to screen for the disease.
13:17 --> 13:19Patients with colorectal cancer
13:19 --> 13:21have more hope than ever before,
13:21 --> 13:24thanks to increased access to advanced
13:24 --> 13:25therapies and specialized care.
13:25 --> 13:27Clinical trials are currently
13:27 --> 13:28underway at FEDERALI.
13:28 --> 13:29Designated comprehensive cancer
13:29 --> 13:32centers such as Yale Cancer Center
13:32 --> 13:35and at Smilow Cancer Hospital to
13:35 --> 13:37test innovative new treatments for
13:37 --> 13:39colorectal cancer tumor gene analysis
13:39 --> 13:42has helped improve management of
13:42 --> 13:44colorectal cancer by identifying the
13:44 --> 13:47patients most likely to benefit from
13:47 --> 13:49chemotherapy and newer targeted agents,
13:49 --> 13:52resulting in more patient specific treatment.
13:52 --> 13:55More information is available at
13:55 --> 13:56yalecancercenter.org you're listening
13:56 --> 13:58to Connecticut Public Radio.
13:58 --> 13:59Welcome
13:59 --> 14:00back to Yale Cancer answers.
14:00 --> 14:02This is doctor in East Rag Park
14:02 --> 14:04and I'm joined tonight by my guest,
14:04 --> 14:05Claudine Maury.
14:05 --> 14:07We're talking about her journey
14:07 --> 14:10through breast cancer and all of the
14:10 --> 14:12lessons that she learned along the way.
14:12 --> 14:15So Claudine, before the break we were
14:15 --> 14:17talking about how you didn't really
14:17 --> 14:19want to go through chemotherapy,
14:19 --> 14:22but you went through chemotherapy.
14:22 --> 14:25And you had mentioned that you
14:25 --> 14:28really didn't want to lose your hair.
14:28 --> 14:30Did you lose your hair and
14:30 --> 14:31what was that like?
14:32 --> 14:34Well, since I've pretty much
14:34 --> 14:37figured it was inevitable that I
14:37 --> 14:39was going to lose my hair, I'm like,
14:39 --> 14:41OK, so I'm going to be prepared.
14:41 --> 14:43So I did do some research on that,
14:43 --> 14:47and I found this company online where
14:47 --> 14:50they actually come to your house.
14:50 --> 14:52You send them a picture of what you
14:52 --> 14:55look like with her and they come to
14:55 --> 14:57your house and they bring you up.
14:57 --> 15:00Assortment of wigs that will fit
15:00 --> 15:03your look an you can try them on
15:03 --> 15:06and they will do a little cut and
15:06 --> 15:08make them you know so that it fits
15:08 --> 15:10your face and this amazing.
15:10 --> 15:12Within a week I had an appointment
15:12 --> 15:15and because OK so I knew when I
15:15 --> 15:17was starting chemo so I knew I had
15:17 --> 15:19about three weeks until I actually
15:19 --> 15:21needed to be prepared for this.
15:21 --> 15:24And uhm, so this amazing girl comes and
15:24 --> 15:29she has everything and she makes up.
15:29 --> 15:31Very scary.
15:31 --> 15:34Yeah thing yeah, I mean very,
15:34 --> 15:37you know, scary reality.
15:37 --> 15:40UM, kind of fun and you know we
15:40 --> 15:42tried on all these wigs and I
15:42 --> 15:44actually try it on a blonde wig.
15:44 --> 15:47And like you know so I did pick
15:47 --> 15:50out a wig and I was very fortunate
15:50 --> 15:54because my insurance didn't cover it.
15:54 --> 15:54And uhm,
15:54 --> 15:58I was able to actually keep it so I
15:58 --> 16:01had it with me. So I was prepared.
16:01 --> 16:02So and.
16:02 --> 16:02Oh, really,
16:02 --> 16:05what I will say is that wig is a
16:05 --> 16:09safety net and it gets you over the hurdle.
16:09 --> 16:14So I did start chemo and as promised
16:14 --> 16:19within I think it was about 19 days,
16:19 --> 16:22uhm, maybe 17 days.
16:22 --> 16:24It started to, you know,
16:24 --> 16:27more strands were coming out and
16:27 --> 16:29I remember I had a lunch date
16:29 --> 16:30which was kind of unusual,
16:30 --> 16:32but it was with family.
16:32 --> 16:35And somebody was leaving to go to Florida,
16:35 --> 16:38and she was actually my sister in
16:38 --> 16:40law who also was going through
16:40 --> 16:43cancer and she had multiple myeloma,
16:43 --> 16:46so very different.
16:46 --> 16:50But I remember being in the shower
16:50 --> 16:54and the hair was just coming out in
16:54 --> 16:57clumps and it just wouldn't stop.
16:57 --> 16:59And I was just looking on the floor
16:59 --> 17:01and I'm like I almost looked like
17:01 --> 17:03I had a wig on the floor that was
17:03 --> 17:05it was just that much hair and
17:05 --> 17:08I was just like Oh my God.
17:08 --> 17:11And I remember I got out of
17:11 --> 17:13the shower and I said.
17:13 --> 17:15It kind of looked like Gollum
17:15 --> 17:18from Lord of the Rings.
17:18 --> 17:20I had all these matches and this like
17:20 --> 17:22kind of long strands and I'm like
17:22 --> 17:26Oh my God. And I'm like,
17:26 --> 17:28OK, we're gonna put that wig
17:28 --> 17:32on and I put the wig on.
17:32 --> 17:35I got dressed and I went to lunch
17:35 --> 17:38and let me tell you that wig looked
17:38 --> 17:40so good nobody had any clue that
17:40 --> 17:43I lost that it was a wig and I
17:43 --> 17:44think I did tell them and they
17:44 --> 17:46were pretty much in shock because
17:46 --> 17:47it just looked like my real hair.
17:49 --> 17:50So it gets you
17:50 --> 17:54over that hurdle of being out in public,
17:54 --> 17:58because what I will say is.
17:58 --> 18:02Once when you have cancer.
18:02 --> 18:03You can talk about it with
18:03 --> 18:04people if you want, but
18:04 --> 18:06you don't have to talk about
18:06 --> 18:06it because nobody knows
18:07 --> 18:08you walk around like a regular person.
18:08 --> 18:10Nobody knows you have cancer.
18:10 --> 18:13But once you lose your hair.
18:13 --> 18:15You instantly become the poster
18:15 --> 18:17child for cancer, unfortunately,
18:17 --> 18:20and that's when everybody starts to
18:20 --> 18:23look at you and they can't help it.
18:23 --> 18:24You know it's not their fault,
18:24 --> 18:26they just see somebody with no
18:26 --> 18:30hair and you immediately know not
18:30 --> 18:3299% sure that she's, you know,
18:32 --> 18:33has cancer and she's going through chemo
18:34 --> 18:36and people can't help
18:36 --> 18:38it, but they try to not look and
18:38 --> 18:40they look and you can see the
18:40 --> 18:41whatever you see on their face.
18:41 --> 18:43Whether it's pity whether it's sadness.
18:43 --> 18:46Whether it's whatever it is,
18:46 --> 18:50yeah, you don't want to see that.
18:50 --> 18:55Once you lose your hair, the veil is lifted.
18:55 --> 18:58And you can't hide anymore and you
18:58 --> 19:03have to deal with it, and that's hard.
19:03 --> 19:06So I will say that the wink
19:06 --> 19:09definitely gets you over that hurdle.
19:09 --> 19:12And I didn't need to wear the weight like
19:12 --> 19:16I got over that hurdle, I'm gonna say.
19:16 --> 19:17Like on another.
19:17 --> 19:21Street that I wasn't prepared for was chemo.
19:21 --> 19:23Put me right into menopause.
19:23 --> 19:25Yeah, and let me tell you,
19:25 --> 19:27the hot flashes started and it
19:27 --> 19:30was like I was going to combust.
19:30 --> 19:33I mean, my husband would be sitting
19:33 --> 19:35next to me and he's like Oh my God,
19:35 --> 19:38you're like a furnace.
19:38 --> 19:39The heat?
19:39 --> 19:42Would just start up from your torso
19:42 --> 19:45and it would literally like you or
19:45 --> 19:48a volcano and it would come through
19:48 --> 19:50'cause it wanted to escape and it would
19:50 --> 19:52escape through the top of your head
19:52 --> 19:56and by wearing a wig it trapped the
19:56 --> 19:59heat so it became very uncomfortable.
19:59 --> 20:02So what I started to resort to was
20:02 --> 20:05hats and having really not been a hat
20:05 --> 20:07person hats became my best friend
20:07 --> 20:11so I did transition from wig to hat.
20:11 --> 20:13But I will say that the wigs
20:13 --> 20:15did get me over the hurdle.
20:15 --> 20:16A very funny story.
20:16 --> 20:18So I got this blonde wig
20:18 --> 20:20and it was this long hair.
20:20 --> 20:23It almost looked like Taylor Swift type hair.
20:23 --> 20:26I am big like long blonde
20:26 --> 20:28hair and I was like it was
20:28 --> 20:30one night and my husband and I were
20:30 --> 20:32going to go out to dinner and I'm like
20:32 --> 20:35I'm going to wear the blonde wig so.
20:35 --> 20:38Blonde wig and I look like a different
20:38 --> 20:40person and but it's kind of fun. You know?
20:40 --> 20:43So yeah, if we go we have dinner and
20:43 --> 20:45it's early so that we decide to go to a
20:45 --> 20:47local restaurant and we're just sitting
20:47 --> 20:49at the bar having a glass of wine.
20:49 --> 20:52And I see neighbors and now
20:52 --> 20:53they don't know what's going on.
20:53 --> 20:55They don't know I have cancer,
20:55 --> 20:57they don't know I have chemo but they see
20:57 --> 21:00this woman sitting with Jim at the
21:00 --> 21:03bar with long blonde hair. I like it,
21:03 --> 21:05just see them looking at each other and
21:05 --> 21:07I go to gym. They think
21:07 --> 21:08you're with a mistress.
21:10 --> 21:13And so I walk, I walk over and I
21:13 --> 21:16said. Don't worry, it's really me.
21:18 --> 21:20You gotta, you gotta keep your
21:20 --> 21:21sense of humor. I wear all this
21:21 --> 21:24stuff because you gotta laugh,
21:24 --> 21:26laugh is therapy. We have
21:26 --> 21:28to laugh throughout this
21:28 --> 21:31uhm yes hair does grow back.
21:31 --> 21:34It does take awhile it's a very
21:34 --> 21:37long time for it to grow back.
21:37 --> 21:40But it does. So I I will say that.
21:40 --> 21:41But as a cancer person just
21:41 --> 21:44don't say that to somebody.
21:44 --> 21:47'cause yeah I know you know it's just hard.
21:47 --> 21:50Yeah. So yeah, so that was my,
21:50 --> 21:53that's my wig story up.
21:53 --> 21:58So you get through chemo and.
21:58 --> 22:01With you know menopause and hair loss,
22:01 --> 22:03and presumably a little bit of
22:03 --> 22:05nausea and vomiting as well.
22:05 --> 22:08None, none fantastic.
22:08 --> 22:10So yeah, I took my
22:10 --> 22:13I took my anti nausea medicine like
22:13 --> 22:16religiously. I never got sick.
22:16 --> 22:19Had I'm going to say I had.
22:19 --> 22:23Maybe three bad days, UM,
22:23 --> 22:26made working during this time as well or no.
22:26 --> 22:27I worked the whole time.
22:27 --> 22:29I was really fortunate I was
22:29 --> 22:30allowed to work from home,
22:30 --> 22:34so I did work from home and I was able
22:34 --> 22:37to finally return back to the gym.
22:37 --> 22:40And by the time I did return back to the gym,
22:40 --> 22:42I had lost my hair.
22:42 --> 22:46So I will say walking into
22:46 --> 22:49the gym the first day.
22:49 --> 22:51I didn't have any hair.
22:51 --> 22:54I had a hat on and I had on,
22:54 --> 22:56you know your hats don't really fit
22:56 --> 22:57your head once you lose your hair.
22:57 --> 23:00So I needed to like figure out a way to
23:00 --> 23:01keep this hat on my head without it.
23:01 --> 23:03Like kind of moving all over the place.
23:03 --> 23:04So I had this
23:04 --> 23:06like I looked like karate kid I had
23:06 --> 23:08like this headband on and it was like
23:08 --> 23:10it was like in high tide it in the
23:10 --> 23:12back and it like had like this long.
23:12 --> 23:12It was kind of long
23:13 --> 23:14so it came down to like the middle
23:14 --> 23:17of my back and of course I'm pretty
23:17 --> 23:18self-conscious walking in but.
23:18 --> 23:21Those people were like my family.
23:21 --> 23:23I mean those people.
23:23 --> 23:27Got me through when I talk about
23:27 --> 23:30support system there is nothing
23:30 --> 23:32I I call those people my third
23:32 --> 23:34family because they were the
23:34 --> 23:37ones that texted me every day.
23:37 --> 23:39They came over with dinner.
23:39 --> 23:41They came over for dinner.
23:41 --> 23:43They made a enormous basket for me
23:43 --> 23:46before I started my surgery and and
23:46 --> 23:49chemo treatment with all kinds of
23:49 --> 23:52goodies and in it was this blanket and
23:52 --> 23:54I used to say that blanket was my surgery.
23:54 --> 23:56Blanket or my therapy blanket because
23:56 --> 23:58every time I wasn't feeling well,
23:58 --> 23:59I came home.
23:59 --> 24:00I grabbed that blanket.
24:00 --> 24:02My cat immediately knew.
24:02 --> 24:04OK, that's the blanket that she
24:04 --> 24:05needs when she's not feeling well.
24:05 --> 24:07So I gotta go to work.
24:07 --> 24:09So as soon as I would sit down on the couch,
24:09 --> 24:10I put my blanket out.
24:10 --> 24:12That cat would come up in my lap and
24:12 --> 24:14she would just start to do her little
24:14 --> 24:16her little therapy because she said,
24:16 --> 24:16oh
24:17 --> 24:18they just know they know when
24:18 --> 24:20you need help when when I lost
24:20 --> 24:23my hair my one cat literally slept
24:23 --> 24:25head-to-head. So it was like he
24:25 --> 24:27realized something wasn't quite
24:27 --> 24:28right since I had no hair and he
24:28 --> 24:30felt like he needed to heal me.
24:30 --> 24:32So he slept with his head against my head
24:32 --> 24:34and I remember Jim taking a picture of me
24:34 --> 24:36'cause he's like you just looked so cute.
24:37 --> 24:39But going back, it's those
24:39 --> 24:42people. Those people were like
24:42 --> 24:45my family and I would say.
24:46 --> 24:47I don't care how
24:47 --> 24:49bad I feel and let me tell you,
24:49 --> 24:51there were days that I know I walked
24:51 --> 24:53into that room and I was green and I had
24:53 --> 24:55no business being in that room 'cause I
24:55 --> 24:59certainly wasn't up to a workout but.
24:59 --> 25:02That energy is so healing we talk about
25:02 --> 25:06energy in a group and we talk about
25:06 --> 25:08people's aura and like you always say,
25:08 --> 25:10oh, that person has really good energy.
25:10 --> 25:12I like being around that person.
25:12 --> 25:15Well, we all emit an energy and the
25:15 --> 25:19energy is so therapeutic because I
25:19 --> 25:21used to say to people you know you
25:21 --> 25:23didn't need to say a word to me.
25:23 --> 25:25You were healing me just by being in
25:25 --> 25:27that room and you were sending me all
25:27 --> 25:29that positive energy and I was feeling it.
25:29 --> 25:32And I was getting better just being
25:32 --> 25:35in the room made me feel like OK.
25:35 --> 25:38I've got a little bit of normal
25:38 --> 25:41back in my life and yeah
25:41 --> 25:44they are. There were days I had a really,
25:44 --> 25:45you know not a great workout.
25:45 --> 25:49But you know what I walked out of
25:49 --> 25:54there feeling. Amazing because.
25:54 --> 25:57I was in that energy I was in that
25:57 --> 26:00healing space and it's so important it's
26:00 --> 26:02so important to not isolate yourself.
26:04 --> 26:09Yeah, so and then UM after chemo?
26:09 --> 26:11Did you go through radiation?
26:14 --> 26:20Yes. I'm going to say I did worse
26:20 --> 26:23with radiation than I did with chemo.
26:23 --> 26:30Uhm, radiation was really, it wasn't.
26:30 --> 26:32It I was I was I I kind of
26:32 --> 26:33felt like a burn victim.
26:33 --> 26:38My skin is very fair uhm I did need
26:38 --> 26:42to go for five weeks of radiation
26:42 --> 26:47and then my upper body was very
26:47 --> 26:50you know it starts out OK but by
26:50 --> 26:53week four is when I really started
26:53 --> 26:56to get some some pretty severe
26:56 --> 27:00burn and I could no longer do.
27:00 --> 27:02My normal workout because I really
27:02 --> 27:03couldn't move my upper body.
27:03 --> 27:07The burns it was just painful so I started
27:07 --> 27:10to spin, which I always said I hated.
27:11 --> 27:12But you know what I could?
27:12 --> 27:13Hey, I could be in that energy.
27:13 --> 27:15I could be in the room
27:15 --> 27:17and I could I could pedal.
27:17 --> 27:19So that's what I did.
27:19 --> 27:21I started a pedal.
27:21 --> 27:24So I found a new group of people,
27:24 --> 27:27same gym but new group of people,
27:27 --> 27:31new group of energy and again the
27:31 --> 27:33healing just continued because.
27:33 --> 27:36Positive in positive out.
27:37 --> 27:39Yeah and at the end of the day
27:39 --> 27:42I mean in the last 30 seconds
27:42 --> 27:44or so that we have, you know,
27:44 --> 27:47I think what's critical is that
27:47 --> 27:50seven years later you're doing great.
27:50 --> 27:53I mean, you got through the
27:53 --> 27:55diagnosis you got through surgery.
27:56 --> 27:58You got through chemotherapy.
27:58 --> 28:00You got through radiation,
28:00 --> 28:03and you've kept up this positive energy.
28:03 --> 28:05You've kept up your fitness.
28:05 --> 28:07What's the one message that you
28:07 --> 28:09want to make sure everybody knows?
28:09 --> 28:10In our last 10 seconds?
28:11 --> 28:14Oh boy. What I will say is the me.
28:14 --> 28:17I know the biggest thing is that.
28:17 --> 28:20No matter how bad the
28:20 --> 28:23cards you have been dealt.
28:23 --> 28:26And I have been dealt worse since cancer,
28:26 --> 28:31so I can say this. Whole heartedly.
28:31 --> 28:34There are always Silver Linings
28:35 --> 28:38Claudine Maury is a breast cancer survivor.
28:38 --> 28:40If you have questions the 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 --> 28:53learn more about the fight against cancer
28:53 --> 28:54here on Connecticut Public radio funding
28:54 --> 28:56for Yale Cancer Answers is provided by
28:56 --> 29:00Smilow Cancer Hospital and Astra Zeneca.

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November 14, 2021

Yale Cancer Center

visit: http://www.yalecancercenter.org

email: canceranswers@yale.edu

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