Transcription:
The "C" Word, Community not Cancer: Shane's Journey

Scott Intro: Welcome to Conversations On Cancer, brought to you by the Riverside Cancer Institute. Providing answers, debunking myths, and sharing patient stories.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): Welcome back to Conversation On Cancer brought to you by the Riverside Cancer Institute. I'm Dr. Basha. I'm a medical oncologist and hematologist at the Riverside Cancer Institute. Today's episode will be part of the "C" Word, Community not Cancer!

This is a series that I tried to establish last year. And basically, what I wanted to do was get people together, be able to talk about their experience, dealing with cancer and knowing that there's community around them. This was especially true as the pandemic was keeping us from getting people together and knowing what they were going through and making sure that they weren't feeling alone. So I thought one of the best ways to deal with it is have people get together, talk about what they experienced, let them tell their stories and share and to have a great community.

So I'd like to introduce you to a patient named Shane. Shane was diagnosed a few years ago with a cancer, and he'll talk about what he had. He is a local police officer, a Sheriff's deputy actually in Iroquois County. Wonderful person with a wonderful story behind him. He's dealt with multiple medical issues and done it really well and is willing to share his story with us today. So, Shane, how are you today?

Shane Eads: Doing well, sir.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): Good, good. I'm glad to have you on this. And basically, Shane, the idea of this whole series is for you to tell us about how you dealt with the cancer, what experiences you felt, what got you through this and what may help other people?

Shane Eads: Sure. Whatever I can do.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): It's free willing. So go ahead.

Shane Eads: So my story began, it would've been the spring of 2020. I had discovered a small pea-sized lump on the left side of my jaw bone. I wasn't terribly concerned at first. And then about eight, maybe twelve weeks later, I believe I was exposed to some type of mold. Maybe this was the trigger mechanism, maybe it was unrelated, but it became the size of a walnut in less than a week. That's when I reached out to my primary doctor. He was concerned and made arrangements for a biopsy to be completed. Once that was done, met with him again and he confirmed our suspicion, I suppose, that it was a high-grade cancer and on further testing revealed it was non-B-cell lymphoma. I was officially diagnosed on a Thursday and then, on the following Tuesday, met with Dr. Basha.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): What was your experience by getting diagnosed, Shane?

Shane Eads: The experience, quite honestly, that spell between Thursday and the following Tuesday, was horrific. Not knowing what the prognosis was, not knowing details concerning treatment, really not knowing anything. My primary doctor kept it very vague and really the only information was if you've got it in that one spot, you've likely got it throughout your body. So the coming days, they were very difficult. Not knowing what the future was going to hold. If it was terminal, if whatever it was going to be, we just simply didn't have the information. So I was, if you will, talked down off of a ledge by a friend who has a medical background who went through cancer herself. That was extremely helpful. Leading up to the initial meeting with Dr. Basha. We then reviewed what we knew at that point. And he assured me that this was something that was very treatable and he assured me that this is something that I could handle. And then, we proceeded with the course of treatment.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): Okay. And so you started treatment. Kind of tell us your story about how things progressed for you, how you dealt with things. What were your coping mechanisms?

Shane Eads: Okay. The treatment we started on a Friday. And that was a very, very long session. We began, I believe, it was at 9:00 AM and I think I walked out the door about 6:30, 6:45 that evening after some minor complications, an allergic reaction. And it was just the first session, I suppose. Then, I came back in every third Friday following that. The first treatment and subsequent three weeks in between wasn't the best. I guess it would just be chalked up to my body responding to the chemotherapy treatment.

It was seven days after the first treatment, quite honestly, I was feeling very poorly. And there was a scheduled checkup with Dr. Basha. My blood pressure that day was 70/40 and we deemed it was a lot to do with being dehydrated. I got an IV, that made a world of difference. And going forward, I just made sure that even though I thought I was drinking enough water to make sure my water intake was at least a half a gallon a day.

With that said, following the first treatment, that first three weeks, I thought that went relatively decent. The subsequent treatments, every span of three weeks, there was always a little twist that was a bit different from the previous. By that, I mean that really affected my digestion. I remember having difficulty with eating. Sometimes I was extremely hungry and the meals didn't agree with me. Even though your body is telling you that you're hungry and you need to eat, the physical sensation after eating was not the most favorable thing. Then, there became issues with bowel movements. Those became especially toward the end of the cycle. My bowel movements were quite painful at times due to constipation, other factors with that.

But during treatment or, if you will, in between the treatments, the three weeks in between, there was always the downward descent following the most recent session. And that was usually on the following Friday ,Saturday, Sunday. So seven, eight, nine days after the chemotherapy treatment is when I would bottom out. And then, there would be the slow ascent back up the hill, and then continued to get better and feel better. Then, we get to the next two or three week-mark for our next session and repeat that again.

Other things that were factors, sleeping was a bit of a challenge. The emotions, there were times emotionally I would just come unhinged. I couldn't keep my emotions in check. That was very frustrating. I think about halfway through is when Dr. Basha discussed with me different symptoms and asked me if I had anything regarding I believe it was called chemo fog. And I could relate to that as he explained that to me. There were days, not a 24-hour span, but throughout the day where I had quite the difficulty in concentrating, maintaining focus on work on whatever it might be, a task at hand. It was just difficult to maintain your normal concentration level and there was no real reason for it other than must have been a side effect to the chemotherapy. That was very frustrating at times.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): What got you through all these difficulties?

Shane Eads: It's very important to have a nucleus around you to support you. My wife was the biggest factor in my support because she was here and she saw me and she had to live with me. And I know that was difficult on her and she was very, very supportive, loving, caring throughout the entire process. That was very important. Friends would reach out and just to check in, if it was a five-minute or a 15 or 20-minute conversation, just to let you know, "Hey, you're still in our thoughts and prayers. Just hang in there."

Another thing was, even though it was difficult, I tried to maintain my work schedule and minus one day I was able to work that entire duration of treatment. And I say that was important because it kept me scheduled and gave me that sense of purpose to keep moving forward and not lay around the house and honestly, just feel sorry for myself. Now, I'm not saying that every day I went to work, I maybe should have been there at times. Physically, I was not in a good place at bad times. You had to force yourself to muster through it.

Then, you know, there were come the other side effects to it. Of course, the loss of hair, and I knew that was coming. And honestly, that was not a big deal to me, because I'm already bald, so that doesn't make much difference. So I will say though, at the end, when I had lost all of my facial hair, that was a little unnerving to see myself looking the way I did, but I knew it was going to be short term, and it was.

Another factor, now that I'm thinking about it, my fingernails and toenails became very, very soft. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it's one of those things you take for granted just in daily tasks and maybe small chores, not being able to use your fingernails. Then later, my toenails, specifically my big toenails, those fell off.

Once everything was completed, that's when I had some neuropathy set into my feet and that still haunts me today. It's not terrible by any stretch compared to some people. It's just something that kind of nags at you. Let's you know, remind you that it's there. It's not life-altering or day-to-day game-changing.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): After you've finished all the treatment and we got through everything, tell us how things have been since.

Shane Eads: After the sixth and final treatment. Of course, I had that downhill slide and then the recovery. And that one was probably the slowest yet. Once I got through that first month, then I could feel that my body was starting to return. I've always been into weightlifting and after my back stuff for a second, my last treatment was October 23rd of 2020, and then it was the week leading up to Thanksgiving is when they neuropathy set into my feet. And then, I believe it was around Christmas is when Dr. Basha said, "Okay. Why don't you slowly start getting back into your exercise?" That was a good step for me. But it was also very, very, very humbling. because most of my strength was gone. And that was something else, now that I'm thinking about it, the whole process from the point of being diagnosed until the completion of chemotherapy, if there's anything that will humble you, this certainly was. I've always felt physically pretty good, mentally, fairly strong person. But once I received this news, and I don't know if there's anything else that could be more sobering or more humbling than this type of process.

Then once I got through the first of the year, that's when things really started to feel like I was gaining traction. My digestion, that cleared up within the first six weeks. I was back to normal with my digestive track, the exercise and the daily routine of work that came around within 10 to 12 weeks of completion, like I was definitely back on track.

But you have to be patient I found through that, because your body went through quite an ordeal. And also when I went through this entire process, I was age 48, so not old, but I wasn't a spring chicken. So I had to learn to be patient and understand that the body needs time to recover. And even though you want to press forward and do more, you have to be patient with it. It did take a while for my emotions to get realigned because, for whatever reason, again, I made mention of it, but there were times I would just sit down and I feel just overwhelming, emotional outburst, I guess, if you will. That took some time to subside. The chemo fog, that also took some time to completely subside. But the big thing was just keeping a positive mindset and keep pushing forward. That was very important.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): All right. Thank you for sharing all of this. If you were to give advice to someone who was suddenly diagnosed out of the blue, like you were, what few words could you tell them to give them hope and give them support? Give them advice.

Shane Eads: First of all, it would be be patient in the beginning and know that you need to have as much information before you can do anything. I made mention before, I was diagnosed on a Thursday. I didn't meet with Dr. Basha until the following Tuesday. That was very difficult, very difficult. That might've been the hardest part of the entire process to be honest. And I'm not sure what can be done in between that timeframe when you are initially diagnosed and then when you finally sit down and meet with your oncologist, that's huge. But be patient and know that it is a process just to get to the point of treatment between biopsies, scans, collecting all that information and then formulating the game plan as to how you're going to be treated.

Then, have an open mind and don't be afraid to ask questions. That was another thing, was asking questions. By that, I mean, even through the process. There were certain things that I felt that I had to just basically suffer through. I actually forgot one of the more painful things is the mouth ulcers that I developed about, I believe, that was the third session. Those became very problematic. I mean, I couldn't eat. Swallowing was manageable, but eating was very painful. I didn't ask the right questions. I didn't reach out. And then once I did, I found that there are some steps that can be taken to help you to get through that and that made a big difference. So, be willing to ask those questions and trust the healthcare professionals. I was blessed with great nurses and a great doctor. And once I accepted that, one, I couldn't do this on my own and, two, I needed more information, the only way to get there was to ask questions. Those are probably the most important things in my mind going into it.

And then once you're involved, I made mention of your support system, that nucleus of people. I pray that everybody has that type of support around them that I did. I made mention my wife. Again, she was here with me through everything, but then I had extended family that were very helpful. That's important. And I made mention of just work, but some sense of purpose to keep you getting up in the mornings and pushing forward, because the treatment of chemotherapy is going to drag a person down, and you need that sense of purpose to keep grinding and keep moving forward because it's easy to sit back and start feeling sorry for yourself and not want to get up in the morning and not want to really partake in life, especially once the other side effects set in and it just complicates your mindset of trying to move forward with the whole process.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): I appreciate all that you've talked about today, Shane. I think that'll be really helpful for many people. I mean, if I could summarize a little bit, basically have some patience, know that it's scary, but have some patience. Know the questions you want to ask and feel free to ask them and don't withdraw from it. Have someone around to support you. Look for somebody, try to create community where you can. And then, create structure around your life, so they can get through all of this. That's what helped get you through, right?

Shane Eads: Absolutely.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): You have been a great help today, Shane. I really appreciate all that you've been through and your willingness to share it all. And, for the audience, you know, Shane was an amazing patient to have. I love taking care of him. He was a joy, even when he was miserable. But it all comes down to being open to share his experience and gain more from it, both while he was going through treatment and now as he's sharing it with all of you. So I appreciate you, Shane. Thank you so much.

Shane Eads: Oh, anytime. If I can be of help going forward, you can contact me anytime.

Dr Ashan Basha (Host): Thank you. So to our audience, I like to thank you today for joining us in this podcast on this special series, "C" Word, Community not Cancer! I hope we make this a regular feature of our podcast series and I look forward to sharing more time with you. Thank you.