Talk Shows and Stories : Featured Talk Shows : Breast cancer survivors (Mandarin-language show)

Breast Cancer Survivors

(English translation of Mandarin-language show)

Host: Virginia Mei
Guests:	Su Ti Chang (Su Ti)	Dale Chu (Dale)	Teresa Li (Teresa)	Hui Huang (Hui)

Welcome and Participant Introductions

Welcome and Participant Introductions  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
Hello, I am Virginia, also called Mrs. Mei. Now I welcome all of you to come to the American Cancer Society Cancer Survivors Network. I am the host for today. Today I have invited four women. They are our cancer friends, in Northern California Bay areas, they all live in northern California. All of our show today is in Mandarin. We will discuss our cancer experiences, and other topics that we've found interesting.

Because I am a cancer patient also, I would like to discuss experiences and share stories with everyone on our show today. Now before we start, I would like to introduce our guests:

Our first guest is Hui Huang (Hui). She has breast cancer. She was diagnosed in 1999. She is 50 years old and has one son. She is very brave. Also she has many insights, and feels that one needs to be relaxed, and learn about the diet. She is taking good care of herself.

The second guest is Dale, Dale is an accountant, and she is quite something. She now pays a lot of attention to her diet. After she had cancer, she noticed how to reduce recurrence. We all want to know, want to listen to her experience.

The third guest is Teresa. She's 49 years old. She has breast cancer and also lives in California. Her illness was detected in 1993. Also she was going for regular check ups. She had a recurrence in 1996, and had chemotherapy and radiation. Though still taking medication, she is very, very positive, which is quite remarkable.

The last guest is the one I admire most. This is Su Ti and she is 41 years old. She is also a social worker. She is very brave. She has breast cancer. She detected breast cancer in 1995, but after her surgery, she found out that her cancer had recurred in 98' and 2000. She lives with a son, who is 9 years old. She has experienced many treatments, and is very brave. She has also received lots of support. So I admire her very, very much. Her health isn't too good, but now she is very willing, and very brave to join our discussion program today. So for now I will briefly introduce our discussion topics.

Today we want to discuss how to overcome fear of treatment. Because we go through many chemotherapy and radiation treatments, it is very hard for us. Even before treatment, it is scary just to hear about them from other people. And how do we change our relationship with the others. Or, when we are sick, how to seek help from the others. And how do we adjust our life styles and diet, etc. Finally, how do we deal with the recurrence. So I hope that we discuss these topics and learn from these discussions.

Now, I invite Hui to introduce your situation, would you?

Hui:
Yes, thank you. I am Hui Huang. I found out about this breast cancer in November 1999. Basically it wasn't very obvious. Because I had a mammogram in April 1994, I was very relieved. However in October 1999, while I was taking a bath, I touched and found it. Then I went to see a doctor because I felt pain when I touched it. According to common knowledge it is thought that pain is a good thing, If it were cancer, it would not hurt. My case had proven that this concept was incorrect. After I touched it, I took "antibiotic" (English) for ten days. After taking antibiotic…

VIRGINIA:
It is antibiotic. (in Chinese)

HUI:
Ai, it did not hurt anymore.

VIRGINIA:
You thought it was an infection, didn't you?

HUI:
Yes, yes. Also that firm mass was not on the breast, it was under my armpit. They called it " cancer of Mamma Accessory". But that lump was still remaining in that place. It was for sure English. That was a mass, it was a growth, not a part of my body. After that the doctor said since it did not hurt, we could wait for a few months then decide. Then I asked him, "What if it is still there after a few months?" He said," then take it out." I said I believed it would not go away. And then I requested to have it removed right away. After it was taken out, we had discovered, basically it was third stage cancer, because its size was already as big as a half of a banana. It had already grown in. That doctor is a good doctor. So basically I felt you know your own body. Because a doctor estimates your condition based on some kind of theory, but you really know yourself.

VIRGINIA:
But you are very good; you did yourself a big favor. Very good, thank you.

HUI:
So one should be alert.

VIRGINIA:
Next, we invite Dale, please briefly describe your condition.

DALE:
Fine. I am Dale. I was diagnosed in February 1993. I also found it myself. However I had found it by accident. Because when I bumped into the corner of a wall, it hit right at that spot and I felt pain. Then I discovered, when I touched it, there was that thing inside. During that time, I thought the pain was caused by hitting the wall., It became swollen. But after a few days, the pain subsided gradually, but the lump still remained there, and then I was watching it everyday, after one week.

VIRGINIA:
Observation.

DALE:
Yes. And then later on suddenly I became aware that this lump seemed to grow bigger compared to the first time when I bumped into the wall. But I wasn't sure, and my feeling was, I felt it was bigger. So I called the doctor immediately, set up an appointment the next day.

VIRGINIA:
Right, you were very alert.

DALE:
So it was detected. It turned out that it was breast cancer.

VIRGINIA:
After you became ill, did you pay much attention to your diet?

DALE:
Yes, yes. Because in the beginning the doctor talked to me, told me that I needed to "block" or to decrease my hormone. He told me not to eat those foods that have lots of hormone. So I start basically from fish. I did it gradually, tried my best to eat whatever was good for me. Of course they had to be balanced. I could not be picky. At the same time, those foods that were not good for me, if I could give them up without bad consequences, I would rather give them up.

VIRGINIA:
Even though you like them, but you can stay away. Thank you. All right, let's invite our third guest Teresa, shall we?

TERESA:
Ai, I am Teresa. Yes, I needed to do a mammogram in late 1993. It showed in the picture. It did not appear to be too big in the picture. I felt that after I had it removed, that might solve the problem. Two years later in 1996, I discovered two lumps grew above and below the old incision scar. We also did a bone scan. It seems to indicate that it had spread to the head, the bone. So it did frighten me this time. Because the first time, between 93' and 96', I had not done any chemo.

VIRGINIA:
Chemotherapy….

TERESA:
One prevention measure, is to remove it totally. After recurrence, I understood that it really was a big threat to life. So the past few years I decided to spend some time and pay attention to prevent its recurrence. So at this time, I feel one should spend some thoughts to all different aspects such as diet, exercise, Qi Gung, and the spiritual side.

VIRGINIA:
Treat yourself well.

TERESA:
That's right, that's right. Yes, because this cancer is very frightening. It is easy to invite it in but difficult to send it away, very, very difficult. So you must be careful all the time..

VIRGINIA:
Yes, yes, yes. We have learned a very important lesson from this experience, treat yourself better.

TERESA:
Yes.

VIRGINIA:
Fine. Next we will invite Su Ti, to tell us her story, shall we?

SU TI:
Fine. I am Su Ti. In 1994, I felt my breast swollen and painful. I went to see a doctor, but he said no problem. However, in 1995, I did a biopsy, and then it was detected. It was in third stage, and had spread to the lymph nodes. If it is in the lymph node, it is quite serious. And then I did chemotherapy and radiation. Then, stayed in remission for three years. But in 98', it recurred. Then I had a bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, and then, I toughed it out for a year and a half. Then last year, it happened again, so until now I am still under treatment.

VIRGINIA:
So you are quite remarkable. It must be very difficult, because you are still doing chemotherapy, aren't you?

SU TI:
Yes. Still continuing.

VIRGINIA:
During chemotherapy treatment, one's body energy is weaker. Thank you so much for being so courageous to join us in this program today.

The Importance of a Good Diet

The Importance of a Good Diet  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
I think we had just mentioned a lot about diet, because I know, usually whatever we like to eat, we will keep eating those foods, won't we? That is normal for all of us. But after we get sick, we discover that there may be some foods are not good for us, or are especially good for us. Hui, you pay a lot of attention to this, can you introduce them?

HUI:
Fine. I am Hui Huang. Basically, I believe that whoever has been ill should be very careful about their diet. Actually the principle is quite simple. It is better for you to eat foods without pesticide, without injecting this thing called hormones. Actually this concept is easier to learn, but to learn how to eat by eating vegetables first. Actually this is very important. In the beginning, after I got sick, I went to look for a dietician. Actually I was not looking for dietician, it was a dietician who found me. He said: "Do you know what to eat?" I said for 50 years, I had been feeding myself well, how would I not know what to eat. But in fact, you do need to spend some time, there are many nutrition books in the room. I believe that if you ask your friends for advice, many people have this kind of knowledge. That information is not too hard to get. Your diet really has to be healthy things, clean things. Your food is the most important…

VIRGINIA:
Things that are not good to us, we better not eat them.

HUI:
I have been on diet for the past twenty, thirty years. But I feel now I feel "people are iron and rice is steel". When you run into dangerous situation, your body is the one that can support you. One should not go on diet carelessly.

VIRGINIA:
Do not go on diet carelessly, but we should not be excessively overweight.

HUI:
Yes, yes, yes. We must eat a healthy diet.

VIRGINIA:
But need to eat healthily.

HUI:
And people have a kind of instinct for surviving,. Just like for example, like myself. Before, I could drink twenty cups of coffee a day, that kind of habit. At that rate I could not get rid of it even if I wanted to, because I would have headaches, teary eyes. As soon as I found out that I had breast cancer, I knew I had to start being healthy. I did not take even one cup of coffee, no tears, and no headaches. So you must believe in your own strength.

VIRGINIA:
Good. I also want to hear Dale. Just then you had mentioned diet, you are very careful. What experience can you share with us?

DALE:
No, I eat very simple things, now.

VIRGINIA:
This is Dale.

DALE:
Yes, I am sorry. This is Dale. I eat very simple things.

VIRGINIA:
Ah, eat simple.

DALE:
Right. And then, the most important thing is to eat things that are natural. It is better not to eat processed food. Of course I am not saying that I would never eat them. In the beginning I would absolutely not eat them for quite a few years. And later, I touched them occasionally. Some things I wanted to eat. I would have a little bit, never too much. General speaking, it is quite simple. It is only occasionally. Not only should you eat very little processed foods, it is better to eat them only "occasionally". Natural things are better, and sometimes I eat them with their original tastes, eat them raw. If you can, better eat them raw. Then, of course vegetables and fruits are the best. They are high in fiber.

VIRGINIA:
Vegetables and fruits are the best.

DALE:
Right, and less oil. These are the basics.

DALE:
This depends. It might not be possible that I can do it totally, but I am trying.

VIRGINIA:
You are trying hard. You are doing your best to prevent the cancer from taking over your body.

DALE:
Right, right, right. Less oil, sweet stuff.

VIRGINIA:
Treat yourself well. This is very important. We thank everyone for sharing with us your many valuable experiences.

Keeping a Positive Attitude

Keeping a Positive Attitude  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
After we get sick, the first things we feel are sad, and afraid. How can we seek other people's support to help us overcome these emotions? Teresa, can you share your experiences?

TERESA:
Fine. One important way to fight against cancer is called the "strong will treatment."

TERESA:
You cannot be afraid of it. Because when you are afraid of it, cancer can come in easily. So your attitude must be such: the cancer cells and I are "absolutely impossible for co-existing." and then the cancer cells will have to back off. Because I feel people have tremendous strength. A strong will can increase immunity. And a lack of will can decrease immunity, and contribute to the cancer spreading. Besides many new traditional treatments are under research continually, there are many different kinds of alternative treatments as well. We know about the spiritual treatment. For instance, you throw away your worry, get rid of all stress, and when your heart becomes quiet and peaceful, that subconsciously can help to raise your immune system, and can evict the cancer cells. Besides, I feel that having a religious belief, or quiet meditation, or walking in the mountain freely, these are very good spiritual treatments. Taking a break is prepares one for a longer journey. Give yourself a break. This is what I think.

VIRGINIA:
Very good, thank you. And I know our Su Ti's experience was not easy. So I understand that emotionally, psychologically, in the aspect of emotions, you are especially very strong. How did you become so strong in this area?

SU TI:
I am Su Ti. I think everybody has a religious belief, or family, as support. I feel that my son gives me a lot of support, although he is still very young, but he always encourages me. He would say…

VIRGINIA:
He is very young?

SU TI:
Yea. He would say: "Mom, You must think positively, not negatively, then we can be very happy." Then I think, that's right, what the boy said makes sense. We will go day by day, not to say that I want to do this, I want to do that. It means during each day you can get up in the morning, your body feels fine, and then you are happy. And think about what to do tomorrow. Do not plan for a long time like before. Follow the English saying: "Live one day at a time."

VIRGINIA:
Live each day to the fullest.

SU TI:
Live each day to the fullest. I believe everyone will feel depressed after getting this disease, that depression, you must not push yourself into a death corner. Don't keep thinking about this disease.

VIRGINIA:
Don't sink into a death corner.

SU TI:
Right. Do not think that I would become like this, I would become like that, and you will be trapped in there, cannot escape.

VIRGINIA:
Don't feel that you cannot get out.

SU TI:
Right. Cannot get out. Sometimes go out to talk with friends. It is not necessary that they have anything to do with cancer, sometimes just like ordinary people, chatting together, and then go do something you like.

VIRGINIA:
Right, that's good. Does it mean not putting pressure on your self?

SU TI:
Yes. Spend a little more time with your family, live each day with them happily.

VIRGINIA:
This is very important. How do we deal with our family, such as improving our relationships, your advice would be very helpful.

SU TI:
Right, right. After I got sick, I have changed a lot. Before I was more impatient, and now, okay, fine. I will slow down, and not have high expectations.

VIRGINIA:
Not to expect too many things, not to stress out.

SU TI:
Right. Do not expect my husband to do this, children to do that. This will give myself much stress. It won't help my condition.

VIRGINIA:
Won't do you any good. Right, right, right. In this, we were just talking about, how do we find our own way to fight against cancer. I believe each of us has some good approaches.

The Importance of Support

The Importance of Support  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
Teresa, you said that you had experienced recurrence, but I think you are very good, you found a way to fight against it, didn't you?

TERESA:
Yeah. I am Teresa. I remember the first time when I had cancer. Especially the second time, that was when my life was threatened. At that time I was really scared, because I felt that the children were still young, and facing the path of death is a terrifying thing. I feel very lucky for having many good friends around me. They are my sick friends. We have a support group, and it is…

VIRGINIA:
Support group.

TERESA:
Right, support group. Now we have about fifty, sixty members. All four of us here are what we called "friends for living and die" *, good, good friends. So I think every day in our lives, basically there are many problems. And during many depressing times, this time, usually I would call my good friends, have a meal together, and I feel that our girls especially can share this heart felt journey among our sick friends. This kind of friendship helps me a lot.

VIRGINIA:
This is very helpful. This is a very good experience.

TERESA:
Generally speaking, I feel that we all are very strong and very brave. Basically my personality is not so brave, but I continue to travel on this path, getting much support. And, our support group is getting bigger and bigger. I have gained a lot from it. While you are giving, you will discover that the pleasure you gain is far more than what you have given.

VIRGINIA:
I believe Hui also has similar feelings. Hui, can you talk about it? How do you deal with your family or how do they take it? Everyone's family is also affected by it, aren't they?

HUI:
Yes. I am Hui. I have a fifteen-year old son. My family is simple. It is my husband and I, and a fifteen-year old son. When I found out about my illness, when I needed to do six to seven months of treatment, I told my husband, because he had to take business trips frequently, I said, "You better get all your business trips done soon. Until the sixth, seventh month, I want to be treated like an empress, and you will stay here. "

So he kept himself very busy in doing all the business trips, okay? Then, about my son, perhaps boys are different from girls. He does not show his emotions. He does not come to see you every day, looking at you, hanging around you. He really does not do that. I still went to work every day. In my office, my co-workers all brought food, very natural food treatment. We all studied how to eat, how to be healthier, that is, everyone kept me company. And I know Teresa very well. So often time we went out to have dinner or some things, because she is considered more senior. I am the newcomer. Once my son was really upset, and told me, and since I was ill, my world expanded very much. It turns out many people care about you, and show they care. Because usually, people do not show that much caring towards others.

VIRGINIA:
So many friends, so much caring…

HUI:
Right, right, right. Suddenly you discovered you had friends everywhere. And later, my son said, "Suddenly you became the center of the stage." Once while both of us were angry and arguing, because he is a teenager, he still had his problems, he said the most upsetting thing, that is, he felt that after I became ill I became a public figure. I was no longer his mother. He felt this should had been a family event. This is a family matter. Everywhere he went, people would ask, " How's your mom?" To him, it hurts a little. So I feel, sometimes you hear people say, everybody is supportive, or something like that. Actually my family has been very supportive, but when the approach was different, it just took me by surprise, that's all.

VIRGINIA:
Yes. That is not what we expect. Because when we care about a patient, often we ask her family, "How's your mom?" or things like that without thinking. He took it the other way. He might have felt that you always care about my mother but not I.

HUI:
Right. I feel caring is important, but somehow has its side effects.

VIRGINIA:
In addition, I want to ask other friends, for example, Dale, Can you talk a little bit about wanting our friends and relatives to care about us and how? What is the best way?

DALE:
This is Dale. Friends and relatives, actually to me, my life is relatively simple, because I am a single mother, raising two children. I am very lucky. My family is all here. My family has been very supportive. Not only that, even all my friends here are supportive too. I found out luckily, there were some people that I saw or talked to occasionally I did not feel she/he was my good friend. They were not someone I knew very well, these friends, but after they knew that I became ill, they often came over and took care of me. They even visited me. Even the ones that live further away, they called often, even called long distance. It surprised me. So I discovered that I am " living in fortune without realizing it" *. I appreciated all of these. And, just like what Hui said, after I became ill, my whole world expanded wider. In the past, my family was the focus of my life, with my parents, and my children, they kept me very busy.

After I recovered, I found out there were so many friends out there, the friends that I did not pay much attention to, they care about me so much. And I slowly became more open, and have more friends. Of course it also changed my life style. I have made lots of changes. Then I got involved with volunteer work. Suddenly, it even surprised my family. My kid was very surprised too. He said that I do not stay home after work all the time anymore. I am running around between two families. And I am very active. Saturday, Sunday, they are not spent at home. I do not care. I am busy too. I am having a good time.

VIRGINIA:
So you are very proactive, treating other people positively and people will treat you the same way. This is a good approach, isn't it?

DALE:
Yes, yes, yes.

VIRGINIA:
We were just thinking, How? How should people help us? What is to be considered most helpful or the best for us? First of all, we should be positive, very positive.

DALE:
However, I feel that if you are positive yourself, then, your environment also becomes positive. I think this is a feeling, like a magnetic field. What you are getting in return is all good stuff. I think it is completely an individual mindset. But if you completely put yourself in that good kind of very positive, very open position, things that you encounter will be very good.

VIRGINIA:
So we are doing our best to avoid those negatives, the most important ones such as sadness, worry, etc.

Overcoming the Fear of Recurrence

Overcoming the Fear of Recurrence  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
We were just talking about cancer patients. We are afraid of recurrence, aren't we? I had this cancer before, so I understand. This recurrence is very troublesome. This is very hard to avoid. I want to hear everyone's discussion. To discuss about how do we deal with the subject of recurrence?

HUI:
We invite the experienced one to speak first, the one with recurrence experience, like Teresa.

TERESA:
Here we have the greatest, the bravest patient who fights against cancer, Su Ti. Su Ti, would you please talk about your battle first?

VIRGINIA:
Su Ti, I want to hear Su Ti. Would you share with us, the subject of recurrence?

SU TI:
O.K. I am Su Ti. About recurrence, after my diagnosis, I had third stage cancer. Actually I was mentally prepared, because this disease is not that easy to treat, especially because I had detected it late, third stage. So but I had been happy in those three years before the recurrence. I Did my best to have fun, something like that. Later in 98' after the recurrence, it was detected because I had been doing follow ups regularly, had regular check ups with the doctor. Every six months, I went for the blood test, a kind of cancer rating test, and the cancer was detected by it. In April of 98', or in May, the test had shown that the cancer rate suddenly went up again. I went to do a complete check up, but couldn't find anything. Later on the doctor diagnosed it. It was detected in my neck, and there was a knot in the shoulder area. I went for a biopsy, and confirmed that the cancer cells had returned. So I went to have chemotherapy again, and then a bone marrow transplant, etc. Afterward, I continued to follow up, and I was using the cancer rating as a standard. Then last year, spring of 2000', I had continued testing, and did the cancer rating test again, the blood test. It was really high, and then I did a complete check up. The exam found out, oh, bone, and liver, they all had it, so it was followed up intensively.

VIRGINIA:
Intensive follow up is very important?

SU TI:
Yeah, because in my first time, it had been caught too late. So, now my follow up has become more pro-active.

VIRGINIA:
Very pro-active…

SU TI:
Very pro-active. Now about catching it earlier, although it had recurred, but…

VIRGINIA:
But still should find out earlier…

SU TI:
Ai, you still should catch it earlier.

VIRGINIA:
You care about your own body

SU TI:
Because in the beginning, you won't have any symptoms. Sometimes the doctor would say, come back when you have the symptoms, but if you wait until you have the symptoms it may be already too late.

VIRGINIA:
So, we know ourselves the most.

SU TI:
Right, right. Go see doctor pro-actively. Sometimes the doctor would be impatient, but this is your life, so you must be good to yourself, just like what we just said. Sometimes people will say you are too hysterical. It doesn't matter, because it is your life, so be hysterical. But you shouldn't be too nervous, you should just keep going for tests. Then you will catch it early, and there will be ways to handle it.

VIRGINIA:
Right. Whatever we know sooner, the better, isn't it? Then…

SU TI:
Because some people would be afraid, you know? They will say, "I don't want to know". You don't want to know, but it is your life.

VIRGINIA:
Right, right. I believe we all feel the same way, feeling frightened, even if you do not have this cancer yet. You 'd be afraid even if you are only in doubt. After you have it, you're still afraid, and afraid of recurrence. I think we can discuss, how do we deal with this fear of recurrence?

TERESA:
I am Teresa. I want to talk about my feelings. Recurrence, general speaking, especially in breast cancer, in late stages, the chance of recurrence for third, fourth stage is high. Basically, first of all, psychologically, we should have the attitude of I take it, you know, I must face it, I accept it. Yes, I have no where to escape, I have to face it. When it comes, it would be "Sending general to combat soldier, pouring soil to stop the flood." * I would face it, even have to fight it until "head breaks and blood flow." * We have to do it, have to do it with courage. We don't have any choice. On the other hand, normally doing this follow up regularly is very, very important. Your body will tell you if there is something unusual. You will be the first one to know. You have to insist that you want the doctor to help you with intensive testing. Do not delay.

VIRGINIA:
Nail him.

TERESA:
Nail him. Besides, in your diet, there is something we can do. I was just talking about diet. And it is better to do Qi Gung, and you must do it consistently. You should not do "three days fishing, and two days drying fish nets." * Also there is a spiritual treatment. It is to relax your mood. It'd be better for you to switch from a busy job to a more relaxing one.

VIRGINIA:
Yeah, Jobs can be very stressful.

TERESA:
Or not having a job. Right. It is important to take very good care of yourself. I often joke around that my condition is like an old car. You can only drive on the local road, cannot get on the freeway. I think that basically that's what it is, doing our best, and relying on strong will.

VIRGINIA:
Right, this I found very helpful, very helpful. Before our recurrence, what do we do to relax our mood? How do we adjust our diet, right? But, if it has come already, then face it. "Sending general to combat soldier, pouring soil to stop the flood," * I like this statement, "Sending general to combat soldier, pouring soil to stop the flood." *

Cancer Awareness and Being Proactive

Cancer Awareness and Being Proactive  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
Su Ti had said, " Your body is your own, be good to yourself." And, sometimes the doctor is busy, or the doctor does not think of it, but I can feel it most, then I will talk to the doctor. I want him to do the test, no need to be too polite, right? This is a very good experience. I think we all want to hear and to know that this is a very pro-active way. We have just talked about this. I heard that from two people. She said that when she discovered the cancer, it was already in third stage. So, there was a possibility for recurrence. Now do we feel that we might have this experience?

I want to invite Hui to speak. You had said that you were the one who had found it. The doctor did not feel it was important and gave you an antibiotic, but you did not feel right. The doctor said to wait for another couple of months, and you said no. You wanted to be very pro-active. I think this is very important. We all want to be good to ourselves, do the self-exam pro-actively, right?

HUI:
Right. I am Hui. According to my experience, our family did have cancer. So about cancer, I have been waiting for it to come. Actually, I felt that I would run into it, because for the past fifty years, I had been reckless, carefree and happy. Deep in my heart I had been waiting for it. So I waited until I knew that I had the disease, my reaction was not that I had been hit that hard.

VIRGINIA:
Not surprised.

HUI:
I was thinking about how to fight it. At that time as soon as I got sick, many people came to approach me, some religious, and others. Teresa, she's a very good friend of mine. Right away, she told me many things, so I think advertising cancer is the most important point.

VIRGINIA:
Advertising cancer

HUI:
Because this is something you cannot hide from. Based on probability, one in four of the women in Bay Areas will encounter it in their lifetime. One in four! We are not a small number. Basically there are other types of cancer, this cancer, that cancer, so, this advertising, it helps provide knowledge to everybody.

VIRGINIA:
Advertising is very important.

HUI:
Providing knowledge to everybody is very important. If you really run in to it, then, because there are so many people who still survive, that is a big encouragement, although at the moment, to you, it still sounds like a terminal illness. But, the question is, there are so many people who still survive. I feel that this is a great encouragement. So I had a brother, when he was eighteen years old, he was eight years older than I was, and he passed away when he was only eighteen years old. That was forty, fifty years ago, that he died of brain cancer. In those years, when you heard about having brain cancer, it was like announcing death. He had struggled for half of a year before he passed away. It is not like now. When I hear about it, I don't feel like that because for years technology has been advancing, so I feel quite lucky.

VIRGINIA:
So from Hui's experience we had heard two things. One is that now the technology is advancing, right? And there are many ways to treat cancer, many. One is advertising. I feel that advertising is very important. There are concerned organizations, such as American Cancer Society and other medical organizations, etc. They have done much work in advertising, but we also have to listen. Some people when they see these advertising materials, they do not want to see, do not want to listen, do not accept. They do not take it as a helpful tool, and it will be their loss. And you had accepted this advertising, so you did the self-exam, didn't you?

HUI:
I feel that people are changing their concepts slowly. And now the treatments are very accurate, so we do not have to fight until we "die out and revive" *. Because I have been a diabetes patient for ten something years, when I knew that I had to have treatment, my bigger concern was that it would ruin my kidney. I would need to go for kidney dialysis. Because my body is not a strong one, how could I fight that battle? Later on I had found out that actually fighting that battle, now that medicine is advanced, is really not as hard as you think.

VIRGINIA:
So you can bear it.

HUI:
Yes, yes. Although it is not heaven, but it really is not hell any way.

VIRGINIA:
This is a very good experience.

Chemotherapy Experiences

Chemotherapy Experiences  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

VIRGINIA:
Dale, did you have to do chemotherapy?

DALE:
Yes.

VIRGINIA:
I know that there are many cancer friends, because they had witnessed their friends and relatives undergoing treatment, or heard what they had said, they would say: "Ai ya, the injection, the chemotherapy, very difficult, "die out and revive" *, very, very frightening." I want to invite you to please talk about that chemotherapy. What was your experience?

DALE:
Ah…the experience was very painful. My treatment was very heavy, it really was. All my hair fell out, just like what the doctor told me, exactly that date. At the same time my body, because the white blood cells were low, it was so low, when I walked my legs became so weak, I had to hold on to the wall. It was very miserable. Even when I saw people eating, I would feel like vomiting, not only when I drank water, I would vomit, saw my family eating, I would feel nausea. Of course in the beginning, the first two days were the most serious, but slowly it had gotten better, and the response was better. But my body became weaker and weaker, and I felt more or less that this was unavoidable. More or less it was psychological, because I that during the best time of my body's condition, I had to go out, because the kid was still young. Inevitably I need to go to, such as Long Drug, Safeway, etc. But as soon as I walked in the door, immediately I could smell the very strong sense of drugs, and it made me nauseous. But usually normal people would not sense it, because its pharmacy was located in the very back. However, I felt that it was psychological, whenever I saw injections I would think of suffering, the suffering of the duration of injection. Yeah. But all of these can be overcome. Because, I might feel bad, but after one or two injection, when you looked back, oh, two out of six injections, they were pretty quick.

VIRGINIA:
You had done your best. Did you feel like you had won the battle?

DALE:
Of course, of course, I feel that doing the chemotherapy was very worthwhile. In return at least you can see that in these few years, I can't guarantee for how long, but in these few years I have been fine. Of course it has something to do with my spiritual change. They are all related.

VIRGINIA:
Can other changes help too?

DALE:
Yeah. Because I feel that I have totally started all over again.

VIRGINIA:
Started all over, oh, this is very good. I seemed to remember Hui, you had some experience in dealing with chemotherapy, didn't you?

HUI:
Let me think, actually, basically I was in third stage. I had to take pretty strong medicine, because I had done six times of chemotherapy. And then three times of radiation, but my condition was fine. Because basically, although I am diabetic, a diabetes patient for ten something years, but I always pay attention to what I eat. I love to eat. During the period of treatment, even when I vomited, afterward I rinsed my mouth, and quickly I would eat one thing that I like.

VIRGINIA:
This is an experience.

HUI:
In the beginning it would make me settle, this was an experience. What I wanted to eat was pears. I peeled off the skin of a pear…

VIRGINIA:
You like to eat raw pears…

HUI:
Yeah. After I pealed off the skin, because it has a crispy taste, even when you keep vomiting. Because I had not vomited that badly, so may be I am not qualified to represent anything. But my experience was that after I vomited, the mouth, the feeling was very uncomfortable. Then I would eat a pear. Somehow it helped me.

VIRGINIA:
So, this is a good experience.

HUI:
If you could have this method, if it could work, it would be good. Because I know some people kept on vomiting day and night. I wasn't that bad. Later on I thought the strength that I had built up from before was quite strong, so…

VIRGINIA:
Originally you had a good foundation.

HUI:
I originally thought, I thought it was not good, because I had diabetes for so long. Later on I discovered that when fighting the battle, my foundation was pretty good. Before when we got together to eat, I ate more than anyone else did, and felt a little embarrassed.

VIRGINIA:
Exceptional appetite.

HUI:
Exceptional appetite, right.

VIRGINIA:
But I feel your experience was very good. Chemotherapy to us was a life saver, very good. We must do it, but it is so hard, vomiting, "to die and revive" *, but your method is very good.

HUI:
But it is not for everyone.

SU TI:
Not everyone can or is able to eat.

VIRGINIA:
This is a very good experience. I feel that today all of you have actively provided us with many, many good experiences. I am really don't know how to thank you.

SU TI:
Excuse me, I am Su Ti. May I add a comment?

VIRGINIA:
Yes, I want you to speak.

SU TI:
I am talking about chemotherapy. I had done it too many times, but I had not vomited too much. Nowadays there are many drugs which can stop that, and other side effects. Before you do chemotherapy, they will inject you with many drugs to stop vomiting, and to prevent side effects. So I had only vomited once or twice. So it was not that serious. Don't think about it. Try to get more sleep.

VIRGINIA:
Oh, get more sleep.

SU TI:
Yeah, don't let yourself think about it. If you really feel like vomiting, drink a little Seven-Up, that kind of alkaline drink, it can suppress acidic stuff. So you won't vomit that much. Or when it comes to radiation, they say to have a little miso soup, the MSG soup.

VIRGINIA:
The need and experience of each individual is different from the others, in any case we will try anything that works.

SU TI:
They also say to eat something called gingerbread. It will also help to stop vomiting. They sell it at some health food stores. When you feel like vomiting, eat some of that cookie.

VIRGINIA:
We will find a way. Whatever can help me to resist vomiting, if it works the best for me, then it is the best.

DALE:
We are all women, I think the vomiting was worse during my pregnancy.

VIRGINIA:
Some people are vomiting as soon as they open their mouth.

DALE:
I was like that too, even during chemotherapy it was not as bad as that time.

VIRGINIA:
So it is like going back to being pregnant?

DALE:
Right, right.

VIRGINIA:
But during pregnancy, it was like that because I was going to have a baby. But this, I think it is even more important, to do chemotherapy, why? Because this is to save my life, isn't it? This is much more important to us. This is also a very positive point.

Importance of Sharing Your Experiences

Importance of Sharing Your Experiences  (Audio file is in Mandarin)

SU TI:
Also, Hui had mentioned about advertising. It is very important also. Sometimes people don't want to see. I was one of them. Even though my mother had died of cancer, I always refused to see those things. Later on when I got it, I was only 35 years old then, still very young. Since I had it, I ran around and told my friends and family, told them to look out for themselves. After these communications, my friends, family and friends, they all went for check ups. Some did find out. That was good.

VIRGINIA:
You have done a good deed.

SU TI:
Yes. At that time, my husband did not understand. He said, "This is something very personal, why do you want to tell everybody?" I said, " I feel that it can save some people's lives." I think it makes sense. I do not care what others may feel. I think this is the right thing to do. If some one had told me before, I would be very alert. Because in the beginning when I felt pain, the doctor felt that if there was pain, most likely it was not cancer, but it was not right. So I told my friends and family, "Do not think that because you have pain, then it is not cancer," which is incorrect. As soon as you feel some thing is wrong, go for follow up, you must insist for a check up.

VIRGINIA:
Yes. I forget to mention, previously it was Su Ti speaking. I think your experience is very good, very good. It also encourages us. For one thing, there must be someone to promote it, and one is just like what Su Ti said, very important. We the average people must listen, believe and accept this promotion. Or even when people keep talking, and I do not listen, then it is no use, is it? To us, it is a very important experience. So, I feel that today, we really are in very, very good shape. I am truly touched. Why? Before people all said that we Chinese, especially Chinese women all feel very shy, do not want to speak up. Just like Su Ti said, it is that some people think this is something personal, why do you run around and tell? I remember eight or ten years ago, in our Bay Area, among Chinese, there were many, many people who had cancer, but would not dare to tell. They were afraid that people would shun us, and were afraid that people would feel what's wrong with this person? Why would she have this terrible disease? They would not dare to speak, did not want others to know. But you see we're doing so well today. We are all trying so hard, spending time, especially Su Ti, while her body is still weak, and she remains strong, willing to speak up, to discuss. This is a very good improvement in our Chinese community, a very significant change. I believe that we all feel the same way.

I feel that our discussion today in a certain way, can help many people. Thank you very, very much, Su Ti, Dale, Teresa and Hui, for being willing to share with us your feelings, your thoughts, your experiences, and parts of your lives. I believe your experiences can truly help many people, and save many people. You have spoken your minds. You spoke of things that you care about. We hope that we will have better opportunities in the future, more chances to discuss, because I think it will be very helpful for our community. Also I would like to suggest to you, later on we will have discussions on other cancers. I hope all of you can participate, or listen. Of course, if you know English, there is more information for you to listen to on the web site. You can also see the one that was specially planned for us. The American Cancer Society, the Cancer Survivors Network, also has a toll free number that can be used. (1-877-333-4673)

I am Virginia, Mrs. Mei. I am so happy that we were able to get together today. I wish you a wonderful day, and hope each one of your days is even better, thank you.

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