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Gentry's Journey
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Gentry's Journey
Transforming Fear into Hope: Teresa's Inspiring Battle with Breast Cancer
What happens when a life-altering diagnosis meets an unyielding spirit? Teresa, a remarkable breast cancer survivor and my cherished cousin, joins us to share her compelling journey through fear and uncertainty to hope and recovery. This episode, airing in sync with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, offers a heartfelt exploration of Teresa's experience from the initial shock of her diagnosis to the empowering decision to seek a second opinion that ultimately set her on a path to effective treatment and healing in Atlanta. Her story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the critical role a loving family can play in navigating life's toughest challenges.
Teresa's narrative sheds light on the emotional turmoil that accompanies serious illness—fear, depression, and the heavy weight of uncertainty. Together, we explore how a strong support system, exemplified by her daughter and her friend DeeDee, can ease this burden, transforming fear into strength and isolation into community. Teresa opens up about the lifestyle changes that supported her recovery, offering practical advice for those newly diagnosed, including dietary adjustments and the importance of participating in breast cancer awareness events. Her experiences underscore the importance of shared journeys and the healing power of community and connection.
We also delve into the crucial importance of self-advocacy, highlighting the necessity of second opinions and informed healthcare decisions. Teresa's journey emphasizes the need for empathetic communication from healthcare providers and the strength found in a supportive network. For the caregivers among us, this episode offers vital insights into balancing the demands of caregiving with self-care. We discuss the emotional and financial challenges faced by caregivers and the importance of maintaining open communication and making informed decisions. Teresa's story serves as a beacon of hope, illustrating how love, faith, and community can light the path through even the darkest times.
good morning good morning it's good to have you ladies on. Thank you so much. Welcome to gentry's journey. Um, you guys are well aware that this is breast cancer awareness mom. So when I was thinking about who I should interview, someone was saying I know somebody you can interview. I said I know somebody I can interview too, and I'm going to call her right now. So that's how that got started.
Speaker 1:So I do appreciate you taking the time out to be a guest Teresa on the platform. And full disclosure. Guys, teresa and I are cousins. We are not just long distance cousins, we are truly kind of tight cousins. Okay, so we laugh and grin, we cuss and fuss together, all right, okay. So, as my usual, I'm going to read a scripture Above all clothe yourself with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony, and that's Colossians 3 and 14. Again, teresa is our honored guest. Her daughter we affectionately call her Didi is here to assist her with this technology, and so we appreciate her time and her talents as well. So, teresa, I just want you to just relax, enjoy the ride. It is not complicated, but I wanted people to hear your story your way. Okay, all right. So when you first initially was diagnosed with breast cancer, how did you feel?
Speaker 2:First of all I cried. I mean, you know, at first I didn't really understand what was going on, because I didn't know what was you know what was the outcome on, because I didn't know what was. You know what was the outcome. And then I called my daughter of course you know that and was telling her that I had get a bobs and everything, that it was, you know, positive and everything, and, uh, but I was overwhelmed with I mean, I was just, it was just, I was devastated for most of all, just thinking that, you know, this can't happen to me sure, sure, yeah, all those emotions are appropriate.
Speaker 1:they're definitely all appropriate. I think you call me the day of as well. I'm not sure. We talk at some point in time and you were going through the emotions like you said. You know crying, and that was to be expected, I know. You know my knees got weak, you know, but I was like you know, we can get through this, this, we can get through this you know.
Speaker 2:But I was like you know, we can get through this, this, we can get through this well and I did thank God, praise God, absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Um. So, when the doctor made a decision or gave you his plan of care, what was your response to it?
Speaker 2:Well, that came down to my daughter again. Well, I had a doctor in Birmingham and he got his little typing paper out and he drew out some diagrams on what. Once he he got inside, he could tell me what, uh, what type I had and what, what was the degree of whatever. It could be done with surgery, not surgery, whatever. But when, um, my daughter came down, uh, to birmingham, uh, and met with us, she said, well, we're going to wait up and we're just going to do a second opinion. And on her way back to Atlanta she called the Cancer Treatment Center and they asked me you know, she come in or whatever. And they found out what kind of insurance and stuff I had at the time. And that's how I end up here in Atlanta.
Speaker 1:Okay, so it was a win-win situation for you at this time.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, because the understanding I had I had a what HER2 negative, her2 positive type cancer, mm-hmm. And the understanding when I the understanding that I've got from the doctors here at the Cancer Treatment Center that if this doctor in Birmingham had to cut me, it would spread it. Wow him, how to cut me? It would spread it. Wow, which it was. Um, and see here what they did. They killed the sales, they.
Speaker 2:I started on chemo and stuff like that before I did anything. I didn't do anything, um, until they had killed all the, the sales of it or whatever. Then I had radiation and then from radiation I did surgery and then back to another chemo, the second round of chemo. But that was a little bit too strong for me. So they had to my daughter, my care team. Again, she stopped that. So they said because it damaged my heart, it was a strong. So she told them no. So they said, well, once we get a heart bill back up, we'll start it back. So she told them no, we're not going. So she asked them what was the reason why they were giving it to me? And they told her it was for preventative care, and so she told them no. She said, well, we're gonna deal with it this time, and so so far, for six, seven years, I'm still preventative. So I'm not, and I haven't had any occurrence or anything, so so, no, so I haven't had that second round, because you know okay, I get that.
Speaker 1:And so you say it's been seven years since you completed the treatment yeah, it was, it was six uh was, it was six, uh, six or seven years in 2017.
Speaker 2:You got diagnosed since 2017. You started training and I started and I started treatment in um 18.
Speaker 3:okay, and in 2022 they told you you were done 2022.
Speaker 2:2022, I was done with it.
Speaker 1:Okay. Okay, now we know, with the treatments there are some side effects that come up. Did you experience any? Because when I talk to my patients, some of them have typical side effects. Some of them say, no, I'm okay, I just be tired like the second day I did.
Speaker 2:I did do that. I had um when I used to do the chemo.
Speaker 2:I used to get nauseous, you know, get sick and tired and stuff but, I lost my hair and, um, then my daughter started me doing a vitamin regimen before I did chemo, like they did vitamins, you know, gave me an injection of vitamins. I think it took like maybe an hour to go through. Then they'll start the chemo, which it took longer for the treatment. But I felt better after I was. I had more energy after I finished, I wasn't as tired and as I usually be, radiation radiation and then with the radiation, you know, I got burned real bad.
Speaker 2:Skin was just raw, I mean, it was just real. Just I mean I couldn't even touch it, it was just. You know, all I could do is put an olive oil rub and stuff like that my daughter had made a paste up for that and get my skin back.
Speaker 3:And then your surgery. How many lymph?
Speaker 2:nodes In my lymph nodes. I had surgery. I had like 17 to 18 lymph nodes removed.
Speaker 1:Were any of your lymph nodes positive?
Speaker 2:I think two of them was. Two of them was, and that was in the breast, but they went over in the other side and they took something in my arm, you know like in my arm, and stuff like that. But I think two of them was, but they removed. I think they got them all though.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, but they removed. I think they got them all, though, okay, okay. Now, any particular periods during your treatment plan, anything stands out the most with you?
Speaker 2:I know losing your hair was very devastating, because you've always had this beautiful, big, long hair yeah, well, that was, and I mean, I just can't um well yeah, my nails and stuff like that was, you know was brutal, you know it was just I, just it was just weak Mm-hmm and you just um, when I stopped the round of chemo, that's when I got, you know. So I get feeling better and get my energy back.
Speaker 3:I had a lot of support team.
Speaker 2:My daughter had a lot of friends that had dealt with cancer and stuff like that and then they would um give her you know corners of what did for me to eat and what me uh vitamins to take and different things like that and uh, different teas to drink. So a lot of things that I did was and I had physical therapy and physical therapy and I did my oncologist. He was great. I have a great oncologist and that's what started me on the alkaline water, because he said cancer can't live in an alkaline body. Okay, and I had a naturopathic doctor and I had a nutritionist and I just have an awesome care team I mean my caregivers, and my team was just good. I mean I just I can't complain, I'm 62. I had a birthday, they gave me a birthday celebration, and I'm 66. And hey, I thank a birthday, they gave me a birthday celebration, I'm 66. Hey, I thank God for Jesus.
Speaker 1:Amen, amen, amen. Now, what was the emotional impact that you can remember going through?
Speaker 2:Just a lot of crying. One time I had to deal with it. Vertigo flared up on me. I had to deal with that Depression, depression. I went through a lot of different things that people, you know, I mean. I guess what I would say normal things that people would have were just the idea of just this type of sickness coming on me and not knowing that what it was, and mental health it just. I was devastated with it. Really, just, you know, I didn't know which avenue to take.
Speaker 1:And that's where a support system comes in. You know, to basically walk you through, you wouldn't believe, but there are a lot of people out here who don't have a support team. They don't have that support system and we take it for granted that everybody has one because we have one. Well, not so, you know. So it's a beautiful thing. You know, I see you listed quite a few support members. You know friends and family that you listed and I know that DeeDee has truly been your guide, holding your hand or pushing you through.
Speaker 2:Which I needed to be done. Of course, of course, of course, yes, and I think, like you know, even with my meals, you know like eating the proper foods, because you know, in Alabama, you know when I didn't feel good, you know the first time we were going out to a restaurant which when I was't feel good. You know the first time we were going out to a restaurant which when I was sick here, you know she was giving me nourishing things like vegetables and fruits and stuff like that and um. So it was a lot going on and I'm just, I just thank God for every day, you know, because I probably would be Y'all be throwing dirt over me or singing sweet lullabies or whatever.
Speaker 1:You're so funny. You're so funny. They. It's a particular organization or person that always does something for breast cancer awareness. I know she does the men in pink and did she invite you? I think you were on a platform share.
Speaker 2:I was there a couple of maybe, I think it was 2000,. Maybe never, no 2001, 2002.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because Kay was still when Kay came to the crowd 2001, 2002.
Speaker 2:2001, 2002,. That was I mean 2021. I mean 2021 and 2022,. I was there, I was on her platform, I was one of the best survivors and she's called me several times to get me back, but by me being here in Atlanta. I just can't come down for that one day. But I do support her with it, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, it seems to be a great event. I don't think I've ever had opportunity to participate. Now, what all did she do? Did she just honor you with a plaque? Did you have to speak? Did you have to tell your story?
Speaker 2:No, no, you didn't have to speak anything. She had a little thing made up with your name on it and they have your table and you invite your guests who you want to come and get donations and stuff like that to come, and you know, get donations and stuff like that, and uh, then you just walk across the stage and, uh, she introduced you and tell you who you are and everything and then the men do the fashion and then the men's do the fashion show, that basically what it is, and they have, I think, have like a little dinner, like a little dinner thing, but it's nice.
Speaker 2:But I mean I think it's nice and just honoring the late different ladies. Because, you know, once I look at the, the pictures of the different ladies each year, and I'd be like, oh lord, I know she had cancer, lord, I know she was sick, you know. So, you know some awareness and then some people, ladies, that has been on there dead and gone, you know. So I thank God that you know that I'm still here, you know, because you'd be a different number, different number.
Speaker 1:Well, that's true, so I did I usually. I have done the breast cancer walk in Birmingham in the past and I did one the other day Now. Are there any other activities that you participate in or speak regarding breast cancer awareness?
Speaker 2:Well, we, did a walk here some years ago. Maybe that's what. 20, 23 years old this susan, uh b coleman's um thing, okay, and um, and what the three?
Speaker 3:day. This was. You could come in three day.
Speaker 2:Well it was a three day walk, so but it was nice, we enjoyed that and, um well, you know I couldn't do too much walking, but I did. You did your best. Uh, didi saraz, you know that was there on my behalf and uh, supporting me, and that's right.
Speaker 1:That's right now. What advice would you give a person who has been newly diagnosed, or has been diagnosed and still going through? What advice would you give?
Speaker 2:Well, first of all, I would, you know starting out, you know going to being that, you know, diagnosed and whatever. And then, you know, start adding vitamins to you, to your diet, you know, to you regiment, mm-hmm, good vegetables and fruits, get you a very good support team if you can, because you never know who you know who may have to come and help you, because you know I had at one time I couldn't bathe myself. You know I had to do. People had to come in. My sister came in and helped me, got my bath before a while, you know. So it was kind of weak, you know, and drink plenty of water. You have to get off the sugar and yeast and alcohol. You can't. You know that has to stop. And I know a lot of people, you know, feel like, well, I'm going to die with something, and I was even taking a claritin before I would do my chemo treatment.
Speaker 1:And what was the purpose? Of the claritin. I know it's a. You know it was a sinus. It's for allergies.
Speaker 2:It is for allergies, uh-huh, but before they would give me my start chemo, they would give me a Claritin. Okay, well, timmy, take one. You know so I don't know what was the purpose of it. I mean, you know, okay, one, you know. So I don't know what was the purpose of it. I mean, you know, okay, hello, hello, all right, and I drunk a lot of aloe drinks and stuff.
Speaker 2:I just did a lot of, uh, nutritionist things. I mean things that I didn't think I would would drink or eat. I did it and I tried and I think you know it made me a better person. I stopped eating like beef because you know it always something in man cow disease and I think it carries a lot of, it, holds a lot of what you call it sickness and stuff in him, what you call it sickness and stuff in him and um, so, like I said, but I ate a lot of vegetables during that time okay okay, and then on, yeah, and then one day, you know, like on days that I didn't feel good, didn't want to eat anything, I did smoothies.
Speaker 2:okay, those were, you were, you know, they were good, it was cool and it was, you know, gave me some energy, gave me some nourishment in my body.
Speaker 1:Okay. Did you do the fruit and vegetable smoothies or did you do a particular one? Yes, okay.
Speaker 2:Spinach I did like. Well, like I said, more spinach and strawberry, you know fruits and vegetables.
Speaker 1:Okay Now, now that you are a breast cancer survivor. How is life after your diagnosis?
Speaker 2:Well, right now I'm just living, taking one day at a time and, as I said, living the life like it's golden, but I can't complain. I mean, you know, if it's, I still have some hard days like, uh, a couple of days ago, you know, my, I couldn't hardly walk. I mean my, um, I don't know if my potassium was down, I don't know what it is, but you know, I have a walker that I walk on some days, some days I don't need it, but for his life, I mean I'm just thankful. I'm just thankful and trusting in God for more. You know, another day, you know I enjoy seeing my. I got a great, I got a great grandbaby now, and so I mean just, you know, seeing my grandchildren grow up and my daughters. You know what they're accomplishing in life. So I just thank God just to be here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank God, you know, amen, amen so.
Speaker 2:And I'm stress free.
Speaker 1:That's even better. So um, what advice would you give someone who was diagnosed Um?
Speaker 2:Like I said, just you know, get them a good support team and change your diet and drink plenty of water and eat fruits and vegetables and let go and let God, amen, amen.
Speaker 1:You know, I know you always get a second opinion.
Speaker 2:Always Don't take the first person to tell you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree with you on that. When you've been handed something heavy like that and you don't know which way to turn and my patients will call me or family and friends will call me, you think I need a second opinion, I say yes. Why do you think that? I say because you asked and you know. I mean, if it's on your mind, if it's on your heart to do something, because you have to be your best advocate, Okay, I mean, it's great to have family who can stand in the gap for you, leading you and guiding you. But if you feel like you need a second opinion, I say yes, Just like when people ask me do you think I need to see a therapist? I'm like sure, and they were like why you say it? You think I'm crazy? I said it's not about being crazy, boo, it is about if your foot hurts, you go into the foot doctor. So if your emotions are hurt, you need to go somewhere where people can help you with your emotional.
Speaker 2:Emotions are hurt. You need to go somewhere where people can help you with your emotional and then when they go to the doctor, and they they need to ask questions you know, not just sit there, I agree that that's what this is, what this is, why this is why I'm taking this, why I'm doing this. You know, that was some stuff, that that was some of the stuff that they need to ask, because I took a lot of vitamins like Co210 and different stuff like that.
Speaker 2:When I was sick and I took stuff that was natural path the doctor gave me so I didn't take a lot of pain pills and and things like that.
Speaker 1:So that was a good part it is. It is because it kept you alert and oriented. It didn't have you just in a stupor of just being not thinking clearly. Um, so yes, the support system and then your will to do what is best for you and your body, and I know it's a devastating news. I've seen people receive that news and I've also seen people who give the news or give the results not be as what I would like for them to do. Their delivery is very off. It is off.
Speaker 1:And I looked at one of the physicians one time and I was like now I know you could have did better than that, you know. And the patient is shook. It's like she had been on a merry not a merry-go-round, but on a Ferris wheel and it stopped all of a sudden because I could see it in her eyes. And then I'm looking at him and he was like oh well, well, that's it. And I'm like no emotional support, no empathy, and I just was like I don't know he didn't do that well, but I stayed with her until she got it together, because everybody, I guess, don't know how to give. Maybe they just say I'm just going to tell them and be through with it. I just think you need to ease a person into some of these situations when it comes to some of these diagnoses. But that's just me and my opinion.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because you know, when I got diagnosed go back to that question you know I was called on my job and told me that I was positive. The nurse called me, you know, like not coming. Who are you? Are you driving? Or what the situation? You know, hey, yeah, your test came back and you was positive. So you know, that's the way I got my news. You know, yeah, and I'm sitting at my desk at work, boo-hoo, crying kids looking at me. Ms Mason, what's wrong? Ms Mason, what's wrong? And this was, you know, that was the frightening part. You know, yeah, it was a shock, it was an absolute shock. I felt like, you know, in a situation like that, at least you would call me into the office or my family in or something. But just to blurt it out to me over the phone, this is Dr Beers' secretary. Yeah, your kids came back and you was positive. Oh yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I remember you calling me and you were like the way they told me it's the way they told me. So I remember getting in the car and coming to see you on that day and I was like you know T we gonna be okay. And you were like it's the way he told me. It was the way I got the news and I was like, yeah, I get it. I get it. You know, look like it could have been a little ease in there, a little cushion in there sometime.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean yeah, so that's what I'm saying. So with that situation, maybe you know you need to. Uh, if a person is being diagnosed with it, maybe they need to have a family members. I agree, they don't want to become a family member. If they get hurt again, you can blurt it out like that you know, hey, she may kill a person, that's true, that's true Because, like you said, you don't know if they were driving.
Speaker 1:You know. You don't know where they were, you know and you could have been anywhere. You know. Like you said, you were at work. Yeah, like you said, you were at work. So, yeah, I think the delivery needs to be better and I know everybody's delivery is not that. I'm not going to even pretend that, because I know some some you know, health care providers are very sympathetic to what's going on because we don't know if they had a family member or someone else to go through that or not, know if they had a family member or someone else to go through that or not, but they just believe in trying to have someone with you when they deliver the news as best they can.
Speaker 2:Correct.
Speaker 1:Okay Now. Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Speaker 2:No, not really, and I just thank you for the interview and just thinking about me and remembering me during this time. Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:You know, I was just in my head. You know who can I interview, who can I interview. And someone called me and said Carol, is that somebody you can interview? And I said but I didn't tell her. The Lord dropped you in my spirit and I was like I'm going with my cousin. You know, I said, but I didn't tell her, the Lord dropped you in my spirit and I was like I'm going with my cousin.
Speaker 2:I said to myself I hadn't even asked you, I'm hoping that I helped a little bit, that it was something that I said can help somebody. Oh, it will.
Speaker 1:Personal stories. You can't beat a personal story. You can't beat I can't tell it like you can tell it. Didi can't tell it like Didi can tell it. You giving your personal testimony is always impactful and someone is going to hear that and you're going to bring comfort to them. I've seen it happen. So, yeah, you're going to be able to help someone. You know they might not reach out to us, but know, when you plant good seeds, you know you're going to get a good harvest. Okay, yeah. So I want to thank you and Didi again for accepting the invitation.
Speaker 1:You gave some great tips, you know, for anyone who is affected by breast cancer If it's not them as a family member. That's why I say it that way, because even the family goes through. When you go up, they go up. When you go down, they go down. So they are on their endless right with you for that, and I'm going to say this when you said have somebody with you to listen. I also encourage my patients to write information down, because it's information overload and questions that you want to ask. You need to write those down and make sure that they get answered while you're there at that visit and that's what.
Speaker 2:That's what did. He did, um, when we would go on my appointments to my oncologist yes, and he's, he's still calling her doctor because you know she would come to me and, like one of her girlfriends, somebody tell her, ask, ask her about this, ask her about that. And so when she was in the days that I started going without her, he said where the doc at, where the doc at. I said, well, she didn't have to come today because it wasn't going to be just a regular checkup. He would laugh, but he always. He said she need to go back to school and be a doctor. She'll make a good doctor. He said she'd really be on it and really, truly, she was.
Speaker 2:I mean, he asked questions that he didn't even think that I guess a patient or a person would ask Sure, and she was on it, and he was like, but he was enthused by it. You know he was like, okay, yeah, we're going to do it this way, we're going to do it this way. So, no, so that's why I said, actually, you've got to ask the person. Like you said, keep notes, you have to Write down things. Yeah, you know you get there that morning. You'd be like what have I been saying? So you think about it over the weekend or through the week, you know, write it down, and then when you get there on Monday morning or Tuesday, you say, hey, I need to know about this. And then I do. I wear sleeves on my arm because of the lymph nodes. Yes, they swell sometimes, these arms. They swell sometimes these arms.
Speaker 2:And I have to put a sleeve on because they got a little bob going through my arms.
Speaker 3:Lymphedema.
Speaker 2:I have lymphedema, okay, okay, that's another thing afterwards, you know, after they take those side effects, after they take those lymph nodes out.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, go ahead trace so it's a good, it's some good things, some bad things and something you know, I could say, um, but you have to be, you know, mindful of what you, and just do you do you. As I said, I tell people I'm doing me. You just got to be, you know, be strong. You just can't just get weak, you can't give up, because I had a girlfriend and she gave up. She just was tired. So you know, but if you got that will, you just got to have that willpower.
Speaker 1:I agree, I agree, you got to want to. You've got to want topower. I agree, I agree, you got to want to, you've got to want to.
Speaker 3:Okay, deedee, anything you would like to add. I would just like to tell caregivers your support may not come from the people that you think it will come from. We always think, okay, I got family, we got a huge family. A lot of my support came from my friends, my with my chosen family here in Georgia. Whereas I have a huge family, my mom has, you know, eight siblings.
Speaker 3:So I was just thinking that, you know, when I got tired, that I could you know. They say you know, people say call me if you need me. Yeah, and I made the calls and they didn't come, or it was like I'll get back with you. So I would say don't get discouraged. The Lord is going to, he's going to provide, he's going to make provisions for the vision and he's going to put people in place that should be there and wants to be there and take care of yourself, because you can't take care of a person and be a caregiver if you're not taking care of yourself. So get that risk and talk to your employer. You know, a lot of times we don't, we are very private people and we don't want people in our business. But I did find out that, you know, some employers are very helpful and they will provide resources and their understanding. Um, some of them are not, um, but I thank God that he put me in a position, um, that I had a good employer, um, and it was sometimes I would not even work for a week because after chemo she would get sick. So so, mind you, I've been at chemo all day and then I say maybe a day later we're in the emergency room all night, and so that was, you know, a hard, hard time, but it does get better, um, and I just was prayerful Um, and you gotta have somebody to talk to. You gotta, you know, have uh somebody to vent to and to confide in. And sometimes it's going to be hard, um, financially, um, so, just making sure you are talking to um, you know your, your um people, that you know your bill people making payment arrangements, just don't go solid, don't don't just feel like you got to do it by yourself. So, um, and if it's something that you are not sure of, um, if you got somebody in your family, um that's in the medical field, like Kel, I would call you sometimes and say, hey, this is what's going on. What do you think about this? Or get you know, getting an opinion from the family, because sometimes I did have to make hard choices that I was afraid to make, sure, but, and the doctors would question me and they would tell my mom, well, you're the patient, so it's your, you know your decision. And she will say, well, that's my daughter and I feel like she's going to make the best decision for me. So it was those times that it made me question myself and I felt like I had to deal with those decisions if I made the wrong decisions, you know so, if I didn't make the right decisions, but I just prayed about it and I just asked the Lord to lead me whenever I was, you know, asking questions, or I would say, no, we're not going to do that.
Speaker 3:Or I sent her to Florida one time, during her radiation, with one of her girlfriends and she and they were like, well, you know, she's in the middle of radiation, I middle already. I said it'll be back. I said it'll be there when she gets back and she needed that break. And she came back so like energized, so heck, you know, it was just like. But it needed, her body needed time to recoup and to recover and a lot of people don't realize your body wants to heal itself. So if you give your body that chance to, you know, just try to do what it wants to do, because it wants to replenish, it wants to do those things.
Speaker 3:So, um, and eliminate the sugar and the salts, um, and you know, that's what we grew up on in our culture. And so when she came to live with me, it was like, well, I cook this way, and I was like, well, I don't. So we still have those fights. We still like yes, you know, just yesterday I cooked the meal with just vegetables, with, you know, cabbage, peas and this new squash. I always like to try to implement some type of new vegetable or new fruit, you know, dragon fruit, star fruit, just things that we normally wouldn't buy. I said, just try it, let's just try it. So I would just tell people just, you know, do something different than what you've done or what you've grown up on, and just change your. You know you've done or what you've grown up on, and just change your. You know, change your behavior. And you know you don't know what you don't know until you try something different. That's true.
Speaker 1:That's very true. Yeah, yeah, that's very true. You know, when you what hit me, everything you said was right on point. When you what hit me, everything you said was right on point. But when what hit me and this is what I encourage caregivers to do take care of yourself, because if you break down, then what's who's left? So you have to take needed breaks, you have to reach out for help because you're the caregiver. That doesn't mean that that's 24 hours. It does mean that it's 24 hours a day, that's every day, seven days a week. But if you're still going at that breakneck pace, you're going to break down. I've had family members or caregivers after their family members got well. Then they end up in the hospital.
Speaker 3:You're like wait a minute, you're on the wrong side of the bed and they would tell me.
Speaker 1:I knew I wasn't feeling good, but I was just trying to get her through her dilemma. And so people will put off what they need to do for themselves to care for their loved one, but they're delaying their process as well, you know. So I agree with you totally Caregivers, take care of yourselves, seek the breaks, do what you need to do, you know, make sure the patient is comfortable and with someone competent, because sometimes you just need to ride out for an hour and not to do anything in particular, but sometimes just to get the weight off you for a little while. Yes, I agree 100%. Yeah, well, ladies, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:I appreciate your time, your talent, hey, these learned experiences that you've been through. We thank God for your recovery, teresa Deed through. We thank God for your recovery, teresa Didi. We thank God for your strength and I know, you know, hey, nieces out there, she did what she had to do when she had to do it. So you know we're not leaving anyone out, like you say, your children, your grandchildren. You know, sometimes just to see their face, you know, helps a person to heal, especially when they come in with a smile and that's what you've been yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1:So, anyway, y'all have a wonderful day. Thank you for coming on gentry's journey and we will talk later. Okay, all right, thank you. Thank you, love you too. Bye.