#podcast #cancer #treatment
Christie Matthews, an award-winner disc jockey at the Jonesboro Radio Group and a Make-A-Wish ambassador, was at her daughter’s wedding when she turned to speak to a guest, and her hip popped out of the socket.
That’s when she realized something wasn’t right. After months of trying to figure out what was wrong, she got a call from her doctor. She had a tumor on her hip. It was multiple myeloma.
She was diagnosed on New Year’s Eve of 2020 and started treatment in 2021. Even after getting answers to the cause of her pain, she was still shocked.
“I just thought I’d had a bad hip and needed hip replacement,” Matthews said. “I look back, and I can’t really remember a lot of it because I was just on autopilot. It’s devastating.”
Nick Tingquist, a thoracic surgeon at UAMS, said one of the best forms of prevention is early detection. That can start with regular visits to a primary care physician. He said they’re trained to find and prevent diseases early on.
Tingquist said there are also some suggested tests and procedures for certain patients.
“Getting a yearly colonoscopy at age 45, or if you have a history of smoking, some people are eligible to be screened,” Tingquist said.
As for some of the early signs of cancer, it will vary depending on the type and the person. The symptoms may be difficult for patients to understand.
“It may be something you get used to over a period of time. I think it’s important to recognize what’s abnormal,” Tingquist added.
Some of those abnormal symptoms could be unexpected weight loss, pains in certain parts of the body, changes in stool, and discoloration of the skin.
Matthews’ advice to everyone is to be your own advocate. If you think something is wrong, don’t dismiss it.
MY RADIO HISTORY: I started my radio career in 1989 working for the station I grew up listening to. My friends and I would slather on the suntan oil and iodine, work on our tan and listen to our favorite songs on KISR 93.7 in ..
