1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: with iHeartRadio everybody. 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 2: It's almost Famous podcast. 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 3: We're here today with somebody who you've definitely heard of recently, 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 3: you definitely know of, and we want to do an 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 3: interview today with Katie Thurston to get her story. And 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 3: I mean, I think the hope from all of us 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 3: is to share your story, Katie, not only in support 9 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 3: of you, but also to highlight what's going on in 10 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 3: your life for anybody listening so they can also be aware. 11 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 3: So thanks for joining us. 12 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 4: Thanks for having me you guys, I appreciate it. 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 5: Well, we're so sorry to have you here under these circumstances. 14 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 5: You know, you recently found out a month ago that 15 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 5: you have breast cancer. Can you start kind of at 16 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 5: the beginning of your story. I know that a lot 17 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 5: of people out there have already heard your timeline, but 18 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 5: for those of for those who haven't. 19 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, So I actually last summer was the first time 20 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,279 Speaker 4: I felt a lump in my breast, but I had 21 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 4: had a benign cyst before that was removed and non cancerous. 22 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 4: And I'm only yeah, and I'm only thirty four, so 23 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 4: I'm not thinking breast cancer at all. It doesn't run 24 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 4: in my family. I am overall pretty healthy. There was 25 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 4: never an urgency to get it checked out. And I 26 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 4: kind of put it off, thinking maybe it's PMS, maybe 27 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 4: it's from working out, you know, it's the summertime. And 28 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 4: then finally in January, you know, I was getting ready 29 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 4: to move to New York to be with my fiance Jeff, 30 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 4: and was like, well, I should do some kind of 31 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 4: like medical checks before we leave, and we're going to 32 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 4: be traveling for six weeks. And so I kind of 33 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 4: went into the office almost thinking it was going to 34 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 4: be like a like a checkup, like a Yep, it's 35 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 4: just another benign cyst and you can just move on 36 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 4: with your life. And very very quickly the appointment energy 37 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 4: was shifting. I could feel it. No one was saying anything, 38 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 4: but you know, you can just feel the vibe of 39 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 4: the room change. And I remember first it was a 40 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 4: manual feel by doctor, then it was an ultrasound and 41 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 4: then can you stay and do a mammogram? And I 42 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 4: was like yeah, and I could just I could just 43 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 4: feel the way of whatever was happening. 44 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 5: Yeah. 45 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 4: So then at that time they couldn't get me in 46 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 4: for a biopsy, but they wanted to, and they're like, look, 47 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 4: we're pretty sure it's cancer, but we can't confirm until 48 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 4: we do the biopsy at the end of the day. 49 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 4: That's that's the only way to confirm. So you know, 50 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 4: what do you want to do? And we were literally 51 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 4: like a daze away from leaving for so much international 52 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 4: travel with Jeff because he was on the road for 53 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 4: his shows. And I was like, well, if I was 54 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 4: your friend, if I was your daughter, what would you 55 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 4: tell me? And they're like, we would tell you to 56 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 4: stay and figure it out. So I get the biopsy 57 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 4: on February fifth, and then a day before Valentine's Day 58 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 4: they confirmed officially that it was in fact breast cancer. 59 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 5: So I have a fibro atonoma. I had a biopsy. 60 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 5: Our producer, who you can't see right now, Jess recently 61 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 5: twenty two, also has a fibroe atanoma. Feels like a marble, 62 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 5: is very round and it moves. And you had assist, 63 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 5: how did what you have now feel different, if it 64 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 5: or at all, than what you had previously. 65 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 4: I don't think they felt different, like I thought they 66 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 4: were gonna be the same thing. The first one I 67 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 4: felt was like a piece size, like you said, marble, 68 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,239 Speaker 4: just like this little hard spot much smaller that I 69 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 4: could just easily feel. I didn't. I wasn't even I 70 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 4: wasn't even doing self exams. I just like, am just 71 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 4: this sounds crazy, but like I just I just feel 72 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 4: what my boobs feel like. I don't know. I love 73 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 4: you know, so you notice something is off. And that 74 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 4: was the benin sist and it wasn't a big deal. 75 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 4: This other one was a similar spot, maybe closer to 76 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 4: like the armpit. So again, like I'm lifting weights, it's summertime. 77 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 4: I'm thinking it's like muscle, you know, because it's like 78 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 4: same size, maybe like marble, maybe bigger, rubbery or hard. 79 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 4: It doesn't feel like fat. Everyone else what you know, 80 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 4: you're a boove should feel like overall, and it felt 81 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 4: just like different and it wasn't. On the other side. 82 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 4: That was the other thing. It is like you start 83 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 4: going on both sides and you're like, it's only on 84 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 4: one side. And so after you know, months of it 85 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 4: never going away, I was like, Okay, maybe this is something. 86 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 4: It was painful, and so the biggest thing that I 87 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 4: regret is using Google for medical advice. You know, breast 88 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 4: cancer hurt, and Google said generally no, and so I 89 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 4: kind of just took that from a phrase value it's. 90 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 5: Sore, they usually say that's a good sign exactly. 91 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 4: So I had this like confirmation bias of like, all right, 92 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 4: I guess I'm good, and so I just didn't go 93 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 4: in for months, and you know, obviously I have my 94 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 4: own regrets with that, But all I can do now 95 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 4: is educate other women because had I heard someone my 96 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 4: age with their story last summer when I felt the lump, 97 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 4: I think I would have been more proactive on getting 98 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 4: it checked. Because the biggest thing I'm learning now is 99 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 4: it's actually like an at right now and women in 100 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 4: their twenties and thirties and forties who are getting breast cancer, 101 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 4: and multiple doctors that I've seen in different departments are like, 102 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 4: we don't know what's going on, and it's crazy that 103 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 4: only until I was diagnosed am I learning that. But 104 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 4: now that I'm like searching for answers, I'm seeing just 105 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 4: how many women are being impacted. 106 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 3: Let's this is a weird question for me to ask, 107 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: but we kind of mentioned it when I think we 108 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 3: talked about your story initially when the news came out. 109 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 3: But for those out there, that are listening and they 110 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 3: you know, they're familiar with breast cancer, but they don't 111 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 3: exactly know how to do a self check. That kind 112 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 3: of confuses them. Let's maybe try to make it as 113 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 3: elementary as possible with the information you now know, Katie, 114 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 3: how do you do these kind of checks? 115 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 2: Uh? And then you know once you do do these checks, 116 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 2: is any. 117 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 3: Lump, any bump, something that you would now recommend somebody 118 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:57,919 Speaker 3: go in for, or or is there things that you'd say, now, 119 00:05:57,960 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 3: don't worry about that. 120 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 4: The only thing any lump you should get checked out 121 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 4: the way that I recommend doing a self breast exam, 122 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 4: or I mean even just watching a video. There's so 123 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 4: much resources and it's so easy you can do in 124 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 4: the shower, but typically you'll take two or three fingers 125 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 4: and you just kind of like literally just rub over 126 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 4: your breast, you know, down like top to bottom diagonally. 127 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 4: Is there discharge out of your your nipples? Is there dimpling? 128 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 3: Time out? Timeout? Stop there? Because if there is discharge, 129 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 3: what does that mean? 130 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 4: It just means you should ask your doctor, you know, 131 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 4: sometimes depending you know, if you're a new mom or 132 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 4: again your period. I don't I'm not a professional but 133 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 4: you got to be familiar with what's normal for your 134 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,679 Speaker 4: breasts and if anything feels off, even if it is nothing, 135 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 4: I'd rather have the peace of mind hearing from a 136 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 4: professional that it's nothing, then do what I did, which 137 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 4: was wait several months and find out that it was 138 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 4: actually breast cancer. 139 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 5: But you didn't have discharge or dimpling or anything like that, right, No, 140 00:06:58,360 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 5: Mine was. 141 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 4: Just a rubbery, hard, painful lump in the side of 142 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 4: my breast in a spot that felt like maybe like 143 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 4: a muscle. 144 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 5: So let's talk about how your initial feeling was. They're 145 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 5: telling you in your first appointment that they think it 146 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 5: would be cancer. You have to wait for the biopsy, 147 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 5: and then after the biopsy comes back and they say 148 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 5: that it is cancer, then you have to have that 149 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 5: weight period when you find out. 150 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 4: What stage it is. 151 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 5: What's your feelings? I mean, besides, I know it sounds obvious, 152 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 5: but just kind of describe life for that week or so. 153 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 4: I won't deny that I am. I know right now 154 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 4: I seem okay, but I am emotionally not okay, like truly. 155 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 4: But in the first I guess the four weeks that 156 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 4: I've been pursuing treatment and moving and changing doctors and insurance. 157 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 4: You almost don't have time to like sit in it 158 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 4: and reflect. And I think even leading up to the 159 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 4: confirmation with the biopsy results, I think I was even 160 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 4: in denial because there's I was like, there's no way, 161 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 4: there's no way, and you know, I started to discredit 162 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 4: like the doctor and discredit their their level of education, 163 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 4: like it's probably a mistake, And to be honest, I 164 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 4: think even now there's still a level of denial, and 165 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 4: I don't know if that's like a coping mechanism. My 166 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 4: first treatment day as of now will be next Friday, 167 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 4: and maybe then that's when it fully hits and I 168 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 4: get to process emotions better. That's also then when all 169 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 4: these appointments that I've had leading up to next Friday 170 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 4: kind of slow down and I simply have a new 171 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 4: schedule of like you show up, you do the treatment, 172 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 4: you go home, and you live your normal life again 173 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 4: until you're back. Whether it's every week, are wey two weeks, 174 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 4: I'm not sure what my plan is quite yet. I'm 175 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 4: doing a clinical trial, which means I'm basically randomly selected 176 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 4: to go into Block A, which is treatment once a week, 177 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 4: or Block B, which is treatment twice a week or 178 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 4: I'm sorry, once every two weeks with different again to 179 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 4: kind of like down different formulas of treatment. So we'll 180 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 4: find out, I think next Thursday what I'm picked for randomly, 181 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,079 Speaker 4: and then I start Friday. 182 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 2: Why did you choose a clinical trial? 183 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 4: So with breast cancer, right now, there's what's called standard 184 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 4: of care, which is like this one size fits all 185 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 4: of here's six rounds of chemo, and then we'll figure 186 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 4: it out from there. We'll see what happens. And chemo's very, 187 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 4: very intense on your body. And so when I found 188 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 4: I qualified for the clinical trial, what they're trying to 189 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 4: accomplish now, and I think, especially as breast cancers on 190 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 4: the rise, is kind of custom tailor a treatment for 191 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:47,199 Speaker 4: women so that you're not overexposed to chemo or whatever 192 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 4: the situation is. So the way I've kind of explained 193 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 4: it to some of my family, I'm like, it's like 194 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 4: having a cut on your finger and everyone's just chopping 195 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 4: off your finger when you can just put nia sporn 196 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 4: on it. And so if there's a a way to 197 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 4: cure my cancer without doing excessive amount of chemo or treatment, 198 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 4: then that's going to be best for my body, and 199 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 4: I'm I'm willing to give that a try. 200 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: My dad had cancer at thirty stage four and got chemo, 201 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: and I think it's a great choice. 202 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 2: I mean a great choice by you. 203 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 3: It's your personal choice, but it's a great choice because 204 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 3: it has caused you. 205 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 2: Know, long term effects on his body. 206 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: Katie, you kind of glossed over this, And I think 207 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 3: for the listener it's really important because breast cancer is 208 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 3: on the rise, especially in people younger. The percentage chance 209 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 3: that somebody listening to this is probably in a very 210 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 3: similar place to you or will be at some point. 211 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 3: And you said emotionally you're not okay, and so I 212 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 3: think the question would be like, really, how are you 213 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 3: doing with the hope of somebody listening maybe could feel 214 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:10,599 Speaker 3: less alone. 215 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 2: After hearing your words. 216 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 4: I mean, it's I think it's just part of your 217 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,959 Speaker 4: new norm. I think like there's days where you cry, 218 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 4: there's days where you ask why. I think the two 219 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 4: best things that I can offer someone who maybe is 220 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 4: newly diagnosed is one, it's not your fault. And I 221 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 4: think a lot of women when diagnosed go like, what 222 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 4: did I do? It wasn't my birth control? Should I 223 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 4: have been vegan? Should I have been vegetarian? Was it 224 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 4: my makeup? You know, you start trying to like psychoanalyze 225 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 4: everything that you've ever done in your life and blame yourself. 226 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 4: Am I am I too fat, my too skinny, that 227 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 4: all these different things, and ultimately it's not your fault. 228 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 4: So that would be like the first thing I'd say. 229 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 4: The second thing I would say is it's and I 230 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 4: don't I don't really know how to interpret this. But 231 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 4: a lot of people say, like, you're so brave for 232 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 4: sharing your story, and I do appreciate that gesture, but 233 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 4: for me, it's also it's been such a help for 234 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 4: me to share my story and to have people who've 235 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 4: been share theirs. And so there's a lot of people who, 236 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 4: for their own personal reasons, choose to battle in silence 237 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,959 Speaker 4: and in private, and you know, that's their own choice. 238 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 4: But I do find something so supportive of being part 239 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 4: of a group, being part of a chat, anything you 240 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 4: can find to talk to other survivors. It's probably been 241 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:37,719 Speaker 4: like the biggest medicine for me since officially coming out 242 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 4: with the public and sharing my story. 243 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 5: You being a thirty four year old woman and having 244 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 5: this diagnosis and speaking out about it. There's going to 245 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 5: be so many other thirty some things that would never 246 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 5: have expected that they have it, that they're going to 247 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 5: discover it through you. So know that you are a 248 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 5: hero in that sense. 249 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 3: And people, I mean and women that now maybe that 250 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 3: aren't as familiar with their bodies will hope, you know, 251 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 3: hear your story and maybe go into the shower and 252 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 3: check themselves. And just because they're you know, they hear it, 253 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 3: and now they're aware and they're like, oh, I can 254 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 3: do that, or I should be doing that. 255 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 2: I know I've always heard about doing I've just never done. 256 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 5: It because back in the day they used to say forty. 257 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 4: I mean, even now, are a lot of our mammograms 258 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 4: aren't even covered by insurance. Another thing I'd want to 259 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 4: add is, I think a lot of times doctors, sometimes 260 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 4: because of our age, say oh you're fine, you're fine. 261 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 4: And so then what I've encouraging people to do is 262 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 4: tell your doctor to put that in your notes. Then 263 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 4: they're declining to proceed forward in exploration of this lump, 264 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 4: whether it be you know, ultrasound mammogram, because very quickly 265 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 4: the doctor will be like, okay, fine, we'll get you 266 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 4: checked out. Because Ultimately you have to be your biggest advocate, 267 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 4: and no longer is it the standard of like, oh, 268 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 4: only older people get breast cancer, because I'm proof that 269 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 4: that's not true, and there's thousands, I don't know the 270 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 4: official number, there's so many women where that's proof that 271 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 4: that's not true. And so I hope to see change 272 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 4: in the future in terms of the mammogram age dropping 273 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 4: or ultra sounds being more accessible for everybody. 274 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, you are going to be undergoing chemo before you 275 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 5: have a lump out to me or a misectomy. I 276 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 5: know that you were saying that you're not sure whether 277 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 5: you're gonna have a full misactimty or not. Can you 278 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 5: give us why that order is the way it is. 279 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 4: Yes, So, when you have breast cancer, the start of 280 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 4: your treatment is either surgery or chemo to put it 281 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 4: in a simple form based on the size, so if 282 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 4: it's small enough and caught early enough, they can actually 283 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 4: remove it completely, check afterwards do chemo to make sure 284 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 4: that everything's gone. Unfortunately, for the size of mine, it's 285 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 4: too big to safely remove. Even if I try to 286 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 4: do a full mistectomy, it's too large. So for my 287 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 4: treatment plan, we have to do chemo first to basically 288 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 4: shrink it down, and then they'll constantly monitor that and 289 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 4: then once it's at a safe enough size, or even 290 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 4: if it's gone, then they'll be able to take a 291 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 4: portion of it, which would be the lumpectomy, or if 292 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 4: I opted at that time, or again, there's no guarantee 293 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 4: that it shrinks small enough, then it could end up 294 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 4: being a mastectomy. 295 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 5: And would you at all do a double mistectomy? Would 296 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 5: it be of any benefit because you don't have the 297 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 5: brocta gene, which is the gene that makes you more 298 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 5: susceptible to breast and ovarying cancer. 299 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's actually a great question because I just met 300 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 4: with my breast surgeon today and this entire time I 301 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 4: was kind of accepting that it was going to be mistectomy. 302 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 4: I was weighing the options of maybe a double mastectomy. However, 303 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 4: my doctor said, studies show that it does not necessarily 304 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 4: increase your survival rate to do it. A lot of 305 00:15:55,680 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 4: people do it for preventative reasons because obviously, I don't 306 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 4: ever want to go through this again. So a lot 307 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 4: of women will do it, and not all. Obviously, some 308 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 4: people do it because they have to, but other women 309 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 4: will do because they're like, I don't care, just get 310 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 4: them off. And then the thing that people don't realize 311 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 4: is when you have breast cancer and you go through that, 312 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 4: you also then insurance covers reconstruction. So if you decided 313 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 4: you want implants or you want it, and I forget 314 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 4: the name of it, I think, so it was like, 315 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 4: I don't rememberally official term, but yeah, there's reconstruction that's covered. 316 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 4: So you know, some women, I think also then go 317 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 4: like yeah, if that, like it decreases the stress of 318 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 4: reoccurrence and I get a boob job, like, so be it. 319 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 4: You know. So I think at this time, I'm waiting 320 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 4: to see what happens. My breast surgeon her preference is 321 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 4: lumpect to me, it's the less invasive choice. She did 322 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 4: say some women, well then maybe ten years from now 323 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 4: decide to do that. But especially and my age and 324 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 4: my hopes to have a family and potentially even breastfeed, 325 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 4: I think at the bare minimum, the left breast, which 326 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 4: is not cancer has cancer right now, it would be 327 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 4: something I would hope to hang on to, but again 328 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 4: I have to put my health first, so it's kind 329 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 4: of case by case. In the coming months, what ends 330 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 4: up ultimately being the decision. 331 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 5: That's another thing with you is because of your age, 332 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 5: you still want to have children. You decided that you 333 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 5: wanted to have children when you met Jeff, your fiance, 334 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 5: and now you have to go through the egg retrieval 335 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 5: part before you go into the chemo, and you just 336 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 5: went through that and that's an emotional process itself because 337 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 5: of the hormone fluctuations. 338 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was. It was crazy. I did my treatment 339 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 4: with Army New York and they are so experienced in 340 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 4: what's called oncofertil which is just basically IVF for people 341 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 4: with cancer because with chemotherapy it does impact your reproductive 342 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 4: system in a negative way. So you want to be 343 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 4: proactive and at least have options in the event that 344 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 4: you can't conceive naturally in the future. Now, some women 345 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 4: have told me they were they had cancer, their cancer 346 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 4: free and they were able to conceive naturally, but we 347 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 4: didn't want to hold on to that, so we did 348 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 4: go through the whole IVF process and ended up freezing 349 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 4: our embryos. As of right now, we have successfully six 350 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 4: fertilized embryos. That's great, Yeah, but this Friday is like 351 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:42,199 Speaker 4: and I'm learning terminology, So you're going to forgive me 352 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 4: that I'm not speaking on it correctly. But this Friday 353 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,360 Speaker 4: is when you find out like of those six fertilized embryos, 354 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 4: like how many made it to like the I call 355 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 4: it like the boss level at the final stage, and 356 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 4: are like strong enough, healthy enough, genetically healthy that are 357 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 4: like the final ones that then will you know, keep 358 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 4: until the time is right. 359 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:12,959 Speaker 2: This is such a wild time for you, Katie. 360 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 3: I don't want to dismiss or undermine just like all 361 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 3: the things happening in your life right now. That's I 362 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 3: remember we talked to you. I don't know how many 363 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 3: months ago now, but I think I remember making the 364 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 3: statement like you're just thriving right like things are you 365 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 3: like we're talking about Jeff and a lot, Yeah, and 366 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 3: like I was just like, you're just like in this 367 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 3: season and now it's probably I mean, I'm assuming it's 368 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 3: probably pretty difficult to see the good always right now. 369 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 3: But something that has been good and I've really loved 370 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 3: the follow because I am and I've really enjoyed the 371 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 3: humor is your fiance Jeff. And I want to know 372 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 3: his response, good or bad, or just what his response 373 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 3: has been to this whole thing since really the diagnosis 374 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,400 Speaker 3: and kind of the changing of his tour and his plans, 375 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 3: and then obviously the diagnosis with the stage you're in 376 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 3: and kind of all this happening, Like, how has he 377 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 3: been to you? 378 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 4: He has been just the best life partner, beyond what 379 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 4: I ever expected. When we first found out, we were 380 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 4: in Hawaii where he had shows, and we were supposed 381 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 4: to go from Hawaii to Australia, New Zealand, Japan. All 382 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 4: of these were flights were booked, hotels were booked for both, 383 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 4: everything was very official. You know, you have shows that 384 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 4: are supposed to be next week. So initially because I 385 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 4: just I would have never asked him to stay with me, 386 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 4: I was initially coordinating to potentially do care in Washington, 387 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 4: where my family is, because also then my insurance was 388 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,120 Speaker 4: accepted there in Washington. And I thought, Okay, well, he'll 389 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 4: go on his he'll continue his tour, that's his job, 390 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 4: and it's you know, the next six weeks abroad. How 391 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 4: do I how would he even change that? But then 392 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 4: I think within maybe a day or two, he was like, 393 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 4: absolutely not, We're rescheduling things. I don't care. I don't 394 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 4: care if there's there's penalties because it's you know, it's 395 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 4: international and these are big shows that are sold out, 396 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 4: and you know, unfortunately people do plan around these moments 397 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 4: with him. But anyway, he rescheduled everything, and him being 398 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 4: here for these past four weeks and now the next 399 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 4: two have been the best because in the beginning is 400 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 4: the worst when it comes to diagnosis. There's so much 401 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 4: you're learning, there's so many appointments, and he's been to 402 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 4: every single one of my appointments. He did every single 403 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 4: shot for me for IVF, and like, I like, I'll 404 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 4: just get emotional talking about him. I don't know who 405 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 4: or how I would be like without him by my side. 406 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 4: And so as much as people want to give me 407 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 4: compliments for being brave and strong, and it's like I 408 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 4: do owe a lot of that to my partner, and 409 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 4: Jeff has just been amazing. He does head back on 410 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 4: the road sometime in the first week of April, which 411 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 4: is I think perfect timing. He'll be here for my 412 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 4: first treatment and then you know, he comes home every 413 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 4: once in a while in between the US run anyway, 414 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 4: which is the month of April, So I think it'll 415 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 4: be something we can manage. But him being there for 416 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 4: these beginning moments is something I don't even know how 417 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 4: I'd ever repay him with my gratitude. 418 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 3: Helpful your love, Yeah, I think your love is enough. 419 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 3: I think that's pretty awesome. You know, I was thinking 420 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 3: about this talking to you today. We only have a 421 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 3: few minutes here, and some you know, a couple of 422 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 3: quotes came to mind. 423 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 2: I'm not going to share because that just is kind 424 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 2: of corny and goofy. 425 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 3: But I was a mentor of mine once told me 426 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 3: to pay attention and to learn from those who have 427 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 3: been through it, to listen to those people for their 428 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 3: insights and advice, And so I want to take this 429 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 3: moment to learn from you. You have been diagnosed with 430 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 3: stage three cancer. You have a fiance, you are planning 431 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 3: a family, You're gonna get to go on the road. 432 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 3: You have all these things now that are in pause. 433 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 3: I guess you've been through it. You're going to continue, 434 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 3: but you've been through it, Katie. Things have changed in 435 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 3: your life. And so as you look at life now 436 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 3: and moving forward, what is your perspective? 437 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 2: What has changed? 438 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 3: What insights have you been given just kind of through 439 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 3: this process that I could learn from or anybody listening 440 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 3: could learn from. 441 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 4: I mean, I think my biggest takeaway is I've never 442 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 4: been scared about the outcome. I've always known no matter 443 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 4: what is going to come, I'm going to get through it. 444 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 4: I just have been describing it of a year of 445 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 4: inconveniences and that's all it is. It's just like a 446 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 4: I think my breast surgeon said, it's like a speed 447 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 4: bump in a school zone. You know, you approach fast 448 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 4: and you see the speed bumps, you slow down, you 449 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 4: get over that hump, and then you just continue on. 450 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 4: And obviously I'm not on the other side yet, but 451 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,239 Speaker 4: a lot of people who have made it to the 452 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 4: other side of beating cancer have said your outlook on 453 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 4: life and your relationships really change, And I mean I 454 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 4: think even now they already have. You just you value 455 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 4: family more, you value your friendships more, you value life more. 456 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 4: I mean, you really reflect on how we've been treating 457 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 4: ourselves as these humans on lane, on Earth, and just 458 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 4: things that we could be doing just to be better 459 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 4: while while our time is you know limited ultimately. But 460 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:49,199 Speaker 4: I know, for me, funny enough, I was dragging my 461 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 4: feet on wedding planning. You know, I was more wanting 462 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 4: to elope and now given the diagnosis, it feels like 463 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 4: there's something really special about being to celebrate the love 464 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 4: that Jeff and I have then to be celebrating that 465 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 4: with friends and family on a big, grand scale. And 466 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 4: so my outlook on just even like wedding planning has 467 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 4: shifted because you know, life is so precious and you 468 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 4: just never know what kind of surprises are going to 469 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 4: come your way. 470 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: Thanks. 471 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 5: You said that you're not scared, and I'm so glad 472 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 5: to hear that, And like everybody knows, they're like Katie 473 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 5: has got this. She's gonna tackle this like she is 474 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 5: the strongest woman. I'm so glad to hear that. You know, 475 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,719 Speaker 5: you don't consider yourself scared? Are you nervous about chemo? 476 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 3: Though? 477 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 5: Like that's that would be like what I don't know 478 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 5: how that's going to feel to my body. Like I 479 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,959 Speaker 5: feel like a lot of times we're in our thirties, 480 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 5: we feel like we kind of know what things feel like. 481 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 5: But that's one thing. 482 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 4: It's like, yeah, I mean, it is like a very 483 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,679 Speaker 4: aggressive form of medication, and there's things people can do 484 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 4: to try to manage that. The I don't want to 485 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 4: say the nice thing. But you know, I am young, 486 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 4: and so younger people do tend to bounce back a 487 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 4: little bit better. And there's been a lot of changes 488 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 4: just healthwise of what I've done leading up to it, 489 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,360 Speaker 4: just to prepare and make sure my body's in its 490 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 4: best health and shape, you know. And now I live 491 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 4: in New York and we don't have a car, so 492 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 4: there's bare minimum. Just going on walks is going to 493 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 4: be really beneficial, but also just allowing myself the grace 494 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 4: of knowing I need to sleep a lot. I might 495 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 4: feel nauseous in talking to other people who've gone through 496 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 4: chemo obviously, like hair loss could be something, you know, 497 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 4: but in the grand scale of things, is like, so 498 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 4: be it. You know, I'll value my life over my 499 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 4: hair any day. Yeah, so I don't. I know it's 500 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 4: not going to be great, you know, but given everything 501 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 4: I've gone through the last four weeks, I feel like 502 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,119 Speaker 4: it can't be much worse. And then what I've already 503 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 4: been going through. 504 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 5: My last thing that I want to ask you is 505 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 5: how has Jeff being a comedian helped through this? Because 506 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 5: it been like Patch Adams, he. 507 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 4: Have you guys heard some of the jokes him and 508 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 4: I make it's like a mixture of like being out 509 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 4: of pocket and like somewhat dark humor, but like because 510 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 4: we're like in a private space, just him and I 511 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 4: and we have that permission to do that with each 512 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 4: other with my diagnosis, it actually makes it very fun. 513 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:23,199 Speaker 4: He's he's just always in such a good mood, you know. 514 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 4: I mean, obviously it feels like so cliche. He's like 515 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 4: a community he's always funny, but he really is. Like 516 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 4: it just it's the true comedic relief in my real 517 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 4: life story. 518 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 2: Katie. 519 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 3: Really the final thing for you, and thank you again 520 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 3: for coming on and talking about this. I know you 521 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:41,960 Speaker 3: know you've you've done a lot of interviews and you're 522 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 3: you're obviously sharing as much information as you can with people, 523 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 3: and we greatly appreciate it, and I know our listeners 524 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 3: do too. One thing that I just want to make 525 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 3: clear so those people out there can be praying for you, 526 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 3: thinking about you, supporting you. All the stuff that people 527 00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 3: do in the midst of somebody else hurting what what 528 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 3: is the timeline now from here on now? How long 529 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 3: is treatment? Kind of what are the doctors telling you 530 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 3: about success rates? Just all the information that people can 531 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 3: grab onto for you personally. 532 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 4: So right now, treatment to start is twelve weeks with 533 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 4: this clinical trial, which is shorter than your standard of care. 534 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 4: So the hope is that within those twelve weeks I'm 535 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 4: cured or it's at least shrunken in size, that I 536 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 4: can then proceed on to surgery. So that is my 537 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 4: hope with this clinical trial. My hope is that it's successful. 538 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 4: They have obviously this has been years that they've done 539 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 4: this clinical trial, but with anything to make it official, 540 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 4: you have to have records of success over and over 541 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 4: and over. So I'm just being part of that right now, 542 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 4: so we'll know literally, I think week by week. Since 543 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,959 Speaker 4: it is a clinical trial, they do ongoing observations with 544 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 4: biopsy and MRIs, Whereas the thing that surprised me the 545 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 4: most with standard of care is you just do six 546 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 4: rounds of chemo and they just manually check your lump. 547 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 4: That's it, and then they'll do the official exam at 548 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 4: the end of that six months. And so for me, 549 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 4: it's very closely monitored. So in the event the clinical 550 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 4: trial is not working for me, they do shift me 551 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 4: then to what would be the standard of care and 552 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 4: what are. 553 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 3: The doctors telling you about success right here, Like, what 554 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 3: are their expectations. 555 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 4: I don't think they've given me like a number, but 556 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 4: they have had success. Like they're very excited that I 557 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 4: opted into it. They're very optimistic. They really haven't approached 558 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 4: it in a way of me going into back to 559 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 4: the standard of care. They're just more approaching it like 560 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 4: we're going to see how this impacts you positively, and 561 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 4: we're just going to hit the ground running and start 562 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 4: treatment as soon as next Friday. 563 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 3: Okay, Katie, We'll be thinking about you here. Thank you 564 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 3: again for coming on here. We really appreciate it. Wishing 565 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 3: the best, and I know this is a wild season, 566 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 3: a wild time of inconveniences, but I cannot wait to 567 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,959 Speaker 3: talk to you in a year and hear all the 568 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 3: cool things that have happened after these you know, Rode 569 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 3: bumps have been passed over, Katie Thurston, everybody. This has 570 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 3: been the Almost Famous podcast and I've been Ben talk 571 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 3: to you sooner. 572 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcasts on 573 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.