view . spring2017
9
Opposite:Dr.EleanorMaticka-Tyndale.
Photocredit:DaxMelmer,
WindsorStar.
Women shouldn’t put onabrave facewhileenduringa
painful and traumatizingmedical procedure. That’s the
lesson learnedbya researcherwhose surprisingfindings led
to improved care for local cervical cancer patients.
Universityof Windsor sociologist EleanorMaticka-Tyndale
received$60,000 inSeeds4Hope funding starting in2009 to study the
experiences of women—their qualityof lifeand sexuality—during
andafter high-dose ratebrachytherapy. It’s aneffective, internal
radiation therapy that involves insertingnarrowhollow tubes through
thevagina to the cervixanduterus, and loading tiny radiatedpellets
into the tubes todeliver highdoses toa smaller target area compared
toexternal beam radiation.
Upuntil 2009, patients at theWindsor cancer centreusually
weren’t givenanesthetic for brachytherapy,which involves four to
sixhour-long treatments. Instead theygot narcoticpainkillers like
morphineanddilaudid tokeep them comfortable.
ButwhatMaticka-Tyndalediscoveredafter interviewing these
women,was that theprocedurewas far fromcomfortable. “Wehad
quotationsabout severepain, severeanxiety,” she said. Regardlessof
thepills theyweregiven, “thiswasanexcruciatingprocedure for them.”
And thememories from it—thepainandanxiety—lingeredon,
andhada long-termeffect on their sexual relationswith their spouses
andpartners, she said.
Women toldher: “If itwas up tome I’dnever have sexagain
because it brings up thememories of thepain,” or “It’s sopainful, but
I knowmyhusband,mypartner,wants it, needs it and it’s important
toour relationship, so I just cringeandbear it.”
When she sharedhowwomendescribed their experience in
“suchaveryhorrific, negativeway,” theWindsor cancer centre’schief
oncologist,Dr.KenSchneider,who treated thesewomen,was shocked.
Thoughheknew theprocedure certainlywasn’t pleasant, hehad
no ideahow traumatizing it trulywas.Whiledelivering the treatment,
hewouldalways ask themhow itwas going, but thewomen tended to
playdownanydiscomfort. So,whenheheard fromMaticka-Tyndale
about thewomen’s true feelings, hewas shocked. “Itwas very
unsettling forme.”
Therewas onewomanMaticka-Tyndale interviewedwho
received conscious sedation, a combinationof medicines delivered
byananesthetist toblockpainandhelpyou relax. Thoughyoumay
beawakeduring theprocedure, youusuallyhavenomemoryof it.
It’swhatmost peopleget prior toa colonoscopy.
That onewoman reported that her brachytherapywas pain-free
andanxiety-free, saidMaticka-Tyndale.
After learningaboutMaticka-Tyndale’s findings, Schneider,who
hadalreadybeenplanning to transition to conscious sedation, did
the transitionveryquickly. Theanesthetists atWindsorRegional
Hospitalwereable tofit thebrachytherapypatients inbyhaving the
procedures scheduled for 7a.m.
And theexperienceof women clearly improved, according
toSchneider. “Noquestionabout that,” he said. “I’d sayprobably
95per cent of womenwill haveabetter experiencebecause they
get this conscious sedation.”
He said theywakeupquicklyafterwards. “Theymight say
somethingwas goingon, but no, itwas fine.”
Schneider andMaticka-Tyndale,whoworked together on the
researchproject, agree thatwomenput onabrave facebecause they
weregrateful for the lifesaving care theyweregetting.
“Thinkabout it,whenyou’regoing through something that’s
verypainful andpeopleare treatingyouverykindlyand respectfully,
you’re thankful andyouappropriatelyexpress that thanks,” said
Maticka-Tyndale. “Butwhat (Schneider) didn’t realizewas theywere
puttingonabrave face,whileenduringa lot of pain.”
The fact this researchbrought about a significant change for the
12 to15 cervical cancer patients needingbrachytherapyannually
shows how important it is tohave researchdone locally, saidMaticka-
Tyndale,who is associatedeanof researchandgraduate studies in
theuniversity’sFacultyof Arts,Humanities andSocial Sciences.
She said thatwhat she learned from this research is that as
patients, “we shouldn’t put onabrave face.”
Wedon’t need to screamandkick. “Butweneed to communicate
our distress.”
n
v
Material republishedwith the express permissionof:
Windsor Star,
adivisionof
PostmediaNetwork Inc. Reprintedwithpermission.
RESEARCHSHOWINGCANCERPATIENTS’
PAINANDANXIETYLEDTOLOCALCHANGE
RESEARCH
Dr. EleanorMaticka-Tyndale
