Kathy's Recent Milestone
- 61-year-old Kathy Griffin posts a photo of her 2-year AA recovery chip on Instagram.
- The comedian continues to stay open and transparent about her health with fans after battling lung cancer in 2021.
- Griffin’s attitude toward laughter proves that a positive mindset can help ease the process of navigating a cancer diagnosis.
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The comic revealed her stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis via social media in Aug. 2021. Thankfully, the cancer seemed to be contained to one part of her lung, so she underwent surgery to have half of her left lung removed shortly after sharing the news.
She then revealed she was cancer-free in December 2021, but she still had a lot of recovering to do. After the surgery, her voice was temporarily altered by an intubation tube giving her a "Minnie Mouse meets Marilyn Monroe" type of voice.
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She’s been spending time with beloved husband, Randy Bick, and their four “fur babies” in their gorgeous Malibu home!
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Other updates from the comic’s personal Instagram showcases passionate statements on political issues. Griffin has been known to strike controversy on hot topics over the past few years, but she hasn’t let that stop her from sharing what she holds true to herself.
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Kathy’s Cancer Battle
In 2021, after Griffin was diagnosed with lung cancer, she took her journey public and has been transparent about her experience. A non-smoker, she was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer, indicating that the disease hadn’t spread to her lymph nodes or any other organs in the body.
Symptoms of lung cancer typically include:
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss
- Constant coughing that becomes painful over time
- Shortness of breath
- Changes in voice or difficulty speaking without getting winded
- Pain in the torso, mid- and upper-back, and shoulders
- Discoloration or a sudden change in color of mucus and saliva
Griffin took a surgical route to treat her disease. Common post-surgery traits in lung cancer patients include fatigue and risk of infection. Signs of infection after lung cancer surgery can include: shivering, nausea, swelling or redness around the surgical wound, and fluctuating temperature. Speak with your doctor if you experience any of these things.
Breathlessness is also normal after lung cancer surgery. Long-term pain can present as well. A study published by the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery examined the risk factors of vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) following lung cancer surgery in patients. The study found that 86100% of patients reported hoarseness after surgery following RLN paralysis (a nerve injury that has the potential to occur after surgery for lung cancer). And in 45% of the patients studied, hoarseness was the only symptom of VCD after lung surgery.
Staying Positive Through Cancer
Griffin once said in an interview that losing the ability to make other people laugh made her lose a lot of her will to live. The comedian is open about this dark stage of her life, and just as transparent with the details of how to get through it all. It’s clear that Griffin is surrounded by positivity, laughter, and a sturdy support system.
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We love seeing Griffin surround herself with an epic crew of like-minded funny folks! Having a strong support system and community when navigating cancer can help, as well as focusing on the positives and trying to laugh when possible.
Anecdotal evidence from SurvivorNet experts on the power of optimism points to how a positive mindset can impact a cancer prognosis. One oncologist at Cedars-Sinai tells SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, "My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they're diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn't that mean I'm good at saying that the cancer won't grow," he says.
"But I'm pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life."
Contributing: Anne McCarthy
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