Oscars Love & A Fourth Booster
- Comedian Kathy Griffin, 61, beat lung cancer, and recently informed fans that she got her fourth booster. Griffin also joked on social media about how she would bring up her cancer if she were attending the Oscars.
- Griffin, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021 and has been public about her diagnosis and cancer battle. She was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer.
- People like Griffin, who have battled cancer, should get the Covid-19 vaccine and booster shot. Some cancer treatments, like chemotherapy, can blunt the immune system, making a person more susceptible to contracting Covid-19.
Read MoreIf I were going to the Oscars tonight, every time a winner was announced I would stand up and scream "but I had cancer!"
Every time.
Until I got kicked out.
Do you doubt me?— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 27, 2022
4th booster f**kers.
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 26, 2022
Oh, and CVS gave us EIGHT free Covid tests for getting boosted! pic.twitter.com/fG6zHsayKz
Griffin, who lives by the ocean in Malibu and is married to Randy Bick, 43, also recently expressed fears about regaining her voice fully after cancer.
Kathy’s Oscars Viewing & Beating Lung Cancer
Griffin clearly relished in watching the 94th Oscars Sunday night and even posted about Lady Gaga, 36, and Liza Minnelli, 76, in their endearing moment presenting the award for Best Picture.
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Kathy Griffin was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021 and has been very public about her diagnosis and cancer battle. She's a non-smoker and was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer. A stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis indicates that the cancer hasn't spread to the lymph nodes or 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 had surgery to treat her disease, which, as she shares, impacted her voice and her vocal chords. Lung cancer surgery impacts the body in various ways. It may cause fatigue, leaving the patient feeling weak and tired. There's also the risk of infection after surgery. Signs of infection after lung cancer surgery can include: shivering, feeling nauseous, 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.
What Happens When You've Been Newly Diagnosed With Lung Cancer
The Covid-19 Vaccine & Booster for Cancer Patients
We love that Kathy Griffin recently got her fourth vaccine. It’s so important especially for cancer fighters and survivors to protect themselves against Covid-19 by getting vaccines and boosters.
Some treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy, blunt the immune system, meaning a person with cancer could be more likely to contract Covid-19. People battling cancer should get the Covid-19 vaccine too if they're eligible and able. One of the few populations that may be advised not to get the vaccine is people battling blood cancer. If you're among this group, speak with your oncologist about the best course of action for you.
Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, a doctor from the Mayo Clinic, spoke in an earlier interview about the importance of getting vaccinated if you have cancer. He also assures people of vaccine safety, saying, "It is very safe and there is no increased risk to you just because you have cancer."
"As long as you are feeling well, just go ahead with the vaccine whenever it's offered to you. Sometimes even on the same day if you are going to the clinic to get a small dose of chemotherapy and they're giving the vaccine, just get it, there's really no major problem," Dr. Rajkumar says. "The only people for whom we are saying to delay by a month or two are patients who have had a stem cell transplant because we have wiped out (the patients' immune system). And so you want to wait until some of the recovery happens so when you give the vaccine, they have an immune response."
5 COVID-19 Vaccine Questions Answered by Expert Physician
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