Title: An Inspiring Journey of a Cancer Survivor’s Communication Struggle
On March 11, 2024, Beth Riehle received a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma, the most prevalent type of tongue cancer, as shared by the Mayo Clinic. This cancer originates from the flat, squamous cells that line the surface of the tongue. Upon receiving this news, Riehle sought answers to common questions such as the stage of the cancer, its causes, and whether it had spread. Given her early stage, most of these questions remained unanswered. She was presented with two treatment options: surgery, which would remove the tumor but potentially impact her speech and ability to eat for the rest of her life, or chemotherapy and radiation.
After consulting with a medical oncologist, Riehle opted for chemotherapy and radiation targeting the head and neck. Her treatment plan involved 35 radiation sessions over seven weeks, accompanied by weekly chemotherapy. The radiation encompassed her entire mouth, neck, and lymph nodes. Initially on cisplatin chemotherapy, she was switched to carboplatin due to ringing in her ears. Riehle shared that she faced challenges with eating solid food after the fourth week due to radiation burns, leading to hunger, weakness, and fear during that period.
On June 17, 2024, after completing what she thought would be her sole treatment round, Riehle ceremoniously rang the bell symbolizing the end of treatment. However, her relief was short-lived as she began experiencing severe shooting pains in her forehead and neck two months later. Emergency room visits and medical evaluations revealed a treatment-resistant cancer and the development of a second tumor, prompting a referral to MD Anderson Cancer Center for potential clinical trials.
Despite the emotional toll of this news, Riehle remained resilient, finding inner strength amid the excruciating pain and uncertainties. Supported by her fiancé, Donald, and loved ones, she faced the long weeks of unbearable suffering with determination and hope for recovery. Her journey has taught her that true strength emerges in challenging times, empowering her to endure and not give up on herself.
Upon seeking guidance from a team of specialists at MD Anderson, Riehle’s path forward was still being determined…
Beth Riehle faced the daunting prospect of undergoing a total glossectomy — a surgery to remove part or all of her tongue, along with her lymph nodes. She expressed her initial fear of losing her ability to speak, which she equated with losing her identity. Before the surgery, she searched in vain for a similar case on social media, only finding either negative accounts or stories of older individuals. Despite her plea to her doctor not to take away her voice, the surgery proceeded as planned. After a 12-hour operation that removed a significant portion of her tongue and lymph nodes, she was relieved to find that her voice remained intact, albeit altered. She acknowledged the challenges ahead, including a permanent speech impediment affecting certain sounds. Beth is currently in recovery, undergoing physical and speech therapy to regain functionality. To cope with the changes, she turned to online shopping and eventually found solace in creating TikTok videos showcasing her outfits while confronting her fear of public speaking. By sharing her journey and using relevant hashtags, she hopes to offer support and guidance to others facing similar challenges. Despite a setback during a shopping trip, Beth remains determined to embrace her new reality and inspire others with her resilience.
“Ya know, I decided ain’t nobody gonna make me feel that tiny ever again, not after all I’ve been through just to stay kickin’,” she says. “With or without my speech issue, I deserve my spot in this world. Folks all around me were assuring me they could get what I was sayin’, and when I heard myself on video, I saw what words I was strugglin’ with. It made me hit the brakes and really think about what I wanna get across.”
Ever since then, Riehle has been pumpin’ out those daily OOTD vids, sharin’ her journey. Then one day, while hangin’ with her sis in Houston, she noticed a flood of friend requests and likes on her vid. “I turned to my sis and said, ‘I reckon I’m goin’ viral,’ ” she remembers, sharin’ that it all kicked off ’cause one lady stumbled upon her page and made a video ’bout her. Thanks to her, she’s gathered a crew of over 63,000 followers.
“There’s a whole lotta buzz,” she says. “At first, I was a tad embarrassed ’bout so many folks watchin’ me talk, but then I recollected why I did it: to be bold and show someone like me. Messages started pourin’ in from folks who went through somethin’ similar, or dealt with a speech issue, or were battlin’ cancer. I knew I did the right thing. That truly brought me some joy.”
“I never even dreamed I’d get this kinda reception when I started postin’ to work on my speech,” she keeps on. “It’s a lot at times, but it feels like a blessin’ to be a voice for them without a voice. The support I’ve got and the tales shared with me have totally blown me away. My journey is makin’ a diff for others. I thought I was losin’ my voice, but now that I’ve found it again, I’m dead set on usin’ it to help others.”
Riehle goes on ’bout how she’s had a coupla young gals who had glossectomies reachin’ out to her, along with folks whose family members went through it too. She says they tell her how when they see her spillin’ her story on TikTok, they feel hopeful.
But there’s this one lady who got in touch that really tugged at Riehle’s heartstrings. The woman shared how she watched her vids all mornin’ while her ma was in surgery gettin’ her tongue fixed up.
“Even though I was jittery ’bout all these eyes on me, I knew I’d done somethin’ good,” she says. “A lotta the messages call me an inspiration or say they’re real proud of me, that they look up to me
