A
COMPLETE
STORY
LOSS RISK COPING
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NOTE TO EDUCATOR
A Complete Story deals on a personal level with the devastating consequences of tobacco use. Three professional filmmakers came together to create this documentary after each suffered a loss caused by smoking. From early childhood their smoking education dealt with sensationalized fear and gore. The information they were exposed to as children did not prepare them for the reality about smoking. Through research and interviews they were shocked to discover the actual extent of damage caused by nicotine addiction. For the smoker, age was no longer an issue. Smoking related diseases can touch people’s lives, not tomorrow, not down the road and not when they are old—but right now.
DOCUMENTARY SUMMARY
Using simple language A Complete Story is broken down into three- twenty minute parts: Loss, Risk and Coping. Each part is separate and unto itself. They can be viewed in any order. It is best to include a group discussion after each section
Loss is the story of Jewel and her battle with cancer of the larynx. For Jewel one of the greatest issues was one of acceptance. How would her friends act? Who would date a person with a hole in her throat? As a teenager Jewel chose to smoke, and today, she continues to live with the tragic consequences of that decision. In this teacher’s guide you will find a Q&A section where Jewel answers question that may come up in discussion. Also, there is an exercise to help understand her loss.
Risk gives information about smoking related diseases and the personal experiences of doctors who deal with them. For example, over 85 % of lung cancer victims do not live past five years; one doctor deals with this fact by mentally considering his patients already dead. In Risk, there are special sections dealing with nicotine addiction, pregnancy and how smoking effects skin.
Coping is a self-help guide for people dealing with stress and wanting to quit. Using journals, deep breathing, positive thinking and a music therapy relaxation session they learn information that will help them their entire life. The final section of Coping is important facts about smoking and weight loss. An excellent exercise for this section would be to have the participants begin a private journal and write how they felt about the relaxation session and pick three songs they would enjoy listening to when they are affected by stress.
In conclusion, A Complete Story puts the question to people: Know that every time you smoke you are showing a total disregard for yourself—wonder why you don’t care?
JEWEL EXERCISE
To better understand Jewel’s loss we’ve come up with following exercise:
As a group, come up with twenty questions that you would normally ask when meeting someone for the first time. Divide your group into pairs. One person is allowed to speak and the other must write down their responses. The non-speaking person is allowed only five minutes to answer the questions. After the exercise is completed discuss how the non-speaking person feels (were you frustrated, did you have a hard time communicating…). How did the speaking person feel(did they grow frustrated with the non-speaking person, did they lose interest in the person). As a group discuss how the loss of your voice would it hinder your ability to communicate for example, at a party or if you wanted to ask a question in class. What if you were trying to flag down a car? What if you could no longer sing, soothe, or express the nuances of your emotions.
The purpose of this exercise is to understand that your actions at a very young age could possibly negatively affect the rest of your life.
Jewel Questions & Answers
Questions that might come up in class discussions
Q: When was Jewell first exposed to smoking?
A: Everyone in my family smoked and for as long as I could remember it was always around the house.
Q: How old was Jewel when she started smoking?
A: It was the summer of my 7th grade. I was thirteen years old.
Q: Why did Jewel start smoking?
A: I just wanted to try it, but once I started I couldn’t quit.
Q: Did Jewel experience any complications do to her smoking.
A: Well, in high school I did experience more colds and I had a scratchy throat and a hacking cough sometimes and finally, I developed hoarseness. But at the time I didn’t think that it had anything to do with smoking.
Q: Was Jewel ever punished or reprimanded about her smoking?
A: No, her family did not find out that she was smoking until she was diagnosed with cancer.
Q: What caused Jewel to seek medical care?
A: I’d been hoarse for a really long time and I had all the other symptoms I talked about, but I felt I was to young to have anything seriously wrong with me. My step mom urged me to have it checked out.
Q: When she first went to the doctor what did he recommend that she do.
A: First he thought that I was talking too much and straining my voice. But after six months of speech therapy and no improvement he recommended surgery to remove what he thought was vocal polyps.
Q: What happened during the surgery?
A: When they opened up my throat, they were shocked to discover what appeared to be laryngeal cancer. After a biopsy it turned out to be true. They closed my throat up and gave me a day to consider my options. I could either have chemotherapy or a laryngoctomy, which would be a total removal of my larynx along with half of my thyroid. I decided on the laryngoctomy.
Q: Why did she decide on the laryngoctomy?
A: Because the doctors explained to me that when you are really young cancer can be more aggressive and the chemotherapy might hurt my chances of having a baby in the future.
Q: Exactly what is a laryngoctomy?
A: An operation to remove all or part of the larynx (voice box).
Q: What is a larynx and what does it do?
A: The area of the throat containing the vocal cords and used for breathing, swallowing and talking. Also called the “voice box.”
Q: What is a stoma?
A: A surgically created opening from an area inside the body to the outside which allows for breathing. I could no longer breathe through my nose.
Q: How did Jewel’s life change?
A: I could no longer speak and at first I couldn’t eat regular food. I could never swim again or take a shower or in any way allow water in my stoma (I could drown). I could no longer wear the clothes that I used to. Everything I wear now has to cover my stoma.
Q: How long did it take to learn how to talk?
A: Years. First, I had to use a magic slate and then I would point and mouth out words—hoping that someone would understand me. Then, I tried electronic speech devises and finally, with the help of a speech therapist I learned (esophageal speech).
Q: What is esophageal speech?
A: Trapping air and making it sound like burp speech.
Q: Did Jewel ever finish college?
A: No, I was unable to communicate with the professors and they were not willing to spend extra time with her.
Q: Was she ever able to maintain a job?
A: I had various jobs, but was unable to maintain them do to the limitations of my disability.
Q: Is there ever a time in Jewel’s life that she doesn’t feel a sense of loss?
A: I am always reminded that I no longer have my voice and after twenty years it still limits what I do.