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On the negative side, she estimates that 50 percent of her patients eventually die.
"It's tough to develop a close relationship with a patient over a period of time, and still see them succumb to this disease," she says.
To see her in action, Clayton graciously allowed me, and a photographer, to watch her work on a long-time cancer patient at the hospital. Reverend Monsignor Guy J. Puglisi, who is the superintendent of schools for all Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens, has been coming to the 53rd Street facility since August, 1999Ñshortly after this facility opened. He is suffering from rectal cancer. He also generously gave us permission to observe Clayton working on him.
Monsignor Puglisi had extensive surgery on his left side, so it could harm him to give him a deep Swedish massage in that area, Clayton states. She uses other methods instead, such as face and scalp massage, reiki and foot massage.
"When the Monsignor comes in, I usually start with a face and scalp massage, just to help him start to relax," Clayton says.
"Then I do reiki and reflexology."
Her patient loves his weekly treatments here. "I usually come up here on Wednesday afternoons, since I have to be here at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning for my interferon treatment," Puglisi says.
"There is always a lot of stress and anxiety that day, so the massage afterwards is a great reward. I love the reflexology; it feels like you have left your body. And it is physically good for me. For example, my platelet count was once measured at 50 before my massage, and it was up to 80 after it. It makes a big difference."
Monsignor Puglisi keeps an upbeat attitude and a great sense of humor for a person with his serious illness.
"It's always nice to be touched, especially when you are celibate," he jokes.
Puglisi says his massage treatments help him maintain a normal schedule.
"I still work full-time; I give mass at 6:45 a.m., and teach philosophy at one of the schools in my district. But for the most part, I do my usual activities."
"The Monsignor is definitely a model patient; he knows everybody here, and impresses everybody here with his attitude," Clayton concludes.
"I really look forward to our weekly sessions."
Clayton and the other therapist in her building see about 20 patients a week, and that number is rising steadily.
"Our department continues to grow, so that will probably increase in the months to come," she says.
The 65th Street building employs two full-time massage therapists, and two part-time therapists. The main hospital has two full-time therapists who are available to any inpatient who wants their services. |
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Besides working in the treatment rooms in the IMS offices on the 11th Floor, she also visits the chemotherapy suites found on several other floors a few hours a week, to give foot massages to patients being treated there. As patients lie in the treatment chairs for the lengthy process, Clayton will sit on a footstool to massage their feet.
Massage remains the No. 1 form of treatment requested by patients, but the Integrative Medicine Centers also offer a host of other types of complementary medicine as well. These are divided into the following general categories:
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Spiritual/Energy Therapies. Includes meditation, polarity therapy, and
reiki;
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Creative Therapies. Includes art therapy, music therapy, and sound therapy;
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Nutritional and herbal counseling;
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Movement Therapies. Includes Alexander technique, Feldenkrais, hatha yoga, t'ai chi and a
"Back in Shape" exercise program;
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Pain Relief. Includes acupuncture, biofeedback and hypnotherapy.
All of these treatments are not limited just to outpatients of MSKCC; they are available to anyone, according to Clayton.
"Family members of patients are often neglected, and they are under a lot of stress, too," she asserts.
"They make up a growing segment of our clientele."
Being located in the epicenter of midtown Manhattan doesn't hurt, either.
"We get a lot of business people who work in the neighborhood, and that seems to be catching on as well. Our program continues to grow," she adds.
Now more than a year old, Sloan-Kettering's Integrative Medicine Service has been well received by patients and physicians alike, according to Wendy Miner, the massage therapy manager for the program.
"The patients are grateful to have these optional services available to them, during this very stressful time in their lives," Miner says.
"And the oncologists on staff have reported very positive results from their patients who have had massages and some of our other services."
Michael Schwanz is the editor of Massage Therapy Journal.
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