Cindy Langenbach has been a nurse since 1979, so working as a fitter feels like a natural progression to her in terms of both doing something she loves and using the skills she’s obtained throughout her career.
Early in her nursing career Cindy was an ER and trauma nurse, so her work world was filled with adrenaline-pumping moments on a daily basis. Although she thrived on this setting (and the great reward of helping to save lives) as her two children entered their teens, the 12 hour night shifts began to take their toll.
Cindy’s husband Tom and his sister Patti have owned Medical Care Products in Jacksonville, Florida for over 45 years. The business has traditionally carried ostomy, wound care and urological supplies, but they see a wide array of patients with cancers, and the women with breast cancer seemed to share a common need – a local place where they could find mastectomy products in a setting where they felt someone truly cared.
This need provided Cindy with a perfect career segue. Tom had been urging her to come to work with him so she could slow the pace down a bit for herself, so in 2006 they started Promises. Promises is a part of Medical Care Products devoted to helping women who have had breast surgeries find the forms and bras they need in a caring and friendly atmosphere.
Not only is Cindy a nurse, she is also a cancer survivor. In 2009 she had thyroid cancer, so she is acutely aware of both sides of the cancer coin – she’s been a patient and she’s worked to help make patient’s lives better. The empathy and compassion this provides is a huge boon to her customers.
Cindy is rightfully proud of the setting they have created, saying, “The lobby for Medical Care Products was created from wood that came from an old bank in London. It’s called Tiger Oak, and it provides a very warm, inviting feel for anyone entering. Our goal was to create a place where our customers could feel comfortable both physically and emotionally. We wanted them to be able to share feelings and know that someone was listening. We wanted them to feel free to talk. There is a small reception area with a couple of chairs and then a large room for fitting. The fitting room even has chandeliers, so it is equipped to feel intimate and private (and elegant!). Promises carries bras, prostheses, swimsuits, camisoles and compression garments. I always try to listen to the needs of the women we see, so we have what they need available.”
Of course, listening sometimes means reading between the lines: “I had one lady who had great difficulty finding a swimsuit that worked for her. She just wasn’t happy with any of the looks we tried on her. After a while I began to realize we simply weren’t getting anywhere, and no matter what I suggested or what she tried on, nothing was going to work. She admitted to me that she had a swimsuit at home she loved, but it didn’t work well with the forms. While we were chatting a light bulb went on in my head and I said, ‘I wonder if you wear a sports bra under the swimsuit, if that would hold the forms in place?’ We tried an Amoena sports bra under her suit and voila, it holds everything in place so she can still wear the suit she loves!” shares Langenbach.
She continues, “Shortly afterwards I had another woman come in who has had a bilateral mastectomy who likes to swim laps. She had also been having difficulty finding anything that would work, and didn’t like to go without forms because she felt it made her look like a 12-year-old boy. I’d had such great luck with the Amoena sports bra I decided to suggest it to this woman as well. She now wears a black sports bra under her racing suit which allows her to be incredibly active and keep her forms in place. It is so much fun to sit down and figure these sorts of things out.”
Cindy sees a lot of lymphedema, especially in her younger women, so she feels this is another area that needs both special attention and education. “I had lymphedema after my thyroid surgery that was particularly troublesome because it was in my neck. You don’t have to be an RN to know it’s not a good idea to compress your neck! I talk to all my new patients about lymphedema because I know how troublesome it can be. And I also know it can strike at any time, and is not confined to just the arm. I’ve seen it in the chest wall and torso, as well. I have a woman who was 25 years post-surgery, never with a problem, who developed lymphedema on a flight to Hawaii. So what was supposed to be a treat from her husband ended up being a very unpleasant reminder that anyone who has had surgery or radiation can be at risk.”
One of the things Cindy loves about being a fitter is the ability to get to know her patients. “I was so excited to leave the hospital to come work here,” she shares, “because in ER you don’t get attached to people. I now get to know my patients and their families. I never thought I would love something besides trauma, but this is so much more rewarding.”
Although she spends her days working in the family business, Cindy still loves to spend time with family when she isn’t working. “My sister-in-law and I were roommates in college, so I knew her first and she introduced me to her brother. Tom and I have been married for 30 years. Our daughter Amanda and son Matthew are both grown, but I still love being able to spend time with them when I’m not working.”
Cindy also loves the holidays and decorating, and looks forward to everything from Halloween to the 4th of July, although she admits putting up 5 trees during the Christmas holidays may qualify for being just a bit over the top.
Her love of decorating extends to her work environment as well, where she’s created what she calls a “Tree of Life” in the lobby that is now covered with over 700 pink ribbons bearing the names of both breast cancer survivors, and touching memorial tributes. This Tree of Life is just one more example of how Cindy, Tom and Patti pay attention to the needs of the people they serve.