Wall of Honor: Jan Smith
By: Rita O'ConnellPosted: June 15, 2011
An interview with Jan Smith, Holy Cross Hospital Auxilian and breast cancer survivor:
When did you first learn that you had cancer?
In February 2007, I went for a female exam with my nurse practitioner, and she very lovingly said to me, “Jan, your breasts don’t match.” And so the very next day I came to Holy Cross and had a mammogram. I wasn’t concerned because I’ve had nodes that were benign, before. But anyway, I had a mammogram ultrasound, and then Dr. Johnson came in and talked to me. He kept referring to it as a “suspicious mass,” and I finally said to him, “Are we talking cancer?” and he went, “Yes.”
How did you take the news of the diagnosis?
I was frightened, I was probably terrified. And in a way, I guess, surprised. Because even though there’s a family history of cancer, both Grandma and Mom, I’ve had several other times where they did biopsies and it was benign. So I thought, ok, this is just gonna be another one of those times. I was not prepared to hear it was something different. Of course nobody wants to hear the big “C.” I was really frightened, and just babbled all the way home. I got there and told my husband and he just, so lovingly, put his arms around me and said, “We can do this together.” And he’s just been so there for me all the way through.
I’ve always been faithful about yearly mammograms, and I think that’s important – to really do monthly self-breast exams and to get regular mammograms. Often, women are discovering it themselves – so it’s really important to do monthly self-exams.
What were your treatments like?
Originally we thought it was contained, so I had a lumpectomy, and then I was going to work with NM Cancer Care in SF. So there are four tests, called staging tests, that they do on you, and one of them was a bone density. And everything came to a screeching halt because they discovered that the cancer had spread. Now, the good thing is that’s still considered breast cancer, which meant the same meds would work. So then we went forward with treatment, and I had a lot of chemo – 18 rounds of it. The first thing I said was, “Am I gonna lose my hair?” And they brought me this brochure that had a woman with a turban on it. And I thought, “OK!” So I got a wig, and two weeks later my hair fell out.
I had wonderful support from both sisters, they came out during all of that. Actually I sent [my husband] Mitch off to see an old friend, I said, “I think you need a break from cancer!” Because every test, every treatment, whatever it was, he just has been so there... driving me back and forth, sitting through hours and hours of treatments. He’s just – and we’ve talked about that a lot, because often that isn’t what happens. It’s amazing. I just can’t say enough, he’s been my rock, and always there. Really, my relationships with a lot of people have deepened. Mitch and I say to each other: we have so much more gratitude and appreciation for each other, because of this.
What other relationships have formed or deepened since you’ve had cancer?
At one time we were holding a cancer support group, seven or eight of us, and we’d meet in the Wellness Center at the Hospital. And I really thought it was valuable, to share with somebody else – another woman – your experience. And it’s very different than sharing with family.
So how are you doing, today?
I still go to monthly treatments, because the cancer is still on the bone, but I’m doing really, really well – what they call the “tumor markers” are really low. So life is pretty normal. They want to continue to monitor, since the cancer is still active. But nothing has changed, it’s still really good – there’s no new “site,” as they call it. I’ve been doing this well for probably two years now.
Why is it important to have an event like For the Health of It! here in Taos?
What I’ve seen is, there are many people that not only does it impact them physically, but financially. And I would really like to see – that’s why I’m committed to do this. I want to see the money stay here. I mean, like money for gas, when you have to have radiation. It’s an everyday thing.
And, there needs to be better communication. Not just with family and friends, but also in the press. Get out there, make them aware that there are many people in Taos with cancer, not just breast cancer, and that we really need more financial support here. Because it’s difficult enough just dealing with it emotionally. And then when you add these other stresses onto it, it just adds on to the – I don’t want to call it a burden – to the challenge.
I made contact with [Holy Cross Hospital’s new general surgeon] Dr. David, because another auxilian was faced with a recurrence of breast cancer, and she went to see Dr. David. And she was so impressed. She said, “Jan, I felt so cared for.” And when you are frightened, that’s what you really need. When I met Dr. David, and when my friend was so impressed with her – I have shared that with all kinds of family and friends.
So, the walk is important for making people aware that you can get wonderful care right here in Taos. Because too often I have heard, oh no, you have to go to Santa Fe or Albuquerque. I love that we’re going to do this walk here, because of all the publicity and awareness that it’s raising in the community. There are hundreds of people affected by cancer here.
"It is so scary to be diagnosed, but it does not mean you're going to die. And I'm walking proof."
Share your story on the Wall of Honor, or celebrate the lives of those friends, family and neighbors affected by cancer. Email Rita O'Connell at roconnell@taoshospital.org.
