Susan’s Story

Site created on February 23, 2020

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated.

You may have noticed I have not been around much at all.  I have been dealing with a physical challenge that has consumed all of my time, emotional and physical resources.

I have been diagnosed with stage 4 jaw cancer.  It is ugly and incredibly painful.  Since the end of Jan, there have been one or two tests daily.  I have gone in circles several times from agreeing to surgery to palliative care to suicide and back again.  I finally decided on the surgery which will be Friday, Feb 28 at United Hospital in St. Paul, MN.

The surgery is a long one – 8 hours.  There are many risks because of my COPD and other conditions. They will be removing the right side of my jaw from the front teeth back and then rebuilding the jaw from a bone and skin from my calf.  Surgery will be followed six weeks later by a month of daily radiation.  It looks like a two to three months before I will be home again.

I need all the prayers, good thoughts and healing you can send.  My family is being very supportive.  Christine has been by my side for most of this and John is flying in on Wednesday and will be here a few days. 

If you know someone who should know about this, please pass the word.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Susan Jackson-Smith

Christine said it - I made it through!  I can't decide what I want to happen - get some energy or taste food again.  The exhaustion is so debilitating...walking to the kitchen seems like a huge chore.  Everything I try to eat either tastes like wallpaper paste or burns my mouth and throat - and it's hard to swallow.  But - it's over - it's over!!!  The mask remains in their hands - I really didn't want it.   Christine said hanging it on my wall would be like her hanging a diaphragm on the wall, pointing to it and saying "See, I didn't get pregnant!"  Thank you all again for supporting me on this journey!  I couldn't have done it without you.
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