October 16, 2021 Issue, Page 17 of 18

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October 16, 2021 “Appreciate the second chance.” Smith approaches five years cancer free By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan gets a call back that it's normal wanted her to go ahead and get guy came in. You could see on her port placed and after about because sometimes weird things an ultrasound because they had the ultrasound that there was a week and a half she started Teresa Smith turned 40 in show up on mammograms but noticed something in the mam- something.” Smith says that she receiving the first of the pre- October of 2016 and like many not to freak out because 99% mogram. ‘Thankfully Smith's started mentally preparing her- scribed chemotherapy drugs, other women was told by her of the time it’s nothing. A few husband had shown up because self, thinking it could bea cyst or Adriamycin, known not at all af- doctor that she needed to get a days after having the mammo- as they performed the ultra- any number ofthings. fectionately by many as the “Red Teresa Smith is seen eight mammogram. However, Smith gram she received a call and as sound Smith explains, “I could At this point the newly Devil” for both its bright red hue months after finishing her says, she was busy. She had one advised, didn't freak out because tell because they try to keep a 40-year-old was scheduled for a and its overall strength and ef- radiation treatment. Cou- child who had just started col- they told her that it was nor- real good poker face, because you biopsy which took place just a fects. In addition to the chemo, tesy photo. lege and two other children that mal. Smith was asked to go in know they know. They can see it, week or two later. She says that she was given Benadryl (which is were in high school. So, she kept for a more in-depth, diagnostic they've seen it before, but they she decided to go to a place in common as many have reactions have the lump and lymph nodes putting it off. Smith explains mammogram. She went by her- can't say anything so they try Edmond that is connected to to the chemotherapy), which she removed that she finally actually that finally her practitioner told self, not feeling too concerned, to keep that poker face. You can Stevenson Cancer Center as they says gave her the weird side ef- felt anything, which she says her that she had to get a mam- figuring that she'd have it done kind of read it, though, and you are able to do most everything fect of restless legs so bad that it was probably the affected lymph node. “If they had made me wait mogram scheduled to which she and then head home. However, know when something's kind of there. About a month after the was almost like a seizure. At this says she replied, “well, if you'll they had her sit down instead. off because they won't make eye first mammogram, on May 22, point Smith described the hours until 50, I may not have noticed it until it was much further call and schedule it, I'll make it Smith says that at this point she contact.” She continued, “so I she received a call. Smith says spent receiving the chemo, say- there.” So she went in for a regu- did start to wonder. It was also knew. I kind of had a feeling that that at first she was informed ing “we just have the weirdest along’ Smith recalls at this point that lar, baseline mammogram. She at this point that her husband maybe something had been no- that she had stage one breast things to laugh at. I think even the first part of her treatment explains that they told her if she showed up. As it turns out, they ticed; and then the ultrasound cancer, which seemed about as the nurses have to have a little okay as it can get as it would be bit of a warped sense of humor. was the surgery, then the port removed and she wouldn't re- If anybody had sat and listened placement and then the chemo started at the end of July. Two FACT: Breast cancer is the most ally need to worry about chemo- to the conversations that we had weeks after her first treatment, common cancer in American therapy or radiation. However, with the nurses,” she laughed. Smith explained that they re- Smith also spoke of whom she says, “Iremember I was actu- women, except for skin cancers. moved some lymph nodes after she referred to as “almost like ally sitting in Stevenson Cancer It is estimated that in 2021, Centers, third floor, just sitting which she says that she made it den mothers, the long haulers on the couch waiting to go in approximately 30% of all new from Oklahoma City back to Elk who have stage four. These 60, and I was visiting with my dad women cancer diagnoses City before the oncologist called 70-year-old women would hop to tell her that one of the lymph chair to chair and visit with ev- and my husband. I was joking will be breast cancer. nodes which was removed had erybody.” around. I had cut my long hair come back positive for can- Smith explains that though short, getting ready for the hair loss that I had been forewarned cer. “Immediately I went from she had no family history of Don't Become A Number a stage one to a stage two and breast cancer, they will be watch- of. I kind of ran my fingers Let’s Fight Together! because of the type and my age, ing her two daughters as “the ge- through my hair, saying ‘I'm los- they determined that I would netic cancers start somewhere.” ing my hair hardly at all. I think need aggressive chemotherapy She also shares that the Steven- they're wrong” However, Smith and the full spectrum of radia- son Cancer Center has asked to said, it was at this moment that /N tion. We went from thinking ev- use her case as a study to present she noticed how much hair had erything was pretty okay to ‘oh against those who think that the my gosh. Okay. Alright.” come off in her hands. She con- starting age of mammograms tinued, “I laughed it off a bit be- INTERLINC. So on May 22, 2017, Smith should be 50, especially since cause at that point I had devel- was diagnosed with mid-grade, her cancer presented with no oped a bit of a morbid sense of stage two invasive ductal car- symptoms but rather was found humor. I could tell that it made MOR TGAGE cinoma. She was also told that during her very first mammo- my dad and my husband kind of 223 N. Madison Ave Elk City, OK 73644 she had additional precancerous gram. In fact, she said it wasn’t uncomfortable because they cells present. In June she had until right before she went in to See Smith page 18. NMLS #: 478526 + OK Lic# MLO11805 580-799-0905 Ronda Smith uational reastcancer awareness mio breast cancer MYTH: Consuming too much sugar causes breast cancer. FACT: There is no evidence that sugar in the diet causes breast cancer Have you had a mammogram recently? ess Talk to your trusted health care provider and see if you are due. Roots CBD & More FACT: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of 1701 S. Pioneer, Elk City, OK 73644 cancer death among women in the US and the first leading cause of cancer death among women globally. 580-225-9333 Schedule your check up today! Fight Like A Girl! FACT: A man’s lifetime rN risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. IN SUPERMARKETS 2700 W. rd St, Elk City 080-225-2268 America’s Drive-In. 801 W. 3rd St., Elk City ¢ 580-225-2432 1/2 Priced Drinks Everyday On The App!