More than a Miracle: A True Story of Survival and Inspiration

By Susan Smith

More Than a Miracle is one woman’s journey through life challenges such as being a divorced single working mother of three young boys; surviving and coping with violent rape; and facing life/death struggles with major illnesses.

Susan Smith experienced a true miracle that would shape her determination to survive chemotherapy, radiation, a stem cell transplant for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, major heart failure, kidney failure, and complicated back surgery. This book is her story of survival and inspiration.

One night, a voice resounded through her saying, “You have work to do.” She didn’t know what it meant, except it had delivered her from a death sentence. As Susan’s life continued, she wondered if the work was simply to survive. But as time went on, she realized that her story inspired many people who told her she should write a book. This book would be the catalyst for the work she needed to do—to give people hope and inspiration. Throughout the book, Susan describes many things she relied on for survival. Things like positive attitude, common sense, humor, and developing creativity contributed to her determination to survive and tell her story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646546329

Book preview

cover.jpg

More than a Miracle

A True Story of Survival and Inspiration

Susan R. Smith

Copyright © 2020 Susan R. Smith

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2020

ISBN 978-1-64654-631-2 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64654-632-9 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Early Years

Ohio Northern University

First Marriage

On Our Own

Attacked

Starting Over

A Rough Patch

A Reading Rainbow

Beauty and the Beast

The Crisis

Preparing My Soul

The Miracle

Ferncliff Beach

Bad News

Breast Cancer

The Beach Bug

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Bone Marrow Biopsy

Chemotherapy

Radiation

Home Again

SECU Family House

Stem-Cell Transplant

Recovery

Knee Replacement

Back Surgery

The Villages

A Shoulder Replacement

Introduction

My survival hinged on many things: creativity, luck, fortitude, attitude, support, good medical advice, a sense of self, and above all, faith. I would come to rely on instinct more than once. I was not afraid to ask questions and seek advice from many and unusual sources.

My faith gave me the ability to believe in the miracle that saved my life, inspired me to fight for survival, and gave me the strength to never give up. It has continued to motivate me to tell my story in order to give hope and encouragement to others who face life’s challenges.

Many people provided help and support along the way. I have been fortunate to have had excellent doctors in my struggles with life-threatening illness.

Dr. Thomas Shea at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill orchestrated my cancer treatment with dignity and grace. He and his staff provided skill and professionalism throughout the extensive chemotherapy and stem-cell transplant process.

The SECU Family House in Chapel Hill was so important to us during our long stay in an unknown place. They provided housing, food, and encouragement among others who were going through similar experiences.

I would like to acknowledge the generosity of the many donors who made it possible for us to stay there for as long as necessary.

I am grateful to my family doctor in Erie, Pennsylvania. Dr. Jack Yakish always listened patiently to my concerns, providing me with excellent advice throughout my adult life.

Fr. Thomas Dugan at Holy Cross Church in Fairview, Pennsylvania, provided guidance in helping me get in touch with my spiritual self. He taught me about the source of our creativity, that which makes us unique, regardless of life situations, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

*****

The love of friends and family sustained me. The special relationship I had with my sister, Ann Conway, was a great comfort. She and her husband, John, opened their home to us at a time in their lives when they were facing equally terrifying circumstances.

My husband, Peter, was my rock. He was an ever-vigilant caretaker and companion. His many efforts to distract and entertain me throughout the ordeal made it possible to feel capable of surviving. I will forever be grateful for his devotion.

I would like to acknowledge my brother-in-law, Edward (Ned) Smith, whose photography of sunsets on Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pennsylvania, gave me inspiration for the front cover of More than a Miracle.

The Early Years

My childhood was very normal. We lived in a three-bedroom house on East Forty-Fourth Street in Ashtabula, Ohio. My sister Ann was fifteen months younger than me. We couldn’t have been more different if we had been born to parents in two separate states. Ann was athletically gifted, supersmart, and a born leader. Most of the girls in our neighborhood were Ann’s age. I used to envy her for having so many friends.

We shared a bedroom. Her side of the room was neat and orderly. Mine, not so much. My side was usually littered with wrinkled clothes, sketches, and Nancy Drew mystery books.

Joe, our younger brother by six years, had a room across the upstairs hall. He was a cute, funny kid who loved sports. He was the apple of my father’s eye.

*****

Every Sunday we attended the First Congregational Church where our grandfather was a founding member.

We never missed church unless we were sick. Children would attend Sunday school classes while the adults listened to a carefully prepared sermon. We always wore our best clothes. Girls wore skirts or dresses. Most boys wore a dress shirt and tie. Jeans were never, ever permitted. On communion Sundays ushers would pass sterling silver trays cradling small, perfect squares of soft white bread. Each congregant was to take only one. The hard part was not squashing it while we waited for them to pass the trays that held dozens of tiny shot glasses containing grape juice. The anticipation for a twelve-year-old was excruciating.

It wasn’t just a church. It was a center of social activity. Fresh Lake Erie perch dinners were very popular. The church basement was filled with people who were talking excitedly as they lined up to fill their plates with sweet, mild, deep-fried Lake Erie perch. Their plates were adorned with coleslaw and french fries as they found their seats with friends and families.

The best part of all was the desert table. The women donated all kinds of homemade pies. The pie table was a virtual collage of cherry, apple, blueberry, raspberry, lemon, and chocolate.

Some were topped with a latticework of flaky golden crust. Others were piled high with fluffy white meringue, textured with peaks of toasted, sugary egg whites, whipped to perfection. I never saw anyone pass that table without choosing at least one.

*****

One night a week, I attended teen youth nights in the church basement. Our pastor was young and energetic.

He seemed to understand us. We were encouraged to bring our friends. One of my best friends in high school used to come with me. We had good times with nice kids from other schools.

When I was fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen, I went to church camp for one week during summer vacations.

Fireside singing and making new friends were high on my list of activities. I always felt closer to God during those weeks. We learned to trust in Jesus and