Faith, family and friends all instrumental in breast cancer recovery for Waukon’s Janet Kruger

by Kelli Boylen
freelance writer

Janet Kruger of Waukon says there were many positives when she dealt with breast cancer two years ago. “Each day now is precious. I have a stronger faith than ever, knowing prayers can be answered and things are going to be okay for now,” she says.
Janet is a Waukon native who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April of 2012.
She had done self exams and had a mammogram about a year and a half before she noticed some changes and symptoms. She let it go for about six weeks, and then called Michele Mertens Dodgen, an advanced registered nurse practitioner at the Mayo Clinic in Waukon who is her primary care provider.
She had a mammogram but it did not show anything (the lumps were too deep), as well as an ultrasound. A biopsy confirmed cancer.
Dodgen referred her to Dr. Kathleen Christian at Mayo in LaCrosse, WI, who Janet now refers to as “not only my surgeon, but a friend.”
Janet found Dr. Christian to be very reassuring. “When she explained it to me, I wasn’t scared. I just said, ‘Let’s get this over with,’” she recalls.
Because her cancer was caught at an early enough stage, Janet was able to have three cancerous lumps removed as well as one lymph node. Her surgery took place April 25, about two weeks after she was diagnosed. In June and July of that year she underwent about 23 sessions of radiation, but she did not need to have chemotherapy.
The radiation sessions, which take about 10 minutes, were at 9 a.m. in LaCrosse. Every day her husband, Roger, or other relatives and friends, would take her for the appointment. The radiation made her feel very ill. She ended up becoming friends with another woman who was undergoing radiation for lung cancer that had her appointments at the same time, which she says is another blessing from this difficult time.
After radiation, through a routine check, abnormal cells were also found in her uterine lining, and it was recommended that she have a hysterectomy. She had some complications from that surgery, and it took her several months to fully recover. She says she finally started to feel like herself again in December of that year.

After her diagnosis she said many people, some of whom she didn’t even know very well, came forward and shared their cancer stories with her. “It really helped to keep my spirits up. A neighbor went through something similar and we could cry on each other’s shoulders when we needed to. It’s good to have friends like that,” she says.
Janet continues, “People sharing their stories really helped me through it, even when their situations were different, because they shared what their feelings were when they went through it.” She adds that she also drew strength from the Bible.
She says her family also gave her great support while she underwent treatments. “Their love and concern really helped me. They were there whenever I wanted or needed anything. My husband was my biggest supporter.”
Janet and Roger have three adult daughters. The wife of a minister where one of their daughters attends church had gone through cancer treatment and had written about her experiences, using scripture for inspiration. Janet says she also found that very helpful.
Janet encourages women to have regular exams, and if they find anything suspicious to go to their family’s health care provider right away to be checked. “They will get you to where you need to go,” she said.
She adds, “Once you are diagnosed, don’t wait. Get things done as soon as you can because it can spread. It’s easy to go into denial and ask ‘Why did this happen to me?’ but that doesn’t do you any good.”
Now cancer-free, Janet loves life, spending time with her husband and their seven grandchildren, visiting relatives and friends, and traveling. “Each day when you wake up, be thankful for what you have. When I come downstairs in the morning I can see a long ways in three directions from my windows. When I watch the sunrise or the sunset, and it’s absolutely beautiful, I praise God I am here to see it.”
Roger and Janet farmed for many years west of Waukon. They will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next April.
“You always have the fear it will happen again,” she says. “But you need to have faith in God that you won’t have to go through it again.”