In this episode of “A Day in the Life” podcast, we're talking to Peter Smith, a seven-year myeloma survivor, accomplished educator, author, and now, prolific painter. Listen to the full interview. Then, scroll down to the bottom of this page to view an online gallery of a few of Peter's paintings.

Transcript:

Host: Today we're talking to Peter Smith, a seven-year myeloma survivor, accomplished educator, author, and now, prolific painter. Peter, I understand you were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2014. If you can recall- 

Peter Smith: Yes, that's true. 

Host: Yes. What was that like for you when you were first diagnosed if you could share that with our listeners? 

Peter: Well, when I was first diagnosed, that whole thing was dramatic. I had a compound fracture of my femur and luckily, my wife was there to get me to the hospital or get the rescue squad. The surgeon said, "There's something funny going on." His associate discovered I had multiple myeloma. Well, I had never heard of that weird disease. At first, I was quite shocked. I was told at that time, that I had five years to live, and which was a little bit unnerving.  

Also, because I had never heard of multiple myeloma, I thought, "What is this? It's strange." Finally, I found out that there was a support group in Santa Fe run by Dr. John Deflice and Susan Benjamin. There, I discovered I was not alone, that there were other people who had this. That was really a great support and comfort in its way. I've had excellent medical care ever since. 

The initial shock and being told at that time that I had five years to live was, to say the least, unnerving. At that time, it just was not something you heard much about. Of course, there's been a lot more research and people who are rather well-known have been recognized as having the same condition. 

Host: You really have beat the odds of what they've told you when you were first diagnosed. What type of treatments did you undergo after that diagnosis if you can recount for us any that you want to touch on to maybe any treatment that you are on currently? 

Peter: Well, I began getting chemo. I've had Velcade and Pomalyst, and Revlimid for a short time. I reacted well to the treatment and all those blood test scores have been really very stable. I have had very, very little reaction to any of the treatments. I've been lucky. In many ways, I was too old, of course, when I was diagnosed at that time for a stem cell transplant, but because at the time I was diagnosed, 79 was the limit. I know that's changed somewhat depending on the patient. I don't know if I would want to go through the stem cell transplant. 

Also, one of the doctors said to me that I shouldn't live my condition. I shouldn't live multiple myeloma. I had lots and lots of things to do, traveling at that time, and painting, and doing some adult teaching, and so on. I would say that painting was the thing that I found the most helpful to have the right attitude. Also, I have to say thank heaven's I've got my wife who has given me all kinds of support and care. 

Host: Yes, I think Valerie Traynham was another patient that we interviewed. She said, "We are not our disease." That's essentially what the doctor sounds like he was recommending for you and you've very much from what I understand followed through on that, in living your life and just living well despite having to live with this condition. Just for  people to get out some background about you, I know that you're retired now, what did you used to do professionally? 

Peter: Well, I started off as a public school art teacher and I've always had some connection with art. At one point, I decided, hey, look, I've been an art teacher in a public school, fine. I had  a really fun career there in many ways, but it's about time I move on in my education. I ended up going eventually to get my doctorate and then I began teaching in the university level. My first job which I got with some surprise,  was at Purdue University 

Host: Which --- earlier, I'm a graduate of Purdue University so that was interesting. 

Peter: Well, yes. I had a wonderful time there too and had a great department. Purdue, of course, as you know is known best for engineering and for astronauts. I think, was it Neil Armstrong who was the first guy to walk in the moon and he went to Purdue. Purdue was a really well-run university when I was there. I discovered after a while, that one of the best teachers I ever had, who became a really well-known color field painter, his name was Saul Alinsky had during the Second World War gone to Purdue for a special program which was supposed to be a training GIs in math. 

Why they picked him and why he ended up at Purdue, I'm not quite sure, but he was there but anyway, he wrote me and told me that and so that added a little color to-- when I first went to Purdue. Purdue as I said, it had a really nice art department. I certainly enjoyed it. What did you study there? 

Host: I studied theater and creative writing, also an art student in the engineering school. 

Peter: That is so funny. We were housed in the worst  

Host: I remember the creative arts buildings, they were like army barracks. 

Peter: Yes. Leftover of the Second World War but it really got me going in higher ed. I did a lot of, of course, scholarly writing because it was "publish or perish" in those days. 

Host: Yes. I understood you wrote a whole book. Could you tell us a little bit about that? 

Peter: Sure. The book was called The History of American Art Education. It was published and that was a very interesting experience. My days at Purdue, I was writing and I was painting and I was there for 10 years. I rose to the exalted rank, a full professor there, and pretty proud of myself. That was another case of they were--I was surrounded by people who were very helpful and very supportive. I kept in contact with a few of them, ever since. When I left there, I had sort of hit the ceiling and there was no place I was going to advance in onwards. I was already a full professor. 

A job in New Mexico opened up, the University of New Mexico, and that was a little bit closer to where our son lived. He lived in California, and it was a little bit closer to where my wife's mother lived in Arizona. Of course, New Mexico is just brimming with our things. You can't throw a taco in New Mexico without hitting an artist, so that was allure. Then when we got here-- we'd live in the of course of the Southern breaches of the Rocky Mountains, and the so-called Sandia mountains, in the high desert, and the spectacular scenery was also an attraction. 

New Mexico is a really, in many ways, an ancient land like the Pueblo and towns is 1000 years old. Of course, the mountains that we are looking at from the backyard of our house, are everlasting. They were created by our people, how many hundreds of millions of years ago, nobody knows, but, yes-- 

Host: I'm sure moving out to New Mexico has given you a lot of inspiration, and I understand has gotten you focused more on your work as an artist and painting. Can you talk a little bit about how that passion grew for you? 

Peter: Well, one of the things as I age is that I have found that painting, creating art is one of the things that takes you away from the illness that I discovered I had. It was pointed out that I had and I became more and more engrossed by painting and exhibiting the paintings. One of my inspirations for that, of course, which I've mentioned to you before, is the impressionist painter Claude Monet. Also, Claude Monet and I were older when we did some of our major work. Claude Monet, after the First World War, was 86 years old. He didn't have multiple myeloma, but he had cataracts which he was operated on for, and at that time, that was really a major problem. 

Nowadays, it takes a day and you come home after a couple of hours, and that's it. In those days, you were totally immobilized for a week. The President of France, went and sat by his bedside and told him, he should have the operation and he did. This was 1918 and there was a pandemic going on. The First World War had ended and Monet painted a series of paintings, which he gave to the French nation, in which you can still see it in Paris, if you go there. The famous water lilies. 

He was a much more vigorous, robust person than I am. I am just a little wimpy guy and he was a rough and tumble guy. He painted this, and he gave it to the French nation and so life may be short is the poet Horace said, "Our life may be short, but art is long." Nowadays, you can still see those wonderful water lily paintings and beautiful, but very moving too. 

Host: As a myeloma patient, you've already mentioned a couple times you want to live your life as regardless of having this diagnosis, and living with a disease each day, but you're living your life vivaciously as a painter. What would you recommend to other myeloma patients who might be having a hard time finding an outlet like you have? Who might not engage in artistic expression? Would you say that artistic expression helps you cope with your illness and what would you tell them to maybe inspire them to write or draw or paint? 

Peter: Well, if you have any special passion, you should certainly pursue it. The thing about painting is that when you are painting, you're not thinking about your illness. Your mind goes elsewhere, you have the challenge there. I mean, it might seem a little bit simple. What does this color look good with that color? Does that shape look good with that? I imagine that people who have maybe it's carving in wood, maybe it's carpentry, maybe it's fixing cars or gardening for that matter. When you are concentrating on that when your mind is on that, it's not an illness. It's really living. That's good for you and it's good for everybody around you, too. 

Host: One of the themes the International Myeloma Foundation has had, and I'm sure you're familiar with it, is the theme of resilience, which is the adapt the ability to adapt to changes and challenges. How would you say-- What is resilience, first of all, what does it mean to you? 

Peter: Well, I think that to be resilient is okay, you've this condition. Of course, you should be looking around at the best medical treatment, but in doing things that are life-enhancing and I guess that's it. That resilience is finding life-enhancing activities. Talking to people as much as you can. The pandemic has put a little damper on socializing, but if possible, yes.] I have things that I'm very interested in reading, and I hate to admit this, that one of my favorite reading activities, is reading mystery stories. I hate to admit that because when I was teaching, of course, it was reading all kinds of scholarly material. Frivolity is my choice right now, nature history. 

In my case, I joined an art association. There are all kinds of associations and social challenges that people can get into and associate with other people. Part of my thing is, I love to hear myself talk, so I started giving classes for adults, they're connected with art and history. I found a partner who could do the technical stuff for it, just show the images. If you look around, and if you have interest, then those will help you with greater resilience. There's nothing wrong with watching television, if it's fun, but when it becomes just sitting there looking at the … then you better look for something else to do. 

Host: Well, you're certainly inspiring, I'm sure to a lot of people, in general, not just myeloma patients. You're living your life so fully, and with frivolity, as you mentioned, what would you say to someone who was diagnosed with myeloma, and got that news like you did, that you have this as a five-year prognosis? What kind of mindset would you say to them upon learning such news, 

Peter: The five-year stuff-- research and multiple myeloma is going at such a rapid pace, there's something new every month. Anybody who sees that Conquer magazine that reproduced one of my paintings, knows how rapid the change is in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Really, if you're going to get something like that, then you're lucky to have multiple myeloma because the research is so active. The only drawback is, there's still a lot of people who don't know anything about it and never heard of it. 

As soon as somebody in the medical field looks it up, and they all can look it up, there's all kinds of things going on. I ended up getting, or having now, really good medical care by people who are doing their research, and who are really picky about treatment. As I said, I've been very lucky, both at home and in the medical treatment. I've been well taken care of. Maybe more than I deserve, because I don't, when I think about it. My thing is, anybody who was diagnosed now, I don't think anybody will be told that they only have five years to go.  

I know a guy who's going on for close to 20 years. It's not something that's really gloomy or should give you this shock that I got when I first heard, because there was lots and lots of help, and lots of new help, in the way of medication and treatment.  

Host: Speaking of help, you mentioned your wife a little bit earlier, what would you say is the value of having a strong support system and your relationship with both, of course, she's your wife, but your relationship with a caregiver and how to best navigate that? 

Peter: Well, when I first was diagnosed, I mean, when I had to go to the hospital, thank God she was there. She got the rescue squad. She got me to the hospital. I had to go to rehab, because of the injury. She found that. Then she's helping with relationships with doctors too. You need somebody-- you're better off if somebody is with you who asks questions. 

As a patient, sometimes you fixate on one particular thing, and you just don't realize the range of questions you should be asking. A doctor can't read your mind, and can't think of absolutely everything there is to think of. If you have someone there with you, or really who talks to you a lot, then you may miss your opportunity to ask good questionsThat's really important. Ask good questions. 

Host: Which I'm sure that's one of the things that you hear a lot about at the support group. They talk about advocating for yourself, and they also have caregiver support at the IMF support groups. What value has the support group experience brought to you? 

Peter:  When I first became acquainted with the support group, I thought, "Oh, my God, I'm not alone. There are other people with this strange illness." At other times, I thought, "Oh, wow, there are a lot worse off than I am." It's always good to know people who are in the same boat you are and who give a different reflection on their experience, and tell you things that otherwise, you'd never hear.  

They're so knowledgeable, sometimes things come up in the support group, where somebody can explain [00:29:00] something that otherwise, I'd never hear about. 

It's just very good to meet people who are having somewhat, the same experience you are, but a little different. It just gives you a broader, deeper sense of your experience. 

Host: Finally, I was wondering, is there a way that people can see your artwork? I know it was in Conquer magazine, but is there any other ways that we could? Is there any exhibits, or any place that you show or display your art? 

Peter: I've aligned to a little art association that finds venues to show the artwork. I used to show a lot more than I did, but the art market during the pandemic has pretty badly been damaged. It'll come back. This is my age, not the multiple myeloma. I used to trudge the streets of Santa Fe to find galleries. In fact I had a gallery there for a while where I showed artwork. The combination of the economy and so on did that gallery in. Now it's dependent on the art association to find a venue, which they do. It's always fun once and a while. 

Host: Well, I wish you-- 

Peter: That's why I'm content with that. I had not gone to having a-- -an email sort of thing. I'm a little bit leery of that. Every once in a while, somebody contacts me and says, "Could we look at your artwork?" At the end, we'll make an appointment and they could come and look at it. 

Host: Go ahead. 

Peter: [chuckles] This is a rather strange thing. I became reacquainted with a fellow, who lives here in Albuquerque, and his wife. Years ago, he had purchased some paintings by me which were on the theme of Jacob and his sons. Jacob in the Bible and his sons. As I said, we became reacquainted. Then one day, he said that would I be interested in them being shown at Congregation Albert, which is a in Albuquerque. "Well, sure." 

He came. We had a really wonderful time talking about what he had seen in my artwork; he and his wife. He took some more of these from the series, Jacob and his sons, and he has arranged with the synagogue, and some time when the pandemic is down a little bit, they'll have a reception featuring all these paintings. Now they have 12 of them. Look forward to that. Imagine how that will inflate my ego. 

Every year for the past, I think four years, I've shown paintings at the Norbertine Abbey, which is in Southwest Albuquerque. Wonderful place, really. Striking buildings and things. I look around for venues and I say I belong to this little art association that looks for venues. I have to be realistic. I can't tread the streets of Santa Fe anymore. As I said, that's age. It's not the oldest. Maybe it's laziness too. I don't know. I did that and seeing that and experiencing different ways of showing my artwork.  

Host: That's fantastic. It's so great to listen to you and the inspiration you're providing. We wish you happy painting. I'm just going to wrap up here. I'm just wondering, is there anything else you would like to share for the audience who's listening, mostly myeloma patients and caregivers? 

Peter: Well, what can I say? Besides the things I made and done, I think that people, who have a condition like multiple myeloma, are really lucky if they have someone to share with. A spouse or partner, a lifelong friend, who can listen to them and watch them and with them if they have moments of doubt or crisis. That's a wonderful gift, and I hope everyone can have that gift. My case is my wife. Other people may find other sources of support and help. 

Host: That's wonderful lto hear. What is your wife's name? 

Peter: My wife's name is Mary-Lou. 

Host: Mary-Lou. We wish you all the best, Peter and Mary-Lou, and thank you so much for your time today. 

Paintings by Peter Smith