I’m a divorced woman.
I didn’t want to be, I worked hard to make my marriage work. And, for a while, despite the challenges we faced — my cancer, his losing a job at the age of 50, his alcoholism, my mother moving in with us — we were getting through it. In fact, for the 2 years before he left me, we were actually pretty happy.
Then he decided to leave shortly after my mastectomy. I don’t think it had anything to do with my surgery. His first wife contacted him and re-ignited their spark.
I could be angry at her, but really, he’s the one who betrayed me.
That was over 4 years ago. Since then, I’ve rebuilt my life. I have friends, a church, a boyfriend, and, prior to the pandemic, a decent social life.
Then last April, I was once again diagnosed with cancer. This time there were tumors in my brain and my lungs.
It was a scary time, made even worse because I’m alone now, except for my elderly mother. She is amazingly supportive and wonderful, but she can’t drive and because she is over 80, I hate to ask her for help. Yet I’ve had no choice and she’s been happy to do what she can for me.
But of course I needed a lot more than what she could provide. I needed rides to the hospital since I can not drive right now due to the brain tumors. I have needed help doing stuff around the house because, during treatment, I had no energy. And I don’t have a lot of money to pay for help because I’ve got a very limited income.
What has astonished me and filled me with gratitude — the way friends, my church, and my boyfriend have all chipped in to help. Even the medical staff I’ve been seeing have been mostly kind.
I’ve had meals, rides, shoulders to cry on, people to help me keep track of appointments when my memory suffered… my boyfriend is even looking after my dog.
I am not sure how I would have kept going without these people in my life.
I really cannot express in mere words what this has meant to me. That doesn’t mean I’m not trying!
Thank you again to everyone who has helped me through this traumatic time. I honestly don’t have any idea how much longer I have, but I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me through this.
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This post was previously published on a Few Words.
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