Our Cancer Journey Week 16

Kathy returns to chemotherapy tomorrow although the numbness in her hands and feet has not changed and she now has a probable tear of a ligament in her right knee, which gives new meaning to limping through her treatments.

Many people responded to my March 29 post with concern that Kathy and I might lose our optimism, given all the events happening in our lives simultaneously.

We have two responses to the events that life throws at us

1.  First, we have the support of each other.  We have not been apart more than a few days for past 32 years and have the same passion, infatuation, and mutual respect for each other we had on day 1.
2.  Second, we believe that everything happens for a reason.

We do not follow any formal religion, although I was baptized a Catholic and Kathy was raised in a Methodist household.    We have great respect for the world's religions and feel a special affinity to the Japanese Shinto believe that there is spirituality in every rock, tree, and mountain.

However, we do have a sense that some karmic force guides us on the path of life.  We've had many high highs and an equal number of low lows.  At the time, we had no idea why the bad things happened, only to discover later that they changed our path to enable an even greater positive event.

Before Kathy's cancer diagnosis, we were looking at Vermont farm property, realizing that it would be challenging to juggle our full time careers in Boston and life in Vermont.  We were willing to consider a Boston apartment during the week and rural Vermont on weekends.

The cancer diagnosis made us realize that we needed to be close to Boston for treatment and stay together in a single location all week long.

Our attention turned to property in Sherborn and Harvard, MA.    We bid on one property in Sherborn and the seller decided not to sell.  We were disappointed at the time, but the challenge enabled us to find an even better, more suitable property that we've agreed to purchase.  We move April 27.

Our Wellesley home was the subject of many inquiries even before it was listed.  We accepted one offer, but they buyers had bid on two properties and decided to purchase another home.   Again, we were disappointed but we kept preparing our home for the best open house possible.   We received several offers on the first day and we believe that following the standard listing process, instead of a pre-sale, will be a better outcome for everyone.

It seems odd that cancer would lead us to a farm in Sherborn and a good sale of our existing Wellesley home, but it did.

Kathy will be cured, I'm confident of that, so this series of events, however painful and stressful, will make us stronger and even better poised for the future.

So tomorrow, we'll continue with the chemotherapy, documenting the numbness and the side  effects.   Next week, Kathy will see an orthopedist for a probable medial collateral ligament tear.   And we'll finish the inspections and contingencies that are part of selling our home.

Everything happens for a reason.   By Summer, we'll be transitioned to our new life and will finally appreciate the reasons behind the path that we're traversing.