The Good Life?
The Good Life?
As if facing cancer wasn’t challenging enough, towards the end of my treatments, my husband broke his leg and required surgery. His procedure was scheduled at IMC Hospital in South Salt Lake, about 45 minutes away. This presented a significant challenge, as I was still managing my own health, with a compromised immune system from chemotherapy, making hospital visits risky. Thankfully, our families stepped up, providing meals, helping with the kids, and taking turns staying overnight at the hospital.
Despite my condition, I felt I should check on my husband every now and then. One day, as I left the hospital, I discovered someone had hit my car and fled without leaving a note. Although the damage was just a small dent, it felt like yet another blow. Sighing, I got into the car and pondered whether we were destined to be cursed forever. As I turned on the radio, the song “Good Life” by OneRepublic began to play: "Oh this is going to be a good life, this could really be a good life, a good, good life..." I couldn’t help but think, Really? Because right now, it feels anything but.
After a few weeks, my husband returned home to recover. This added another layer of difficulty to an already challenging situation. While I was still battling cancer myself, I now needed to care for him as well. He set up camp on the couch, and the rest of us slept on the living room floor to be there for him during the night. Despite his limited mobility, we tried to maintain some semblance of normalcy. I continued to take the kids to school and dance, all while attending my treatments alone.
During this time, I felt like I was barely holding it together. I was operating in survival mode, walking around in a fog. Although I was nearing the end of my chemotherapy, the treatment had taken a toll on my body. I felt sick much of the time and had little energy. One evening, amidst the chaos, we heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, I was greeted by our good friends, the Hoggans and the Proctors, along with another dear friend, Becky Anderson. They arrived with dinner and a special gift. Becky, a breast cancer survivor herself, had started a foundation called Anything For A Friend. They presented us with a Giving Tree filled with uplifting quotes, money, gift cards, and wooden blocks that spelled “HOPE.” This surprise was incredibly uplifting and came at a time when I needed it most. Their love and kindness truly brightened our evening.
That following August, I gathered my sisters, sisters-in-law, and nieces to participate in a fundraiser for Anything For A Friend. We walked alongside others who were supporting loved ones battling cancer or who had faced it themselves. It was an unforgettable day filled with inspiration. A few years later, we did it again for my mother-in-law, who was then battling liver cancer. That experience was equally uplifting and reaffirmed our commitment to support such a vital cause.
My husband’s leg eventually healed, and with my cancer in remission, I aimed to create a sense of normalcy for our girls. We resumed our daily routines, I took on a part-time job, and my husband continued to seize every opportunity for adventures of his own. I tried to view this as a chance for the girls and me to have our own experiences, but I couldn’t help but wonder if things would ever change, and if this was truly the “Good Life” I had once envisioned...
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