shira

I have lived a blessed life in so many ways. Even the most heartbreaking moments that I have been a part of have in one way or another turned into positive experiences. Such was the case with my Mom and her diagnosis of metastatic melanoma.

I was for the most part not alone in my experiences with Mom, having come from a tightly knit family, I found security in their continual presence during the most challenging times. In particular, my Aunt and Uncle who had become much like a second set of parents to me were a constant as was my dear husband Lucas.

My Aunt and Uncle would take trips down to Los Angeles during almost every one of my Mom’s biochemo regimens. My Aunt would share the day with my Mom and I would share the afternoons and evenings until the early mornings. My Uncle would champion my Mom’s needs by dealing with the business of her health care. Their presence gave me security at such an insecure and unbalanced time. Their commitment to Mom’s care and my wellbeing was more than I would of ever expected… I am so grateful for their unrelenting support.

My husband… What a gem… We were on our way to “making it” for ourselves out in Montreal, nothing was going to stop us… For the first time in our lives, we did not need to be held accountable to anyone but ourselves. When the news came, there was no need for long drawn discussions, no negotiating…. Lucas knew instinctively that home is where we needed to be. I left four months before he, I flew back… we packed up our car, drove across the country and never looked back.

Lucas proposed marriage to me on the final leg of our journey home. We were married a week before another reoccurance of my Mothers’ cancer which a short time after sent us to the US for treatment. Whether in spirit or in person, my husband was always there. He gave up his hot job, his new friends, his East Coast IT boom perks for my love…. He loved me for me…For my emotional roller coasters, anxieties, raw exhaustion and so much more. For that, and so many other things I am so very grateful.

Illness revealed the true depth of the love that I share with my family and they share with me. I am so very blessed to have my Aunt, Uncle and all relations in my life.