My story is a once-in-a-lifetime story. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer about four years ago. I was single at the time and struggling like everyone else in this crazy world. I successfully completed two rounds of my chemotherapy treatment and thought I was finished with that part of my life.
Then I attended a wedding on August 3, 1997 and my life changed forever. I had just been informed by my oncologist that my cancer had returned and that I was to start chemo again very soon. I attended this beautiful wedding in Temecula, California. My best friend's daughter was getting married and I came really at the last minute. (I wasn't feeling the greatest.) There I met my Prince Charming.
We were sitting two chairs apart (there were about 200 people there) and had been assigned the same table for the reception. We said hello and made small talk.
The evening was coming to an end. I started to make conversation with this fellow and the next thing I knew, I was going out with him the following Sunday.
We have been together ever since.
Now that you know how we met, here are the amazing facts..... Like I stated earlier, I was undergoing my third round of chemo when I met my husband. He gave me the inspiration and love I needed to continue my course of treatment.
We fell in love instantly and three months later were engaged. We decided to get married at our friend's home were we had met in Temucula and decided to get married on the date we had met the year before.
You see, my husband is 19 years older than I am. He's a police officer and thought he would be a "confirmed bachelor" forever.
I completed my third round of chemo on our honeymoon and thought, "Okay, this is it! I am done with all the chemo stuff." But when we got back from our honeymoon I went to the oncologist's office for a follow-up and was informed that the chemo hadn't worked. I, of course, decided that a hysterectomy was the only answer and agreed to the surgery. Two weeks later my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer.
He had never been sick a day in his life and thought that his days were over. He had the surgery and started his chemotherapy immediately following.
When I met my husband I thought he had been responsible for my recovery. His love for me was so great that it really got me through it all. To think that I was going to be playing that same role in his life was unthinkable.
It has been so amazing how our love for one another has been the healing power we have needed to survive. We laugh now thinking back about our first year of marriage. It was the greatest and worst year of our lives. We were challenged in ways beyond our comprehension and survived with amazing love and understanding.
Love does conquer all. My husband and I are "living" proof.