2 years ago

it was exactly 2 years ago that our lives were flipped upside down.  in retrospect, it seems like the whole experience was just a dream.  but when i stop and think about everything, the memories come flooding back to me.  and for some reason, i have been thinking a lot about it lately.

2 years ago, a newly engaged couple hops off an airplane arriving from costa rica.  they were so excited to share the excitement of their engagement with their family and friends.

but later that night, they were side-swipped with some news that they weren't expecting.

remember that mole that josh had removed just days before they left for costa rica?  that rather large, gnarly looking mole that the dermatologist said wasn't anything to worry about, but josh's mom insisted that it be removed anyway?  oh yeah, the test results came back while you were on vacation.  that mole is cancerous.  melanoma to be exact.

the events for the following week included multiple visits to multiple hospitals, a short-stay surgery gone wrong, anaphylactic shock, over-night hospital visits, trips to the er, a diagnosis of stage 3 melanoma, numerous prayers, and lots and lots of tears.

at the time, i thought my world had ended.  what 22 year old couple should be dealing with this real life stuff?  instead of being able to focus on wedding cakes, flowers, and the perfect dress, we were worried about mri's, ct scans, insurance companies, and josh's interferon treatment.  we spent a lot of time hanging out at home because josh's treatment made him so so sick.  like constant headaches, nausea, fever, chills, etc.  if it was a flu-like symptom, josh experienced it.  it was a lot for us to deal with, but we had an amazing support group between our two families and our friends.

and look where we are now.  josh finished his year long treatment last december and was amazing throughout the whole process.  josh is healthy and active and all those doctor's appointments and needles sometimes feel like a figment of my imagination.  even though it was a rough, miserable year, he rarely complained.  he would even make comments to me like, "liz, i can't do the dishes... i have cancer" or "i have to eat ice cream for dinner, i have cancer" or "the mountain dew is what killed the cancer, not the interferon".  this type of comic relief is what got us through the hard days.

i have thought a lot lately about how this experience has changed our lives.  i feel like it happened at the time it did for a reason.  it reconfirmed why we were getting married in the temple and strengthened my testimony on eternal families.  it makes me appreciate my husband, for his hard work and his positive attitude.  it makes me cherish the moments we have together, even if it's just sitting on the couch watching the latest svu.  it brought us closer, even though we had been best friends since we were 15.  throughout this experience, i learned how to focus on our blessings, rather than dwell on our undesirable circumstances.

like i said, i've been thinking a lot about this experience and thought i'd share it because i know a lot of people didn't even know that it all happened.  and i'm going to attach a picture, because what good is a post without a picture?  this is josh right after having his surgery and going into anaphylactic shock as they moved him to the recovery room.  when the doctor came out to the waiting room, this is what he told us... "josh turned as red as a lobster and blew up like a marshmallow."  and he was exactly right (this picture really doesn't do it any justice).

enough of my rambling... thanks for reading.