Hi Bill!
I don't often tell this story in it's entirety but I pray it will bring you hope that things can turn in a good direction when the tides work against you.
In 2009 I married the love of my life, and was happier than I had ever been. Secure in my life in good health and going on my 16th year with my employer in a job I loved.
In spring of 2010 I was called into a meeting with upper management and told that the board had decided that my position was better serviced by an outside contractor and given an envelope with a severance and a handshake for those 16 years.
I had not looked for job since the early 90's and was planning on retiring from that job. I found myself at the library getting resume books and standing in the unemployment line trying to figure out the convoluted process they put folks through.
After just two weeks my family doctor who I had seen just the day prior to to the layoff asked if I could come in for some additional tests as the ones he ran looked odd. After more tests, he told me I had colon cancer.
I put the job search on hold and scheduled surgery asap in which all of my large intestines were removed and the small intestines remaining were experimentally reattached directly to my rectum to avoid a colostomy.
I was to start chemo within a week. I became feverish, and was readmitted to the hospital. An ultrasound and x-rays found that the surgery site was leaking into my chest and I could die in hours if the abscess it formed was to burst and sepsis was already setting in. Two drainage tubes for infection were placed in my chest and I had bags that collected the infectious material . A Pik line was put in my right arm to my heart and a home nurse administered the strongest antibiotics throughout the day to fight it. After 2 months of this, the PIK was removed and I went in for another surgery to install the chest port for my chemo.
Chemo started a couple weeks later and to those who have done it, you know the fun. I vomited 8 hours a day and lost over 40 pounds. My wife and friends became more distant as after the initial care of a sick one, people tend to burn out. It's human nature.
I had a friend check on my wife as I was bed bound...she was having an affair with a coworker. I broached this and was told she couldn't deal with my problems. It was "too much".
I asked her to leave and was now living off disability (400 monthly) and looking for options. I was lucky enough to have been a collector my whole life. I got on eBay and started selling. I had held on to everything in life, all my childhood toys, my sports cards, clothes. It was all sold and saved us.
I was able to pay the rent, but not credit cards or car notes so my credit was destroyed. My son and I would collect returnable cans at friends and family's homes so we could eat. (usually peanut butter and jelly sandwiches)
By 2012 I was in remission. I had no short term memory from the chemo so I started walking to get the ability to move and doing mental puzzles to retrain my mind. I started with simple child find-a-word puzzles, then to crosswords and on to sudoku. Everything getting more difficult and my brain starting to work like it should. My walking started with a cane just to the stop sign 4 houses down, then the end of the street, then around the block. My son challenged me to leave the cane and in a couple months we were playing pick up basketball.
I started looking for work in mid 2012 and found temp work. It was difficult to get a great interview with a 18 month employment gap. I worked my ass off daily to make a name for myself.
The company recognized my effort and hired me in and I quickly rose through the ranks. I met a beautiful woman who worked on a neighboring team at work and was amazingly educated and open to my history.
I was promoted to leadership last year and now make more than I ever did, enjoy my work more than I ever did and have more opportunity for growth than I ever did. That lovely lady became my wife 13 months ago and we bought a beautiful home in an great neighborhood so my son can attend a prestigious school.
There is not one facet of my life that is not better than it once was prior to that low tide.
I feel for you greatly and admire the perseverance you are showing and I sincerely hope you can do the same completely and look back on your prior days as just the build to the great life you now have.
I hope me posting this is not taken as trying to steal your post at all. I just wanted to offer a positive reverse on adversity.
Without rainy days would we ever notice the sunny ones?
...here's to your future sunny days.
Good luck my friend.