Our plan to drive off into the sunset and be fulltime RVers was well on it’s way. My husband and I had imagined, daydreamed and discussed at length how great life would be. Waiting 3 more years would give us the chance to pay off some bills, save up extra money, get rid of things we didn’t need and of course get a bigger RV. Three more years would be the perfect time for us to hit the road!
“Your life’s about to change”, is the exact sentence the doctor said to us before explaining the results of my husband’s MRI. The rest of that day is a blur in my memory and the next 15 months would be devastating. My husband was diagnosed with a DIPG, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. A highly aggressive, inoperable tumor located in the brain stem with a 0% chance of survival. This extremely rare tumor is primarily found in the pediatric population (less than 300 per year according to dipg.org), with adult diagnosis being even more scarce. We tried everything from radiation to participating in a clinical trial program, but the rapid progression of the tumor ultimately took my husband.
Now my future looks very different. I tell you my story to reveal that life does not always follow the perfect plan. Instead of living life with him, I will be living life for him. I have decided to go on a journey of self discovery to process the trauma of losing the love of my life. While working through the grief and sorrow, I have a goal to fundraise for brain cancer research and participate in a 5K in every state.
I look forward to sharing my experiences with you, in a Winnebago Travato named Willow. If Vanlife or fulltime Rving is in your future, you may find this blog helpful. Tomorrow is never promised to any of us, so live life to the fullest today.