Coffee with All4Cure - Laura

My friend got diagnosed with breast cancer about two months before I got diagnosed with myeloma and I have another friend who is suffering from an autoimmune disease. So we called ourselves the Chemo Queens in the beginning. For a while I was the one who relied on others to stay together. When another woman I am close to also got a crappy diagnosis, I felt that it was time for me to pay it forward. With her, it was my first chance to hold someone else together. We all have joined the club you never want to join, but you are not alone and you do learn to live with it. I feel like a lot of people like to use the term ‘the new normal.’ It sucks, it’s never what you would ask for, but you really do adjust. I went from being hysterical and crying every day for 8 months to being a fairly functioning person. Especially when you have young kids, it will get better even though the ‘better’ is never what you wanted it to be. You will survive even though you don’t think you will. I have a good family. My husband isn’t trying to cheer me up when I’m sad, instead he lets me be sad. I cried a lot, and no one told me to ‘cheer up’ which is a gift. No one said you have to have a positive attitude. The kids see me sad, but food is on the table and there is a good warm hug whenever they want. So far, so good.

I’ve played soccer since I was six years old. I was never any good, but since I stopped playing I’ve coached both of my kid’s teams. They both love to play. I don’t know if I’m going to keep coaching once my kids leave me. I’m getting pretty sick of standing out in the rain. If we lived somewhere where October wasn’t so rainy and freezing maybe I’d be more inclined to stay. My husband and I are homebodies so most of my hobbies don’t change with the weather. I used to cook until COVID happened, but now I’m so sick of cooking I don’t even go in the kitchen and I just live off cereal. We call it COVID survival in the kitchen and everyone is kind of on their own. They are teenagers so they can take care of themselves. I have 3 cats, all different ages and they don’t get along at all but they all make us happy in their own way.