It was the day Katy’s divorce became final after a long process of more than a year that kept her on her toes. Life before the divorce was unhappy, one that taught her to cope with fear and sadness, but with the divorce getting finalized came a wave of relief, one that was much-needed. Katy was a stay-at-home mother. Despite being overflooded with emotions and constantly tired, she prioritized raising both her children well. Her children were under eight, and the day her diagnosis of cancer was confirmed, it felt like her world fell apart. The tumor was stage four, and recovering completely from it was tough; there were rare chances of complete recovery.
Even after the diagnosis was confirmed, she felt invisible as she was constantly being told that she was doing nothing. What seemed nothing to the people drained and consumed her entire energy as getting chemo treatments and doing everything to hold your family together, even when death felt so near, was it nothing?
Despite all that she had to hear from around, she was unstoppable. Katy decided not to give up and fought through every hurdle and pain that came her way, and guess what? She survived and became stronger than ever. Imagine going through so much that you are no longer scared to face death. It was not only about Katy but also her children, who were hooked up with their mother with so much love when she underwent the treatments.
Although divorce was one of the toughest decisions of Katy’s life, it also marked the era of her reawakening and finally rediscovering herself. The spark she had lost on the way was finally coming back slowly and gradually. Since Katy embraced motherhood, the outgoing social Katy, whose laughter echoed in the house, had vanished, while she constantly tried to make her husband happy. She only wanted to see him smile; over time, her only role was being a mother.
Although she occasionally hears words of judgment from strangers, she stands tall with pride in managing things alone. She is free to laugh and live, just like she used to before the marriage. Not just this, this journey, arduous yet meaningful, made her rediscover herself. She found the humorous, caring Katy that was unapologetically herself and in love with life.
Society can make specific decisions that are very challenging for women, but it is something she has never feared. If she hadn’t made the decision, the treatment would have felt heavier, and she would have spent her entire life taking care of others while no one made her feel heard and seen.
She is also proud that her children will consider her a role model in the future, as she has taught them to live freely rather than hide. Kate is not just an inspiration who has lost themselves juggling between so much in their personal lives, but also for those fighting battles that require immense strength.
Through tough decisions, they turned out to be the best for her. Katy does not feel broken anymore and is gracefully managing her life as a single mother and a cancer survivor. She is stronger and happier than ever!
