August 17th 2024.
It was a beautiful spring day when my wife, Sam, our son Logan, and our two dogs took a trip to Aldeburgh. The sun was shining and the pebbled beach was the perfect spot for a stroll. As we walked hand in hand, everything felt normal. We didn't talk about the hospital appointments or treatments that had consumed our lives for the past few months. Instead, we were able to enjoy the simple things in life, like the salty sea air and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
It was a much-needed break from the chaos and stress of our everyday routine. We explored the Suffolk coast with our little family and even treated ourselves to a pint of Sam's favorite IPA. Despite getting caught in a hailstorm, our mood remained unaffected. It was as if everything felt perfect, even though we had no idea that it would be our last weekend away together.
Just nine weeks later, my beloved wife Sam passed away peacefully at the young age of 37. It was a devastating loss that left me reeling. Sam had been diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer. It was a disease with one of the worst survival rates, and it had taken my wife far too soon. In 2019 alone, it had claimed the lives of over 2,000 people in England.
I still remember the first time I saw Sam. It was as if time stood still, and I was instantly captivated by her beauty and intelligence. Despite the common misconception that it only affected the elderly, cholangiocarcinoma was now affecting younger people more than ever before. Every day, the charity AMMF supports patients in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, all facing a grim prognosis.
Sam and I had a love that felt like it had always been there, even though we didn't meet until late 2016. She was working behind the bar at Dartford Cricket Club, and I was immediately drawn to her warmth and genuine care for those around her. After weeks of flirty texts and a few pints, we went on our first date. It was a night filled with laughter and dancing, and I couldn't help but fall deeper in love with her.
Our first day date was a simple walk with her dog Dexter, and it was perfect. We spent hours chatting and laughing, and I knew right then and there that I had found the one. We soon became inseparable, and I proposed to Sam while we were on a family vacation in Jamaica. We moved into a family home and finally got married in September 2021, surrounded by our loved ones.
Our little family was complete when Logan was born in December 2022. He brought us all so much joy, and our life was filled with love and happiness. It was a dream come true, and I had never been happier. But then, everything changed in the blink of an eye.
Towards the end of last year, Sam started experiencing stomach pains, which she initially brushed off as a pulled muscle. But as the symptoms persisted, we knew something was wrong. After several misdiagnoses, we were finally told the devastating news in December 2023 – Sam had cancer. The tumor was inoperable, and she had 12-18 months to live at best.
I was shattered by the news, but Sam remained strong and positive, as she always did. She continued to put everyone else first, even in the face of such a grim prognosis. It was a heartbreaking time for all of us, but we cherished every moment we had left with Sam.
In the end, it all happened so fast. But I will always be grateful for the time I had with my darling wife, Sam. She will forever be in my heart, and I will never forget the love, laughter, and happiness we shared together.
It was a beautiful and peaceful weekend in late March 2024 when my wife, Sam, and I walked hand in hand along the pebbled beach in Aldeburgh. It felt surprisingly normal, like we could finally enjoy the simple things in life again. We didn't talk about hospital appointments or treatments, instead, we focused on spending quality time together with our one-year-old son, Logan, and our two crazy dogs. Even when we got caught in a hail storm, it didn't dampen our mood. Everything just felt so normal, little did we know it would be our last weekend together.
Just nine weeks later, my darling wife, Sam, passed away peacefully at the young age of 37. She had been battling cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, for some time. It's a lesser-known type of liver cancer with a low survival rate, and in 2019 alone, it claimed 2,754 lives in England. My heart ached as I remembered how we first met and fell in love, and now she was gone. It all happened so fast.
I still remember the day I first met Sam, working behind the bar at Dartford Cricket Club. I was instantly captured by her beauty and quick-witted intelligence. But what really drew me to her was her warmth and genuine care for those around her. And that beautiful smile of hers had me falling for her from the very beginning. We didn't actually meet until late 2016, but it felt like we had known each other forever.
Our first date was a night of laughing and dancing at a local nightclub, and it ended with me having to pick Sam up from the flowerbeds outside her hotel. But that only made me fall even more in love with her. I loved her fun and vivacious personality. Our first day date was a walk with her beloved labradoodle, Dexter, from Herne Bay to Whitstable. We spent hours chatting and laughing, and it was perfect. I knew then that I had found the one, and I was madly in love with Sam.
We went on to have many more happy moments together, from holidays in Jamaica and Gran Canaria to moving into our family home and finally getting married in September 2021. Sam looked stunning on our wedding day, and I couldn't help but cry tears of happiness at the end of the aisle. Our family was complete when our son, Logan, was born in December 2022. He brought us so much joy, and our life was filled with love, laughter, and happiness.
But then, towards the end of last year, Sam started experiencing stomach pains that she thought were just a pulled muscle. She also had other symptoms that could be explained away by her recent pregnancy. However, we couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, and in September 2023, Sam went to the doctor. At first, she was told it was long Covid, then gallstones, and then costochondritis. But all those diagnoses were wrong.
It wasn't until December 2023, after multiple tests, that we received the devastating news. Sam had cancer. The tumor was on her liver, making it inoperable. We were shattered by the news and struggled to come to terms with it. Sam, being the strong and positive person she was, continued to stay positive and put others before herself. But the reality of the situation weighed heavily on us.
We waited anxiously for the results of a PET scan, which would determine if the tumor was removable. But by January, we learned the heartbreaking truth that it was too late. The tumor had spread across both lobes of her liver, and she had 12-18 months at best. I was crushed, but Sam remained strong and focused on making the most of the time she had left.
It's still hard to make sense of it all, how our perfect life together could be cut short so suddenly. But I take comfort in knowing that we shared so many happy moments together, and I will always cherish the memories we made. Sam will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will forever be grateful for the time we had together. She was not only my wife but also my best friend, and I will miss her every day.
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