{"id":9892,"date":"2025-05-18T07:00:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T07:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=9892"},"modified":"2025-05-18T11:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T11:48:15","slug":"six-years-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=9892","title":{"rendered":"Six Years Later"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s wild to think about, but it\u2019s been six years since Michael\u2019s <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">second<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> cancer diagnosis. Yep\u2014<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">second<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. The first one? A decade before that. We like to think of it as his version of a ten-year class reunion, except instead of bad 2000s pop music and awkward small talk, it came with surgery, scans, and many hospital snacks.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-9892 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9922'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0359-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9925'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0428-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The first time around, I was pregnant with Lucas. The second time? Lucas and Henry were 8 and 6\u2014old enough to know something was up, but still young enough to enjoy the time they got with Michael while he was going through treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-9892 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9933'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-9933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_5385-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-9933'>\n\t\t\t\tLast day of school in 2019\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9900'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1383\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-9900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F.jpg 1383w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-320x320.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-480x480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/6E445440-01EA-4F77-AA2F-ADEC0B854E0F-45x45.jpg 45w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1383px) 100vw, 1383px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-9900'>\n\t\t\t\tA summer of fun\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9932'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-9932\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4945-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-9932'>\n\t\t\t\tCousin time\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9920'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0084-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9919'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0014-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9923'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-9923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0384-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-9923'>\n\t\t\t\tShooting the Hootch\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9926'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0649-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9921'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1841\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-9921\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350.jpg 1841w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-1536x1154.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-480x361.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0350-800x601.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1841px) 100vw, 1841px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-9921'>\n\t\t\t\tLots of family time\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9927'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0762-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9893'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2459\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-9893\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850.jpg 2459w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-480x270.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0850-800x450.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2459px) 100vw, 2459px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-9893'>\n\t\t\t\tCelebrating at Disney World\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When Michael was diagnosed again, it was like the universe handed us a big flashing sign that said: \u201cReminder! Life is short. Pay attention!\u201d (It&#8217;s not exactly subtle, but hey, the message was received.)<\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-9892 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9931'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-9931\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1306-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-9931'>\n\t\t\t\tA trip to New Zealand between chemo and radiation\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9929'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1841\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025.jpg 1841w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-1536x1154.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-480x361.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1025-800x601.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1841px) 100vw, 1841px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?attachment_id=9930'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1038\" height=\"1383\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-9930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127.jpg 1038w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127-320x426.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127-480x640.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_1127-800x1066.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1038px) 100vw, 1038px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-9930'>\n\t\t\t\tWith a stop in Hawaii\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">At the time, we were packing up our American dream life: <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the busy<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, stressed, juggling <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">all the things<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">life<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, and getting ready for a new adventure. We weren&#8217;t sure how long our new adventure would last and if cancer hadn\u2019t come knocking twice, our adventure may have looked different.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Instead, that second diagnosis cracked everything open in the best way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We stopped sweating the small stuff (except when the laundry pile gets so big it becomes self-aware). We started truly seeing what an alternative life, and not just a gap year, would look like.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9905 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1038\" height=\"1383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6.jpeg 1038w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6-769x1024.jpeg 769w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6-768x1023.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6-320x426.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6-480x640.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/91E88F86-CFD4-4F71-88BF-C6703D8D77E6-800x1066.jpeg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1038px) 100vw, 1038px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Michael is doing great now. He\u2019s healthy, grateful, and still full of that boyish energy that makes him so special. It wasn\u2019t just Michael who changed\u2014it was all of us. We started doing life differently. Slower. Closer. More deliberately. We dropped out of the race we didn\u2019t even remember signing up for, and guess what? We don&#8217;t miss it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And the boys\u2014 They\u2019ve grown up outside the bubble of school hallways and social media pressure cookers. Unspoiled by the usual peer expectations, they\u2019ve had space to become fully, unapologetically themselves. They\u2019re curious, kind, weird in the best way, and grounded in a way that surprises people twice their age. They\u2019re not caught up in who\u2019s wearing what or what grade someone got\u2014they\u2019re busy conquering life and having fun.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As a family, we\u2019re a little scrappier, a little wiser, and way better at appreciating the in-between moments: a quiet morning, a messy kitchen, a long walk with no destination. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you\u2019re going through something hard\u2014medical, emotional, existential, or otherwise\u2014<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> know this: you can come out the other side stronger.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Maybe even funnier. Definitely with a better sense of what matters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9911 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F.jpg 1844w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/59888649041__868B945D-63E7-438F-8581-CEEAA87BD10F-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9763\" src=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1331\" height=\"998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466.jpg 1331w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_6466-800x600.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We wouldn&#8217;t have chosen this road, but now we can\u2019t imagine our lives any other way. Ten years. Two diagnoses. Zero regrets. Thanks for walking it with us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s wild to think about, but it\u2019s been six years since Michael\u2019s second cancer diagnosis. Yep\u2014second. The first one? A decade before that. We like to think of it as his version of a ten-year class reunion, except instead of bad 2000s pop music and awkward small talk, it came with surgery, scans, and many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[166],"tags":[329,16,151,15],"class_list":["post-9892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","tag-cancer","tag-family-travel","tag-worldschool","tag-worldschooling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9892"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9942,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9892\/revisions\/9942"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}