Explore Escape Edventure is a travel blog that seeks to share our adventures with others

We are Theresa (42), Rocky (44), Max (11), and Teddy (3).  The beginning of 2022 was a breaking point for our family. Most of the world thought 2020 was the worst year of their lives; for my family it started in 2019. We had been trying for a second child for three years, within 2 weeks of living that joy we found out that my father had terminal lung cancer. When my father was told he had cancer, the appointment was filled with pamphlets using the words “palliative care.” As a family we prepared ourselves to support him in any way we could. I took FMLA so that I could take him to chemo. I would drive 5.5 hours every 21 days to take him to three days worth of horrific chemo treatments.

Watching a parent have the light leave their eyes is unbearable.  During this time, I also found out the pharmacy gave me the wrong prescription. I had taken a drug for 10 weeks that could cause a cleft palate or learning disabilities in our miracle baby.   The next four months were filled with chemo, high risk pregnancy appointments, and tears. My amazing husband was left being the main caretaker for our older son (7 at the time).  Teddy was induced at 37 weeks because my blood pressure was at insane levels. He wasn’t breathing, he couldn’t maintain his blood pressure, and he had jaundice. Later we found out he had a broken clavicle. We were so grateful he was alive that for a minute the other tragedies seemed to go away. Things settled for a while. We lost Dad March 18, 2020 at the beginning of the Covid 19 shut down. When the travel restrictions began to lift in 2022 we decided to appreciate all the little things we missed in the day to day  hubbub.  Come with us as we do the things we always talked about…hike that hike, eat at that restaurant, we are taking “That trip” now…no more waiting.