Never Lose Hope
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About this ebook
Crystal Conway-Gottwald’s story is one of incredible resilience and unbelievable strength.
Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age fourteen, she was thrust into adulthood, forced to make decisions that would affect her entire life. And her troubles were just beginning.
By age thirty, two more cancers would be discovered and ravage her body. Even in her darkest moments though, she was fiercely determined not just to survive but to live fully and with joy.
Hers is a journey of triumph, courage, and inspiration that will touch your heart and challenge you to grab a hold of joy even in your pain.
Crystal Conway
Conway-Gottwald’s story is one of incredible resilience and unbelievable strength.Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age fourteen, she was thrust into adulthood, forced to make decisions that would affect her entire life.And her troubles were just beginning.By age thirty, two more cancers would be discovered and ravage her body.Even in her darkest moments though, she was fiercely determined not just to survive but to live fully and with joy.Hers is a journey of triumph, courage, and inspiration that will touch your heart and challenge you to grab a hold of joy even in your pain.
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Never Lose Hope - Crystal Conway
Never Lose Hope
Crystal Conway
***
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2016 Crystal Conway
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Published in Canada
E-Book Layout and Design by Oak Island Publications
Cover by DeJanee Mitchell
Editing by Kim Rempel
Printed by CreateSpace
ISBN: 1523291818
ISBN-13: 978-1523291816
Smashwords
ISBN 9781310264283
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One - Smile
Chapter Two - Spirituality
Chapter Three - Strength
Chapter Four - Facing Mortality
Chapter Five - Blood Poisoning
Chapter Six - Miracles
Chapter Seven - Mom
Chapter Eight - A Few Words from my Sister Melody and Cousin Shelley
Chapter Nine - A Word from my Sister Shannon
Chapter Ten - A Word from my Brother Shaun
Chapter Eleven - A Word from my Husband Aubrey
Chapter Twelve - A Word from my Brother Glenn
Chapter Thirteen - A Change in Treatment and Recovery
Chapter Fourteen - Life After Cancer
Chapter Fifteen - What If?
Chapter Sixteen - A Word from Aunt Betty
Chapter Seventeen - Kind Words from Friends
Chapter Eighteen - Badge of Honor
Chapter Nineteen - The New Normal
Chapter Twenty - Cancer is a Blessing
About the Author
Dedication
For my mom, Muriel Conway, who is my rock. Without your strength and positivity, this book would never have become a reality.
For my husband, Aubrey and my son Jarett, whose confidence and belief in me propel me forward.
For all who war against cancer.
For those who lost the battle and no longer have a voice.
Acknowledgments
It has taken me thirty four years to write this book, and I have to say it’s been a joy and a privilege. It is truly a humbling experience to think of all the people that made it possible for me to write Never Lose Hope
Thank you Mom, you’ve been my pillar of strength since day one, and my biggest cheerleader. You walked beside me through the happy times and the sad times. Without you this book would not have been a reality.
To my husband, Aubrey and my son Jarett. Thank you for standing by me, giving me encouragement, contributing your time for the cover photo, and for your love and belief in me. I love you both.
Thank you to my sisters Shannon and Melody and my brother Shaun, for your thoughtful contribution to this book.
Thank you to my friends Cathy, Wanda, and Patsy for contributing your recollection of childhood memories.
Thank you to my brother Glenn for your true patience, encouragement, and for contributing your detailed recollection of memories from my journey.
Thank you to my cousin Shelley and my Aunt Betty for sharing your memories in my book.
Thanks to Les Kletke, my writing coach, for believing in me, having patience with me, and encouraging me in writing this book.
Thank you Kim Rempel, my editor, for the countless hours of editing to shine my book to perfection.
Thank you DeJanee Mitchell, my creative designer, for giving me your utmost attention to detail when I had no idea how to design a book cover.
Thank you Marianne Curtis, my publisher, for formatting the book and making it print-ready.
Chapter One - Smile
I was born in Kingston, Ontario to Michael Francis Conway and Muriel Agnes Kane. My mom was from Ingonish Center located in the Northern part of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia and my father was born and raised in Sydney, Nova Scotia, which is also on Cape Breton Island, in an area known as Whitney Pier. I was the youngest of five children with the oldest being Glenn, followed by Shaun, Shannon, and Melody. In 1969, when I was two and a half, my family moved back to Sydney where my father built a home for us in Whitney Pier.
I was a very happy child but at times shy.I had the best childhood, and was blessed with two loving parents who gave what they could afford. After the move, my dad, who had been a correctional officer in Kingston, Ontario, was not able to gain employment in this field as there were no penitentiaries in Cape Breton. After several short term jobs, he finally settled in to a long term position as maintenance manager for Holiday Inn where he continued to work until his retirement.
My mom was a very hard working lady, always keeping the house spotless and the hardwood floors shined, while also keeping all five of us fed and dressed. She worked as a cleaner for private apartments in Sydney, and at night my parents shared a cleaning job at the credit union. My sister Melody and I would always go along with my parents to the credit union to help clean. I remember always going into the boardroom. There we would find cookies, and my sister and I would each take one, even though we were not allowed. My mom and dad would polish the floors and Melody and I would help clean the desks and computer rooms, and also vacuum. It would be eight or ten o'clock at night before we would finish.
Every Saturday Mom would take me and my sister shopping at Zellers. That was a big treat for us, especially to eat at the Zellers restaurant. Every Sunday Mom and Dad would take us to A&W where servers would come out on roller skates and place the tray on our window. Once A&W closed down, we went to Ponderosa on Welton Street for our late dinners.
When I was thirteen I attended Whitney Pier Memorial Junior High. We had to keep our regular courses but we also could pick an arts program. I chose to study art. I loved to draw, just like all the girls in my family. We could all paint and draw freehand. I also chose to study drama, because I was interested in acting.
When I was fourteen and in Mr. Gabriel’s eighth grade class, again we were allowed to choose an arts program that we would enjoy. I joined the Witness Club because I was shy but also outgoing and I thought this would help me with public speaking. I hoped I wouldn’t have to be nervous anymore with speaking in front of people.
In Witness Club we would have to write a speech and present it to the class, along with writing a second speech to present to the school. My teacher’s name was Doc. She was a very nice older English lady, always dressed business-like, and very proper.
Just look over the audience’s head, pick one spot on the wall, but also move your eyes from time to time and speak clear and slowly.
It really helped my confidence.
At the end of the year, the Witness Club would always go on a school trip. That year we would go to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The trip was to include dinner at The Spaghetti House and the Cheese Cake Factory (both of which have since closed down) and the infamous Public Gardens. We were all so excited and looked forward to the trip all year.
It was right around this time when I became sick, but didn’t have a diagnosis until May 1982.
One morning in late April while getting ready for school I noticed my neck was swollen. My neck looked like a toad’s in mid-croak. I showed my mom and she was very concerned. As I continued getting ready for school, she made an appointment for me with the doctor.
I wasn’t an overly sensitive child. I figured what would happen would happen and I would cross that bridge when I came to it. Mom always taught us to be positive and to look at the brighter side of things, but without closing our eyes to everything. We were well aware that anything could happen to anyone at any time.
I had to be in Halifax on May fifth to see the doctors at the IWK Children’s Hospital. That meant I would miss the Witness Club trip. I was very disappointed.
I stayed at my Aunt Daisy’s (my mom’s sister)