Most of the time I think we're really pretty positive and optimistic, and we're so lucky to have the life that we have and had with him.

Just when you think you're coming out and you think, 'OK, I see the light at the end of the tunnel,' then I got this diagnosis.

It is so important as a caregiver not to become so enmeshed in the role that you lose yourself. It's neither good for you nor your loved one.

I learned a long time ago life just isn't fair, so you better stop expecting it to be.

When you least feel like it, do something for someone else. You forget about your own situation. It gives you a purpose, as opposed being sorrowful and lonely.

Be brave. Be open-minded. Be kind. Be forgiving. Be generous. Be optimistic. Be grateful for the many unexpected lessons you will learn. Find the joy inside the hardship. It's there. I assure you. And, too, be open to inspiration from unlikely sources.

Some of the choices in life will choose you. How you face those choices, these turns in the road, with what kind of attitude, more than the choices themselves, is what will define the context of your life.