Norma, 90, isn’t letting a recent cancer diagnosis slow her down. In fact, she has decided to forego treatment in order to pursue a life of adventure and travel.

Recognizing that cancer treatment would entail a risky surgery as well as rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, Norma decided to leave the nursing home and travel with her family in an RV camper.

Norma’s family shared her inspiring story on Facebook:

“Norma and Leo would listen to Paul Harvey’s ‘The Rest of the Story’ at lunchtime in their humble home in northern Michigan for many years.” This is the rest of her story…

“At the same time that her husband, Leo, was dying, Norma was navigating her own medical maze.”

“After some blood was found in her urine during a routine exam, she was sent for an ultrasound, followed by another.” We found out the day after Leo was admitted to Hospice that she had a large, likely cancerous mass on her uterus. We found ourselves in an OB/GYN office two days after Leo died, discussing treatment options.

“You know the routine: surgery, followed by radiation and chemo in some order.” When the doctor was done, he asked her how she wanted to proceed.”

“A tiny woman at 101 pounds and under five feet tall, an exhausted Norma looked the young doctor dead in the eye and said, ‘I’m 90 years old, I’m hitting the road,’ in the strongest voice she could muster.” The doctor and the befuddled first-year medical student who was shadowing him turned to Tim (her son) and me (her daughter-in-law, Ramie) for clarification.”

“We had had time to talk to Norma beforehand about the likelihood that there would be some bad news coming from the doctor. She made it VERY clear to us that she had no interest in any treatment. We ‘got it’ and were in complete support of her decision.

“But what next? We couldn’t imagine leaving her in a nursing home, especially after walking down the long halls of the local Tender Care to visit Leo in the last room on the right, reserved by Hospice, for the dying. No way. There is also no way she could live at home alone without Leo. They were truly a well-oiled team of 67 years.”

“After reading Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters at the End (please add this to your reading list), we decided to take her on the road with us.” Norma is currently pain-free, her mind is sharp, she enjoys traveling, and she is remarkably easy to be around.

“We told the well-meaning doctor and his student that we live in an RV and will take her wherever she wants to go.” He didn’t think twice about saying, “RIGHT ON!” We asked if he thought our approach was irresponsible. “His response was telling.”

“‘As doctors,’ he said, ‘we see what cancer treatment looks like every day. ICU, nursing homes, awful side effects, and honestly, there is no guarantee she will survive the initial surgery to remove the mass. You are doing exactly what I would want to do in this situation. Have a fantastic trip!’”

“Meanwhile, the medical student stood discreetly next to the exam room door taking it all in. Until that point she had spent her first day working with pregnant women – the waiting room was filled with them – all thinking about the beginning of life, not the end. The look on her face during our conversation indicated she had just received the education of a lifetime.”

For the past 6 months, Norma and her family have visited several stunning national parks and even gone on a hot air balloon ride over Florida and are loving life. They have also traveled outside of the U.S., to faraway destinations like Norway and China. Fortunately, Norma’s signs of cancer have reduced and she is in no pain.

Norma continues to have a positive outlook no matter where she is.

Share Norma’s inspiring story and her traveling adventures with your friends and family!