This story is based on an interview with Carol Colborn, 77, a retired academic from Mesa, Arizona. It has been edited for length and clarity.
My husband, William, and I got married in 2008, when I was 60 and he was 65.
We both retired and had an incredible adventure together: traveling full-time in an RV across North America for eight years.
We have traveled to every state in the United States, every state in Mexico and every province in Canada. Then we traveled the world, visiting 29 countries in total.
The trips stopped after William was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, so we’re happy to have built so many happy memories on the road.
He had shown symptoms of the disease, mainly forgetfulness. I gave him a shopping list of three items written in large print, and he came back with two.
We had a ritual: he would bring me a cup of herbal tea while we watched television in the evening. It made me feel calm and collected and helped me sleep better. He had done it every day since we got married, and when he forgot the first time, I was distraught.
The Colborns didn’t want to leave their home and move into assisted living. Courtesy of Carol Colborn
William suffered from mild cognitive impairment for the first four years, which progressed to moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease.
He needed 24/7 support, and I was his full-time caregiver. He stayed in bed most of the time, but I gave him his medicine, three meals a day and baths.
I had chemotherapy for lung cancer
His mobility was limited, but we still took our evening walks past four houses. It was his main exercise.
Things were relatively manageable until July 2025 when I was diagnosed with lung cancer. I had surgery in September and was hospitalized for four days.
My daughter and William’s daughter stepped in to care for him, but it was a temporary arrangement because they lived in other states.
I started chemotherapy and had to juggle my husband’s health needs and my own. It was incredibly stressful.
Colborn, after completing chemotherapy for lung cancer. Courtesy of Carol Colborn
“How can I take care of him while taking care of myself?” I asked myself. We considered assisted living, but couldn’t bear the thought of leaving our own home.
One of our biggest expenses was transportation. William stopped driving a long time ago, and I had never driven. That meant we were spending about $500 a month on Uber rides to get to things like his doctor appointments and my cancer procedures.
We paid between 30 and 40 dollars per trip. It got to the point where we were staying home most of the time because we couldn’t afford it.
It was exhausting trying to navigate the Medicare system
The walls closed in on us. We didn’t go to mass or socialize with our friends. Things like a date night at a restaurant were out of the question.
It was exhausting trying to navigate the Medicare system. It felt like I was fighting for every advantage and getting nowhere. Every day was a challenge.
Earlier this year, I saw an ad on Facebook for Ez Health, a free or low-cost service that processes Medicare on your behalf. He explains how the federal law passed in January 2024, called Community Health Integration, aims to keep people who want to stay in their homes as long as possible.
The Colborns can enjoy romantic evenings again. Courtesy of Carol Colburn
The program supports caregivers like me. We were assigned a health advocate, called a guide, who helped me through the qualification process.
We suddenly got many of the benefits I was fighting for, including eight hours a week of respite care. We also had access to healthcare professionals who came to your home, such as a physiotherapist, palliative care nurse, dentist and phlebotomist.
Dining Out Again Strengthened Our Marriage
Our transport is subsidized. The guide introduced us to a local paratransit service that costs $3 each way. This saved us up to $400 per month. Better yet, it opened up our world.
We use it not only for shopping and doctor appointments (I’m currently on maintenance treatment for my cancer), but also for date nights. Dining out again is transformative and has strengthened our marriage.
These days, rather than William’s caregiver, I consider myself his “current companion” as I guide him through his final years.
Gn Health
