SUZY - 57

My husband and I started our family during graduate school. I graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry. We move around a lot as we added to our family. 3 girls, then 3 boys in 13 years. I worked along the way, but being a mother was by far the most important job. My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013 and we fought this nasty foe for 4 years. We lost him in 2017. First of all, 50 is the new 40, or even 35! Unless they are very fortunate, women at age 50 have been through some tragic times. They have their priorities in place and are grounded. They have raised their families and are at ease with themselves. They can reap what they have sown. My 50s started with the illness of my husband and although we had faith in his healing, we knew how the journey was going to end. My relief came in a bottle of Chardonnay. Although my dependence on alcohol never spun out of control, I knew it would get worse. On 6/18/2016 I took my last drink.I also resurrected my Optometry career that completes me that I had let go while raising my kids.