It's a hellava thing.
My current cancer experience in ways is like yours Lee Marsh. In ways different. My estranged jw sister and I were diagnosed weeks apart. That, plus issues of caring for our father gave us something to reconnect over. Hadn't had conversation in 20 years, now we texted pictures of birds and sunsets and talked like no time had been lost. She passed quickly. Whereas my chemo,rad, surgery has given me more time it appears. Ridiculous as it was that we hadn't been able to be closer all those years, it took this to tell each other we still loved each other.
I've often contemplated just how many times I have won the lottery of life, just being here to watch the world go round, having a home, a true partner....I always knew eventually luck would run low. It has to be that way. But even at its lowest I've had good things to celebrate.
Hope the same for you and everyone.