#55 Choosing Gratitude in the Face of Adversity: Lessons from Sarah Rhodes

This week on Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Sarah Rhodes, a woman whose life is a testament to resilience, courage, and trusting in fate. From battling infertility with her husband, Joel, to navigating his cancer diagnosis and devastating death, Sarah found herself as a widowed single mom—only to then face the fight for her newborn daughter’s life and the challenges of raising a child with disabilities. Through heartbreak, hope, and the unpredictability of life, Sarah opens up about rebuilding dreams, finding gratitude in the ashes, and the everyday choices that keep her moving forward. Join us for a masterclass in perseverance, as Sarah shares her extraordinary journey and the lessons learned on the other side of life’s most daunting moments.What Listeners Will Learn:Sarah Rhodes describes her journey through multiple, compounding life challenges.After losing her spouse, she chose to move forward with implanting preserved embryos.Sarah describes the struggle with loneliness and isolation during infertility and widowhood.In recounting her daughter Ellis’s near-death experience and miraculous survival, Sarah points to the limits of medical prediction.Sarah speaks about the transition from loss and grief to rebuilding and finding gratitude.Scott Reich comments on the importance of living in the present and avoiding regrets.Blended families and disability advocacy have become central to Sarah’s life.She says, “Life doesn’t let you decide your pain, but it does give you the choice of how you respond.”Key Moments:(00:00) Preparing for cancer treatment(06:09) Facing infertility and loss(09:22) Struggles with infertility and shame(11:20) A meaningful dream and baby name(15:34) Miracle recovery in butterfly room(18:56) Finding the right rehabilitation therapy(22:16) Choosing resilience over hardship(26:28) Balancing present and future mindset(28:08) Embracing life's unpredictability(30:54) Moving forward through grief