In the midst of two quiet but relentless battles, I picked myself up and kept moving forward. Even when I felt exhausted, I was determined to bring my son back to the safe, familiar world he had always known. No matter the odds, I believed he deserved stability, comfort, and a sense of home. I made a plan. I would buy a small place in our hometown. It meant holding on a little longer at my job, pushing through exhaustion and uncertainty because we needed my income to qualify.

I told myself. Take the job, put your head down, and work like hell. So I did. I cut out the noise, distanced myself from old friends,...