Coming Full Circle

My emotions over this week have fascinated me. On the eve of the election, I felt a strange sense of finality – not just for the presidential campaign, but also for my bout with cancer.

As you recall, this battle against cancer began for me when I was campaigning in Iowa . So the end of the campaign triggered the feeling that this "cancer chapter" of my life is finally over.

I've been drawing similarities between the Obama campaign and my struggle – particularly our common theme of focusing on hope for the future.

Senator Obama has been given an opportunity by the people of the United States to do great things for our country over the next four years. On a significantly smaller scale, I believe that I have been given an opportunity to do wonderful things over the next forty years (hopefully I’m not being too optimistic) for my family and community—thanks to the amazing work of my oncologist, surgeon and acupuncturist.

Like Senator Obama, I can’t squander this opportunity. I will be faced with challenges and there will be days when fear will return. Even now, every time I hear about someone dying from cancer, my heart stops and my stomach churns. The struggle is in not allowing myself to dwell on it, but to stay positive and full of conviction.

Some days it feels like this past year was just a nightmare. It’s hard to believe how much I have gone through. My young girls are much too aware of what the word “chemotherapy” means, my husband’s wedding vows were tested at far too early of an age and many of my friends and family were forced to face their own mortality when hearing about me. While I am glad to move on with my life, it’s important that I don’t forget the lessons learned over this past year. This was a wakeup call.

My prayer is this past year was simply that: a really loud wakeup call. And today there's a chance for America, and my life, to begin afresh.

As I write this my daughter Ari just brought me a beautiful painting that she made for me. She says she made it “just because I love you so much, Mommy.” I need to now go and answer that wakeup call. I’m off to play with my amazing girls!