Thriving Past Cancer: Marine's Journey

From Start to Finish. September 11, 2001 will forever be etched in my memory... driving to work, trembling with fear, wondering what I was going to say to my students... I was teaching a fifth grade class then, but even fifth graders are impressionable and would have a million questions and fears. Listening to it unfold in live-time, I sat frozen in my seat, unable to get out of my car and walk into the school I taught at, I prayed for the strength to stand tall and push forward. Thus, when my surgeon's office called me two hours after I completed the last of my 3 fold post-chemo "tests," and asked me to circle the day: September 11th on my calendar. I couldn't help but feel the same raw emotions I felt then- fear, terror, confusion. "I don't understand," I stammered. "Your colonoscopy came back clean! Your CT scan shows no evidence of cancer! And two hours ago you gave blood and your blood work looks great. Dr. A wants us to schedule the 11