The Edwards

I've been thinking a lot about Elizabeth Edwards these past few days. For those of you who live in a hole (or a lab writing a thesis, like Filipa), the presidential candidate John Edwards and his wife came forward last weekend with the news that her breast cancer has returned and metasticized into her bones, making the long term prognosis unrelentingly negative. Really, it's a matter of time for Ms. Edwards.

This is sad stuff, for sure, and my first reaction was negative toward the couple. "Circle the wagons," I wanted to shout. "Take care of those kids! Spend every second together!" Then I thought about my own mom, who died from cancer with three young kids at home. She died within 6 months of diagnosis, and was very sick for 3 of those months, so her healthy time was limited. After she got her own very bad news, she and my dad went to England (her favorite place) for several weeks. At the same time, I was going to high school in another state, and she insisted that I stay to finish my senior year. Now that I'm grown and a mom myself, I see her decisions as both proud and brave. I mean, who wants to sit around with their family, waiting to die? Who wants to pull a daughter out of her last months of high school? Who wants everything to stop and wait, even when the end is definite? So I changed my mind- I think they're doing what they think is right for their family. No matter what the political ramifications are for the Edwardses, I wish them the best.

Now I'm going to go kiss my kid on his gross drooly mouth.