As fast as the Christmas season came and the day itself went by, the season is now over and everyone is looking to the next big day – we’re all coming to grips.  New York City is preparing for its New Year’s Eve celebrations, students and teachers are enjoying their breaks and stores are disassembling their Christmas displays and putting up Valentine’s Day displays.  Me?  With each passing day, I’m preparing myself for surgery on January 8th and it begins with my pre-admission appointment on Friday.

Since finding out two weeks ago, I’ve remained in good spirits but find my thoughts drifting off from time to time.  No matter how hard I try not to think about it and remain focused on whatever task I’m doing, I constantly get reminded that this is really happening again;  whether it’s going to work and trying to get through the day without getting lost in my thoughts and completing short-term disability paperwork or trying to enjoy Christmas day, a day that typically brings so much joy and serenity.  At least I received plenty of gifts to occupy my time while I’m home recovering.  Yes, looking forward.

2015 brings new hope and promise and I am excited to see where life takes me next.  With a new position at work…to vacations with Ashley…to a clean bill of health.  But there is something else that I am very excited about – I was recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the CT Brain Tumor Alliance.

When I reached out to the CTBTA earlier this year, I did so because I wanted to help.  Over the past couple of years, I’ve felt that my true purpose in this life is to provide support, hope and help to those affected by a brain tumor.  I served on the first annual “Path of Hope: A 5K Journey for the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance” executive committee and assisted in the planning and successful execution of the day.  I’ve also brainstormed with the Executive Director and board members regarding implementing a patient-caregiver connection so that nobody has to go through this alone.   However, at no point in time did I expect this honor.  When I accepted, I notified the Board that I was honored and humbled and cannot wait to get started – and that’s exactly how I feel.  Unfortunately, I need to wait.   The first meeting is one week after my surgery and I will likely be unable to attend.  But then come February, I’ll be ready to go and eagerly awaiting my opportunity to share some ideas that I have with the Board and hope for their approval.

So until then, I’ll wait and keep positive.  I fully believe that the procedure will go well and the tumor will at long last be 100% gone. So I’m going to ring in 2015 as the beginning of the rest of my life.  I’ll get rid of the monster in my head for once and for all, I’ll return to the office in my new position and I’ll also be an integral part of the CTBTA.  Great things are on the horizon.

As The Kinks sang and which is my motto at the moment “forget what happened yesterday, I know that better things are on the way.”