March 11th, 2021
So this letter below, I wrote on December 3rd and have been debating if I was going to post it, however tonight, I must. Joe Biden made me feel validated through his speech. I sobbed through the entire thing. I am posting, before the letter, my internal reflection due to his first prime-time speech as President.
This letter does not get super political but it is a warning for those who want to make it political I will not respond to hate. I only have time for love and I never attacked any of my family and/or friends for having a different opinion online or in person. That is your and my right as an American. I will ignore hate but am open for friendly discussion.
Joe made me proud, for the first time in a long time, to be an American. There was no mention of party separation, but party unity. Reaching across the aisle. We are family, friends, neighbors, Americans, before we are associated with our political party as I feel like we have lost that and are working to bridge it now.
Every adult, starting May 1st. will be eligible for a shot. A new universal website will be launched to help make appointments easier, more shots made available, more financial help for Americans and businesses, extended unemployment, and a deep respect for every American’s loss were the highlights tonight, 50 days into his presidency. I hope I can hug you all sooner than later.
My meningioma journey made me feel more alone than ever due to the pandemic. For me, COVID-19, has been rough adaptation to make. A year ago today, March 11th, 2020, my Dad had a spinal fusion. On March 13th, when he was readmitted for complication, we were told we could not see him. On November 1st, I did not know if it was my last day on this planet, if I would be disabled starting the next day, or if I’d pull through.
I had to struggle with the concept that my parents may need to plan my funeral, alone. They would grieve, alone. If I ended up going to an in-patient care facility, I would be alone, and they would be worried. I made the decision that weekend already to make my mother my POA incase something was the happen.
I have had family die during this pandemic and was unable to celebrate their lives with their families. I could not see my brother for Christmas as he had COVID. I saw a close family friend, who was 29, dead in a casket due to COVID. He is not the only person I know who has died of COVID, just the youngest. I have not been able to see my elderly family and friends in homes because it was unsafe. I had to facetime family and friends when I needed a hug from them the most and a shoulder to cry on. I had to tell my parents who I was allowing in my closed circle for safety reasons. I had to cut out people I needed to see. My cousins kept their daughter home from school to make sure they could see me.
I know I am not alone. We all have had it rough, and we are finally seeing progress. We have all missed major moments, major milestones, and togetherness. We all are struggling and we must do everything to hopefully be back to our new normal soon.
I hope you enjoy my post below!
December 3rd, 2020
I became a delegate for Joe Biden in the beginning when he was lacking supporters.
He was dead last in the polls and a lot of other delegates stopped getting petition signatures because they thought he had no chance. This is when I rolled up my sleeves to get Joe to Washington.
I stood by him as a millennial young female from Delaware County Pennsylvania because I believed in him. I am from Aston, Pennsylvania. A small township that is pivotal in politics.
Joe Biden was a candidate I felt like I could relate to. I felt like he was my grandpa and I could tell him anything as we had a similar life story thus far. As a woman it was important to me that he advocated for all women with the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. He lost his first wife, Naomi, and daughter in an accident. He sat on the ground in a hotel room with his boys with a brain aneurysm that could of killed him, but was found. God always was in his corner. He may of always had a dark cloud circling back over him, but his positive attitude, God, and family values put him together.
Now with my recent brain tumor diagnosis, 7 days before the election, we are now even more comparable. I have a different type of tumor than Beau, a meningioma while he had a glioblastoma. Yes, mine is the small category of atypical meningiomas, so it will probably come back a few times in my lifetime due to it’s aggressiveness. That’s why I have to do radiation now to stop it from ever coming back.
I could’ve died from my brain tumor. I did not and I have survivors guilt. Beau may not be here but his legacy lives on due to Joe, Jill and the Biden Family. It gave them purpose and that’s why the Biden Foundation was started, for brain tumor research so Beau will continue to make a difference as his spirit lives on. I was given a second chance. I do not know why yet, but one day I will find out why God kept me here.
That is why now I’m sharing my Meningioma story publicly and raw while it’s occurring. I’m doing that because typically these types of tumors occur in those who are 60 to 80 years old.
Not a seemingly young 25-year-old and that’s why my tumor was found by accident. I didn’t have symptoms. I was just going in for a CAT scan of my sinuses. Therefore, if this blog helps another seemlgy young heathy person, I fulfilled my purpose. To help someone and someone else’s family going through the same thing.
My surgery was the same week the Supreme Court was trying to revoke the Affordable Care Act. If they did so I may not be able to get the life saving surgery I need as I’m on my parents insurance. I would get it and have to pay for it, for years, out of pocket. Thankfully, it did not get revoked and I am unsure what bills I will see but that is a later problem.
Joe Biden and I both come from working middle class families. Joe grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I went to the University of Scranton and lived in Scranton for four years almost exclusively. I’m grateful to be able to go to a private college. If my Dad was not employed by Villanova University I would of had to go to community college then transfer to save money.
I saw Trump come to Lackawanna College for his last rally. I had two Clinton bumper stickers on my used car. Therefore, Trump supporters blocked my car in because I had a different opinion and were yelling profanities at me.
I called the Scranton police because I was scared and I needed to go to work. I worked at an Italian restaurant that was family owned and they were busy that night because of the rally. Typically I would only make $20 in a shift to where they finally had to shut their doors. If I did not go, I would be terminated.
The Scranton police told me they could not help because of the Trump rally. I couldn’t get an Uber because of the rally. So I walked over a mile to get to work.
Alone, as a woman who has men yelling at her walking behind her. I have my mom in my pocket on speaker and my pepper spray in my hand in case it got out of control. I’m told as a woman to stay quiet and ignore. Like Kamala Harris said, “I’m speaking” I just wanted to speak and be heard. Sadly I could not as I was fearful.
I wanted to see a woman in office to break that glass ceiling. Joe Biden has Kamala breaking it down now. A woman of color too. It made me cry watching her speech in Wilmington. A woman of color in the White House. Finally, a woman high up in the white house. I am crying. The loud little Becca I was and am, who always raised her hand high in school and ran for things, felt validated. My family never told me to become shy, they accepted my boldness and braveness. Now, if I ever have a daughter I can show her, you can do anything, including politics. Look at Kamala, I was alive for that. It took long enough but look now.
Trump himself campaigned at the Aston community Center the township where I live. He knew where the republicans in Pennsylvania where, in my hometown. In my Ward, where I walk to with my dog when the weather is nice. Where I played all of my sports growing up. Trump was there.
When I saw Trump as an abled body man make fun of a disabled news reporter on live television I knew I couldn’t vote for him. This to me was not Republican versus Democrat. This to me was a bully verses a leader. I now myself became dependent on those around me when I used to be independent.
When I mailed my ballot in 2016, Delaware county did not receive it in time. I knew I wanted a leader over a bully. Therefore, I emailed my professors I couldn’t make it to class as I was driving home to vote. My civic duty as an American citizen.
I drove my Poppy and I to the Aston community center to vote. Where Trump was. I wheel him in line and the commissioner, which is not allowed inside the polling place with political gear, was wearing a “deplorable” t-shirt.
He then turns to my grandfather and says I can’t believe you allowed a democrat to be raised in your household. He said this to my Grandfather as my name was not on the strike list. I mentioned his shirt and that he is not allowed to wear political gear inside. He turns red as a 20 year old democrat knew the rule he was breaking. I showed him my Clinton button I had in my pocket from her rally.
My grandfather, who never discusses politics as he was a man of few words, turns to him and says if you think I am voting for Donald Trump you are wrong. He is a nasty man. My Pop turns around in his wheel chair and said, Rebecca Lyn, it is time to vote. Tell him goodbye still please as we respect differences.
We said goodbye and proudly went into vote, together. I still have what number we were written down in my journal.
This was the start of my political career.
When I moved home from college in 2017, I facebook messaged the Delaware county democratic party and asked how I could get involved. They connect me with the Aston Democrats.
Grassroots is another similarity. He understood the importance of local election and that change starts small. That is where he started, running for city Council.
I started by knowing I could make a difference in my hometown. I soon started helping build a small but mighty committee. I become the secretary of the Aston Democrats. I help local candidates running for office like my state Representative, Leanne Krueger. I become a committee person to the Delaware County Democrats. I complete Emerge Pennsylvania. I become the secretary of the Delaware Women’s Democratic Club. We shall see what is next.
During this time, before Emerge in the above timeline, the commissioner spot in my ward is up. This is the last election cycle. I decided to run for Commissioner at 23 years old. At the Aston Community Center, where Trump had his rally.
I know I have a high chance to lose as I live in a Republican Township. However, I know I also have a chance because the prior commissioner was our commissioner for over 50 years. I wanted to be the change, not due to party affiliation, just for a new perspective.
I ran a clean campaign and this was agreed between my opponent and I. We knew each other closely due to our families being friends. But, we form a friendship because her and I understand that when we run for public office, we run for the people and not the party. We both want Aston to be better.
My opponent, Nancy and I always work together on election day. We do a potluck that’s how it should be. Being neighbors first and friends first, opponents last. When I told her of my diagnosis she dropped off a hot dinner from a local business. That is another thing Joe Biden and I have in common we want to work together for the people not the party. We build friendships and reach compromises instead of yelling at each other.
I may have lost my own personal race. But, I did not lose. I helped inform my neighbors about who was running because no one ever ran against the old commissioner. Delaware County Pennsylvania went blue for the first time ever since the Civil War. That’s a win.
I helped contribute to that because I educated my neighbors on the local elections that they never heard about prior. I talked about how I could make a difference and my vision of Aston, not my opponent. I am not a bully and I understand if I lose, she will win and I want her to do the best she can for our neighbors. I want to help when I can.
Joe Biden and I also come for middle-class working families. My brother Lee and I are the first two people in our nuclear family to obtain a higher education. I soon will have my MBA in the spring if I can take courses while healing.
We grew up in a household with not only our parents but also our grandparents. A two generational household. Joe Biden also grew up with his grandparents. This is an experience I will always be grateful I had due to my parents selflessness. We lived with them from the time we were born until they unfortunately passed away. I would not change that for the world.
Joe Biden knows what it’s like to know the slug from the Sonoco refinery in Marcus hook. My uncle George owns a business there. My grandfather worked there. Right next to the refinery.
That’s how I remember 9/11. I was in first grade at Sharon hill elementary. We were in the blast zone if it was targeted. I was pulled from school and I vividly remember waiting home until poppy arrived. I remember him crying as we saw the towers fall. He was an army vet. My other Grandfather a marine vet.
My father had two run ins with cancer in 1996 when I was only one and my brother was first born. We are only 11 months apart and my mother had to balance a sick husband and two babies. Then again in 2011 when my brother and I were both in high school. We knew our parents were stressed as my dad was his ill, my grandparents retired, and my mom only working part-time.
Therefore, Lee and I both got jobs when we were 14 years old because we felt bad asking for money to do extra things with our friends. We made sure we kept our grades up to get working papers. I bought my first car from my cousin for only $2,500 so I could drive my brother and I places. I ended up giving my brother the car when I can afford a car payment. This way someone was home at all times for my Grandmother and my Dad.
That’s what it’s like coming from a middle-class family. You love your family I will do anything for that because you know what it’s like to go through hardships but also what it’s like to spend a lot of happy times together. We are tight knit and hang out all of the time. We would rather have our family around than any material item.
That is why Joe Biden would get on that train every single day between Washington and Wilmington because he understands the importance of family time. Because one day our family won’t be there and we will only have memories.
I was diagnosed with my tumor on October 27th. On October 28th, I was told my tumor was so unstable that I needed to have it removed either in October 29th or on November 2nd.
Now I have an existential crisis. I know I need to have the surgery on November 2nd so I can get poll coverage everywhere and someone to cover my shifts to make sure the bully does not win and the man with the stutter does.
Now, something even crazier happens when I drop off my mail in ballot. I know I have my tumor and I am interviewed by Fox 29 news asking me why I am voting by mail in ballot for president elect Biden. However they cut out my Biden hat and I still accept the interview. I did not scream no because it was Fox. Fox still asked me, even though they know I did not watch them.
The surgery thankfully was a success and I was able to recover in ICU seeing Joe Biden win in states that we weren’t too sure on. Georgia and Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania really made me proud because I knew Joe Biden could win the state he’s from. I am proud because I was a delegate for Joe Biden from Pennsylvania. I was a small piece that helped make it happen.
At one point I had every delegate petition in my car from Pennsylvania, with my fellow delegate and friend, Sam Newell, and we drove them to the Biden headquarters in Philadelphia past midnight to make sure we got them all.
I am so proud of our president elect Joe Biden and excited to see what change he makes and how he reaches across the aisle and makes change for the United States.
Becca’s Meningioma 2 Journey 
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