On Saturday, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama announced that he’s picked Delaware senator Joe Biden as his V.P. running mate.  With this announcement came a flood of biographical information about the senior senator from Delaware as media outlets began to delve into the man that is Joe Biden.

I knew a little bit about the senator from seeing him give interviews on cable news programs and Meet the Press.  But until recent media reports published the details of his past, I had no idea that he had experienced so much personal tragedy in his life.  In 1972, his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident, leaving him alone to care for their two boys while he was commuting more than an hour each way from Delaware to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his Senate responsibilities.

After being forced to drop out of the presidential campaign in 1988 amidst accusations of plagiarism, he almost died from a ruptured brain aneurysm.  Soon after the emergency surgery that saved his life, he returned to the Senate floor as if nothing had happened  (at least that’s my take on things).

When I heard that Obama picked him for V.P., I thought, Why didn’t Biden use his personal tragedies as leverage to get him into office?  Why didn’t he tell these stories of personal woe to win people’s sympathy and support? 

Who knows what was going on behind the scenes.  But from this side of things, it didn’t seem that Biden tried to cash in on his personal tragedies and triumphs to gain the V.P. spot.  He was picked on the merits of his professional accomplishments rather than his personal misfortunes.  And, politics aside, I really respect him for that.

I know from personal experience how hard it is not use obstacles you’ve overcome as a shortcut to get to the front of the line.  Last year while in treatment for breast cancer, I applied for a new job with the understanding that I would start as soon as I finished chemotherapy.  However, the day after I finished chemo, I contracted pneumonia and spent several weeks in the hospital on I.V. antibiotics waiting for my immune system to regenerate.

After a month-long delay, I started my new job at a hospital in Portland, OR.  I still didn’t feel well, but I decided to be tough and start working anyway.

Recently I reached the six-month mark at my new job, and I had to complete a performance review, which required me to state why I’m a good employee.

The first thoughts that jumped into my head were, I started working full time only a few weeks after getting out of the hospital.  I’ve worked with pneumonia every day for the past six months without using a second of sick time.  I’ve come to work with platelet counts so low, my toenails bled just from the weight of my shoes.  I’ve managed to get infusions every three weeks without missing any work.  I’ve come to work with a white count so low I was neutropenic,  and I would’ve had to be hospitalized if I’d gotten sick from one of my patients. 

Who could argue that I’ve not had an absolutely stellar performance, considering the challenges I’ve had to overcome just to be working full time and functioning as a normal member of society?

After savoring these personal accomplishments, I finally sacrificed my pride and came to the conclusion that if I expected my employer not to hold my illness against me (which they didn’t, by the way - they have been great about that), then I couldn’t use it in my favor.  It has to stay neutral ground. 

So instead of containing glowing reports of my inner strength and determination, my performance review consisted of boring points – like, I have good hygiene, I come to work on time, and I haven’t killed any patients. (I did not get a merit raise for any of this, by the way).

But I think this is why I can appreciate Senator Biden’s restraint.  Because when you overcome obstacles and endure hardships, when you work twice as hard and seem to get half as far as everyone else, when it takes all the energy you can muster just to get out of bed in the morning, it’s hard not to ask society for a free ride — or at least a little extra credit.

So props, Senator Biden, for standing on your professional achievements rather than your personal tragedy.  Kudos for getting out of bed, picking up the pieces, and trying again.

Just for that, you deserve a merit raise.