This week I celebrated an anniversary of sorts.

Five years ago I was diagnosed with an incurable illness the day before Thanksgiving. While I don't necessarily want to go into technical details, this moment in my life has been on my mind a lot this week. It began with a day of numerous tests and doctors not being able to figure out what was going on. It ended that evening in a conference room sitting across from the table from someone who finally knew what was wrong with me. Whenever a doctor pulls you into a private room, it's never a good sign.

It was all such a blur that I don't remember specifically what happened after that, just being incredibly scared and thinking that life as I knew it was over. Going through the motions, I got the immediate problems under control in a matter of months and then was left to deal with my emotions.

Six Months later: The moment that changed everything was when S and I decided to go to this conference where they have guest speakers and doctors who talk to a group of people in the same situation. I remember being incredibly optimistic, thinking I would learn something new that would help me cope. What happened was entirely different.

Upon entering the auditorium, I was cut in front of in line by a lady who obviously was sick with the same illness. She was using canes and was very adament that her problems were more severe than the others. She went up to the registrar and declared, "I have such and such." S and I kind of looked at each other in bewilderment, like, Yeah, duh, of course you do or you wouldn't be here. The rest of the night was filled with a bunch of sob stories from people who wanted other people to feel sorry for them. Again, I was amazed that they didn't realize that every single person in that room had the same problems. S and I high-tailed it out of there as soon as possible. It's the last "conference" I went to.

At that moment I realized 2 things. (1) I can go through life feeling sorry for myself or (2) I can realize that none of us get through life without SOME sort of challenge, suck it up, and live to the fullest I can while I still can.

Fast forward 5 years: I had no idea on that Thanksgiving Eve that I would be sitting where I am today as happy as I am. In the spirit of this past week's Thanksgiving, I am grateful for so many things.

• I am grateful that I live in a time in this world where medicine is so advanced and doctors know so much.
• I am grateful that I had such understanding professors and mentors at school that were patient and accomodating of me enough so that I could graduate.
• I am grateful to live in an incredible world that provides so many opportunities to be happy.
• I am grateful for friends who make me laugh so hard I cry.
• I am grateful for my supportive parents and in-laws who are always so sweet to S and me (even in the wake of a tumultuous football game.)
• I am grateful to have been blessed to have such an incredible husband in my life. The last 6 years since we were married have had their multitude of challenges but they have only made our relationship stronger and my love for him deeper.
• I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who provides me with so many opportunites and blessings that I will never be able to efficiently express my gratitude in words.

It's really difficult for me to write about these sorts of things because I don't like dwelling on my problems. However, if there is anything I have learned that I would pass on to you the reader, is to express gratitude as often as you can, take advantages of the opportunities that you have in front of you right now and, on the inevitable bad day that we each have, find the positives that came out of that bad day and move on to life's next experience.