A Special Thank You to My Fellow "Vascies"

     

     
      The more I get to know and hear/see my fellow "Vascies" stories, the more hope I get. Vasculitis took away everything for me. I lost my independence, my jobs, my schooling, my ability to walk, dress myself, my ability to do things, to have fun, to be fit and happy. It took away my will to live. After diagnosis of MPA, I still did not have much of a fight left. My will to live had been crushed by losing everything. "What did I have to live for?" I thought. 
     Slowly, I reached out, and got to know others. I found out there is hope with my disease. While it is life threatening, it is forever, there is no cure, and it can force me to need transplanted organs in the future, these people who have been through it, who are going through it now, taught me survival. Taught me that someday, I too will be able to beat this monster. Now here I am. I am nearing remission. I have permanent scarring and damage to my lungs, but nothing that is too terrible. Mild to moderate only. My kidneys were spared thank God. I am back in school, and starting to try to get back into life. Remission is my mission, and education is my passion when it comes to these diseases. 
     Each and every one of my fellow Vascies are near and dear to my heart, from the little girl of one of my new friends, to the oldest of them, and everyone in between...you all are part of my life and heart now...because you taught me to be strong, to have hope. That living with a chronic disease doesn't have to take me down spiritually. You all taught me how to get up and fight when I wanted to lay down and give up. For that, I thank you all...you really do not know how much hope you give others!

You Create Your Own Story...

Life is like writing a book. You are the main character in this creation. When you are conceived, your story begins. Your book first starts. For a period of your life, others write your story. Your parents, teachers, mentors. Then comes the time you pick up that pen, and you have to create your own life. You create yourself, your own character. You build on that until you are who you want to be. Every experience is your story. Good and bad, you are writing your story. The great part about creating is this: you are never stagnant. Your character can grow and change depending on the story and the other characters around you. You can change yourself if you do not like how you are. You choose how you react to the stories in your life. When things are bad, do you let that define you, or strengthen you? When things are good, do you let them change you, or do you let the good things flow into your life and appreciate them while they last? What am I getting at? Your story is not over until your book is closed. Your book is not closed until you leave this world. Appreciate today, the good and bad, and be the creator of your own story. Never give in, never give up. Look for the good in the bad, no matter how hard it may seem to do so, and remember YOU are the creator of your own story.