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30 Days of Thanks: Health


Everything I have to be thankful for flows from life, that much is true. And life -- at least this personal, conscious life that I have -- is finite. Once dead, my body will break down and its atoms will once more be free to do other things, mingling with the universe to be a part of another life. Until that time comes, I can thank my health for keeping this life going. Therefore, it's only logical to follow gratitude of life with that of health.

So, here we go!


30 Days of Thanks, Day 2: Health

Aside from life itself, our health is the one thing we probably take for granted most, at least until a certain age. Some people, however, aren't allowed that luxury. We have children -- even babies -- who suffer from illness and, through their responses, show us true courage and fortitude. For those who face sickness at a later age, we can consider ourselves fortunate.

I used to be a hypochondriac. I say "used to." It's true that I still worry about things and, when symptomatic, will occasionally check the internet and freak out. But, for the most part, those days are behind me. The overreactions were reigned-in a little over three years ago.

Problems with my thyroid culminated in late 2009 to mid-2010, resulting in several types of tests (one of them rather painful), multi-hour surgery followed by two days in the hospital, physical weakness, a radioactive iodine pill that required secluding myself for over two days, loss of taste, and then a full body scan to make sure there was no more cancer.

After that, dear reader, you learn when and when not to freak out about your health. And thyroid cancer, thankfully, is one of the "better" cancers you can get, if that makes any sense.

These days, I'm thankful for the health I'm lucky to have. Little things, like being able to walk well, are worthy of thanks. After the surgery, I couldn't even walk around the block. Simply putting one foot in front of the next is a (figurative) blessing. I can breathe well, think well and am (fairly) strong. I am without serious disease or incapacity.

Folks, when you break it all down, it just doesn't get much better than that.


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