Thankful

 I know it has been forever since my last post. My goal is to start posting more, at the very least once a month. (Try to refrain from jumping out of your seats with excitement). I missed posting on my bone marrow birthday, which was November 4th. Yes, my bone marrow is now 2 years old! Crazy! Before I get into the good stuff, I should probably update you on what has been going on in my life.

College has been crazy. By crazy I mean busy. Really, really, busy. Between school and volleyball, I find myself looking for nap time any time I can. I actually schedule naps in my planner to make sure I actually allot time for one. This may seem a little extreme, but I will do what I can to keep up. For lack of a better term, volleyball is kicking my butt. In a good way. My body isn't quite the same, and it is a long, slow process of getting back into shape and at the level I need to be at, but I slowly chip away with the hope that things will start to get a little easier. I love playing and I love the team, and so far, that's enough. Long story short, playing volleyball again is not the glorious comeback I had imagined--if only everything were like in the movies...I feel like they speed through the hard work part within a minute of inspirational music and then it's over-- but I guess I have to go through the hard work and all the pain and frustration to reach that glorious moment of comeback I envisioned while in my hospital bed. To sum this lovely paragraph up... I will keep at it, with the hopes of progress speeding up a bit.

I mentioned earlier that my bone marrow birthday was on November 4. I meant to post then but I was most likely napping...ha. Two years ago on this day, I was laying in my hospital bed as the life saving marrow dripped into me through an IV. To be honest, this all seems like a dream. In fact, I would think it was a dream if it weren't for pictures, and the evidence of my "hammered" body that is still trying to bounce back. I always joke that they aged me 50 years in there. Which, is more or less true. Nonetheless, I am thankful. I am thankful for a donor who selflessly donated his marrow to a stranger. I am thankful for modern medicine, and for all of the doctors and nurses who changed my life. I am thankful to be feeling good again. And I am thankful to be here today.

I can't mention things I am thankful for with out bringing up NCCS (National Children's Cancer Society). This organization has so graciously granted me with a "beyond the cure" scholarship, that is specifically for childhood cancer survivors. Who would have thought this whole thing had perks?! Not only have they granted me this scholarship, but they are an amazing organzation who provides support--both moral and financial-- to families and children battling cancer. And for that I am thankful. I am thankful for all of the good in this world. I will be posting more on NCCS but I honestly just wanted to say Thank you for all they have done to help me to move on past my illness, and for all they do for others as well.


I cannot end this post without saying thank you to the people who matter most. That is, all of you. My friends, my family, and my support system. Even those of you who have never met me, who were there for me while I was sick, through this blog. There truly is strength in numbers. I could not have gone through all that I have alone. I am thankful that I have more time to spend with the people I love, and that I can return the favor and help out others in need. So from the bottom of my heart I thank you for the prayers, and support that was rendered throughout my illness. I could not have done it without you.