Today I am thankful for the people who inspire me.  I am thankful for the living examples in my life that have either overcome, or are living with chronic illnesses in the most positive ways that they can…

I have family members and friends with MS who are running marathons, working full time jobs, raising kids…

Today I am thankful for my faith.  I am thankful that through this tough time I have had my faith to lift me up, and I am thankful that I feel that in the last year I have continued to grow in my faith.  I am thankful for Father Mark’s homily about perseverance today. It was just what I needed to hear. I am thankful that in church today we sang, “Be Not Afraid.”   It was just what I needed to sing. 

So I just have to tell this story because it gets me teary-eyed every time. 


Last week when Brad and I were on the road to Cleveland to go for my autonomic nervous system testing, my Mom called to see how my day was going.  She and my Dad had been in Philly visiting Kristen, Jake, and the beautiful Cecilia Jane.  They were headed to BWI airport and we both still had a couple hours left to be in the car. At the moment she called I was struggling.  My back and head hurt, I was nervous, and I was experiencing the anxiety that a trip to Cleveland Clinic usually brings.  I was trying like heck to hold it together.  Sensing that I was near a meltdown, my Mom went into her pep talk, pick my spirits up, cheerleader mode.