In All Things, Give Thanks

Fall is my favorite season.  I love the cooler temperatures, the variety of  leaves changing color, and decorating my home in all things fall.  One of my favorite decorations is a wooden sign with the saying, “In all things, give thanks.”  I have this sign in my sunroom, so I see it every day.  It is a good reminder to have a grateful heart, despite my ankylosing spondylitis.

You may be thinking “In ALL things, give thanks?”  How can you be thankful when you are dealing with a chronic disease?  I know this may be a tough concept to accept but just hear me out.  There are some positive aspects of my life despite my illness.  Today in church, our priest was talking exactly about this topic.  How can we be thankful despite difficult circumstances in our lives? He continued to say that these circumstances “drive us to have a different kind of life.”  This concept really resonated with me.  I have managed to have a “different kind of life” since my diagnosis and it’s not all bad.  Let me explain.

Healthy Eating

Because of my diagnosis, I am healthier than I was before my illness.  How can that be?  As I began different treatments and saw medicine wasn’t going to fix this, I began looking into healthy eating.  While most doctors I’ve talked to say this can’t be fixed with diet, I researched anti-inflammatory diets to see if it would help.  Through trial and error, I’ve found that I feel my best following a Paleo diet.  A few years ago, I completed a round of Whole 30 and really liked the way I felt by eliminating processed foods.  If I didn’t have this illness, I would not be dedicated to healthy eating.  For this, I give thanks. 

Fitness Goals

A few years after my diagnosis, I went to the Hospital for Special Surgery to meet with a rheumatologist for a second opinion.  She confirmed my diagnosis and agreed with my treatment plan at the time.  She also mentioned that I should try yoga.  I’ve been taking yoga classes ever since.  It was difficult for me at first, but I kept at it.  I really enjoy my yoga classes because I can adapt and modify my practice to meet my needs.  As a result, I feel successful each time I practice yoga. 

I just recently added another fitness class to my schedule.  It is a functional fitness class working on small muscle groups to strengthen my body.  This class is very challenging for me. However, each week I notice I’m getting stronger and can complete more sets of reps.  The class is also a lot of fun with a group of great people and a wonderful instructor.  It’s nice to socialize and get a great workout.

If I didn’t have this illness, I would not make the time to set and achieve fitness goals.  For this, I give thanks.

Interests

The past year, I have been advocating for arthritis through the American College of Rheumatology’s Simple Tasks.  I receive an email from ACR when important legislation about patient rights are being voted on in our government.  From there, I email my state representatives letting them know my position on various medical topics that affect patient care.  I also use Twitter to advocate for arthritis, join Twitter chats, and support those facing chronic illness.

I started this blog in May as this was another goal for me.  I really enjoy the writing process and publishing my blog post.  I’m amazed how many different countries have viewed my blog.  I also love receiving feedback about topics I write about and encouraging others to stay positive despite their illnesses.  If I had not been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, I would have never been an advocate and a voice for the chronic illness community.  For this, I give thanks.

Ankylosing spondylitis has significantly changed my life.  I am unable to work because of it and I live in pain every day.  However, it has given me the opportunity to live a “different kind of life.”  To me, it’s a great life which I am thankful and grateful to live. 

In all things, give thanks.

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