5 Things that Changed My Life

NHBPM Day 5 Prompt: 5 things that changed my life. For better? For worse? List 5 things that changed your life as a patient, caregiver, or Health Activist and how.

“Sometimes in life, horrible and unexplainable things happen. These things are a test of character. And I have character” – Agatha Trunchbull, from the movie, Matilda.

Here are 5 things, good, bad and in no particular order, that have happened in my life and tested my character to the limits:

Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure sure spiced things up a bit. Good grief! I can’t think of any one event in my life that so abruptly changed every aspect of my life as receiving those diagnoses.

Dealing with my mother-in-law being diagnosed with end stage uterine cancer a year ago, and all of the chaos that has ensued as a result of that.

Meeting, falling in love with, and maintaining relationship with April for the last 9 years. We may not be married, but we live the vows “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health” each and every day.

Finding the DOC has been one of the best things that has happened to me in the last 3 years. The love and support that I have received from so many amazing people in the community has played a huge role in my survival. And that is not overstating things at all.