Thankfulness, Part II

It's 7:30 in the morning here, and the house is at rest. I'm the only one awake because I need to be at church in 90 minutes. I sing on Thanksgiving morning at the 10:00 a.m. mass; I do this every year on Thanksgiving because...well...it just feels right.

I didn't do a proper Thanksgiving Day post yesterday, and that had me thinking all day about what I would say, today, this "formal" day of thanks here in the United States.

• I am so thankful that my parents escaped their homeland and eventually gained the legal right to live and work in the United States. Their suffering in prison camp, their flight to freedom to The Netherlands, and their sacrificial tenacity to get to the USA have allowed me to obtain an excellent education, live a very comfortable life, and be able to walk about my business free from persecution and tyranny. Thanks Mommy and Daddy. I hope I make you proud.
• I am thankful I have an education. While my body continues to be an endless source of mystery and comedic puzzlement, my mind will forever allow me to amuse, entertain, inform, and educate my children and loved ones.
• I am thankful for my diagnosis. I recently heard that PH is considered a diagnosis of a condition, not officially a disease. Huh. It is, however, progressive, so I am thankful that this diagnosis has allowed me to put perspective in my life - teaching me gratitude, humility, and tenacity. I am thankful for health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, those blood-sucking banes of society without whom I would not have access to top notch specialists and rare medicines.
• I am thankful for conveniences like microwave ovens, frozen pizza, canned soup, and peanut butter. Without these, I would have to spend hours in front of the stove just hear, "Ewww! That's gross! I'm not eating that!" as my only reward from my yet-to-learn -gratitude offspring.
• I'm thankful for those offspring, my source of never-ending amusement, entertainment, heartache, frustration, affection, and love. I'm thankful for their father, my mate for life who gives me shit, companionship, loyalty, and love.
• I'm thankful to all of you, my blogging friends, who give me hope. Thanks for coming here and for sticking around. You're a boost to my ego, a kick in my ass, and a smile on my face.

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow US dwellers, and to those of you not residing here...nanner, nanner, nanner! We get turkey!!!!

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November if Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month. Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is frequently misdiagnosed and has often progressed to late stage by the time it is accurately diagnosed. Pulmonary Hypertension has been historically chronic and incurable with a poor survival rate; however, new treatments are available which have significantly improved prognosis.

To find out more and to help find a cure, please visit the Pulmonary Hypertension Association web site. Thank you for your support.

While I have breath, I have PHenomenal Hope.