Piece of Me.

No, not Britney Spears new song. A new piece of my life. About 6 months ago, I was diagnosed with *Graves Disease. I was admitted to the ER with a heart rate around 170...with high blood pressure...and many of the symptoms and feelings of a heart attack. It wasn't that...but it wasn't good. I have a thyroid disorder. People think of thyroid, and never think of "serious health condition". Mine is. Most people with thyroid issues, have hypothyroidism...characterized by weight gain...depression, cold intolerance...etc. Graves is the complete opposite. People joke how lucky I am to have a disease where I can eat what I want, and still lose weight. Not so lucky I tell you. Along with weight loss...a consistent heart rate over 100bpm, anxiety, heat intolerance, exhaustion, the list goes on. At this point, months later, with meds, I can say I am stable. This is a chronic illness, I will probably have for the rest of my life. It is manageable. Somewhat. This is where all of my introspective thoughts have been coming from lately. I guess I have been trying to find a place where I am OK with this. There's always the good, "It could be worse". I know that. I want to feel like this can teach me something. I have learned to slow down...I have been forced to slow down. I am learning to enjoy my life and know what grateful really means. No, I'm not going to die. At least not from this. At one point in my life I was a complete pessimist. Maybe we are each given what we need to be able to see true fulfillment in our lives. Maybe not. Maybe I'm thinking too much. Maybe.

*(Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder that involves over activity of the thyroid gland, hyperthyroidism)