Thankful Thursday

  It's a beautiful fall day here today.  The sky is blue, the leaves on the trees (what's left of them, anyway) are a brilliant gold and the air is crisp.  Man, I love fall!  I love sweaters and boots and flannel sheets and pajamas and pumpkin everything (except that I can't pumpkin because it' high in potassium)... And fall is also when one of my favourite holidays takes place...Thanksgiving.  In addition to all the yummy food, I also like to take stock of the many blessings in my life.
  I'm thankful that today, kidney disease isn't the death sentence it was fifty years ago, and that there are treatments such as transplantation and dialysis that can help renal patients like me live a relatively normal life.  I'm thankful for the many doctors and nurses that take such good care of me, especially my dialysis nurse Lana.
  I'm thankful for the love and support of my family and friends.  There's no way that I could get through all of what I have without them.  I know I don't say it nearly often enough, but I love and appreciate each and every one of you more than I could ever express.
  I'm thankful for all of the wonderful, supportive people that I've met through the various Facebook support groups I'm part of.  I can't tell you what it means to have found communities of people like you who really "get" me and who give me such great advice and encouragement when I need it.
  I'm thankful for the renal diet.  That might sound really strange, given how limited it is, but it's help me not only unleash my creativity, but also realize how much fun it is to cook.  I'm thankful for all of the online diet resources I've come across, and for the people who have taken time to share their recipes with the kidney community.
  I'm thankful for the roof over my head, the clothes on my back and the food in my belly.  I'm thankful that, even though we have had tough times, we've never had to wonder where our next meal is going to come from.  I'm thankful that I have somewhere to come home to, and people to come home to.
  I'm thankful for my pets, both the ones I have now and the ones that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  I'm especially thankful for my Molly.  When I'm having a bad day or I'm not feeling well, there's absolutely nothing like puppy kisses and snuggles to make everything better.  Look at this face; doesn't she just make you want to smile?

 

  I'm thankful for my hobbies, especially since I've been home on disability.  I've had a lot of time on my hands, and my crafts have really helped to fill some of it.  I'm thankful for the craft groups on Facebook that I've joined and the members who share their creations and patterns and inspiration.

  I'm thankful for this blog, and the people who read it and give me feedback.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to share my story and my thoughts.  And I'm thankful for the Internet, and Facebook and Pinterest and all of the other (too numerous to mention) websites that I visit on a daily basis.

  Most of all, I'm thankful that God calls me His child.  I'm thankful that, no matter how many times I screw up, He always forgives me.  I'm thankful that He comes looking for me when I lose my way.  I'm thankful that He's always there, when things are sunny and when things are stormy.

  In the season of thankfulness, what are you thankful for? Take some time to think about it, and be sure to let the important people in your life know how much you appreciate them.

 

  Until next time,

  J.