I have a pet peeve. Yes, that is right I have a pet peeve that drives me bonkers worse than anything I can imagine. Those who do not participate or fight themselves and just play the victim to their health and just complain, but don’t do anything about it drive me crazy. Yes, I know from my own personal journey that participating in things is a challenge, but if you are just sitting there and not communicating with your doctors, not taking your medications, or even just going to your doctor appointments and you start complaining about how badly you have it that makes me angry. For me, every single step I am taking involves my doctors. Yes, I understand there are doctors who are just not that great at their job, whose bed side manner sucks, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on you. I personally believe that God closes doors, but He opens them up. He has with me in so many ways. I am happy with the medical team I have now. I feel gratitude and blessed by them being a partner in my health care. That being said there are others ways I have to manage my care. I sometimes think I need a degree in care management with all the things I have to do in order to breathe, to move, to just be in my life. Such as making appointments, making sure all my doctors get blood results. It is a job, a serious job that requires a choice. I choose every single day to fight for my health.

How do I make these choices?

·       Every time I decide to fuel my body with whole foods that allow me to nurture it instead of drowning it in junk food I am fighting for me.

·       Every time I track my food so that I am getting the right amount of calories and the right balance of carbs, fiber, protein, and fats then I am fighting for me.

·       When I see my counselor and let out all those negative feelings and set goals for myself then I am fighting for me.

·       Every time I communicate with my doctor what my body is doing and keep and make my appointments then I am fighting for me.

I am sure there are more ways that I fight for me. On this journey I have learned to fight by using my voice and the resources that I am blessed to have in my life. Fighting has been my choice since December 2009 when I had my first throat surgery. I realized driving home from Longview Washington that I am worth fighting for. God created me and He died for me, so why can’t I love who I am and do what I can to make my life better. Yes, I have my bad days where I am exhausted. Like today when I went grocery shopping. I am worn out, but I knew that I needed to go.  It all about choices, but isn’t that what this year’s theme is all about?