I think it taught me that it is ok to listen to my body and not to be ruled by the needs of others ... It has given me a reason to relax and enjoy people rather than always trying to fix everything... It has given me an appreciation for all of the people who struggle with chronic illness - many of them far more serious than this one... It has made me grateful for the opportunity to live with a chronic illness rather than dying from a fatal one for which there are no treatments - It has made me realize what a gift life is - and I intend to live every day until I die rather than lying down quietly and giving up before my time. "Seize the Day" actually means something now...I do what I can when I can and I rest in between - hopefully creating memories for the days when I just have to rest!