Well I think he is spot on.
I haven't had the best last month or so as I've been fighting some increased challenges with this faulty body but I think (and hope) that things have made a turn for the better and will continue on forwards. Over the last few years it has been a very rare, if not ever, have I had a month with something fun on every weekend. Well, this month that is changing and I am excited to have fun occasions nearly every weekend. To add to this, I have also just finished my second part time semester at university for the year.
To say I'm a bit proud of that accomplishment is an understatement.
I started Uni this year with much sadness and feeling a little apprehensive. At the beginning of this year I spent another long few months in hospital and was very unwell. As a result, I had to give up my place studying medicine and was forced to medically withdraw after years of fighting stay in it, which was devastating. Despite the deep sadness I felt, I knew I needed another focus and so had previously been looking into a Masters degree I liked the look of, so it was a logical choice to apply and try my luck. I wanted to have something other than health crap to focus on. I wanted to feel I had a greater purpose than just surviving each day, my health battles and watching Netflix and DVDs 24/7 (which I'm still guilty of). So I was accepted into my degree and the new journey began.
Throughout this year I have had many people say to me things along the line of 'don't worry about uni' and 'this isn't important' and 'who cares' and 'why are you doing this' but, to me, it has mattered a lot. To me it signifies so much more than just another degree. It may seem trivial and irrelevant from the outside and silly to focus on something aside from my health but it means more to me than I've probably shared with others. Obviously my health is my priority and my foremost goal. I still attend hospital and rehab 2+ days a week, have various appointments weekly, do my home therapy, exercise (within my limits) and work on improvements with my family and carers but it is so nice to have something else to do. To feel accountable for something that is more than just survival and getting by each day is really refreshing. It makes me feel a newfound sense of normality in doing something that hopefully will/could provide a future for myself and has me excited. I haven't loved every minute of my very part-time studies, but for the most part I'm enjoying the content and the feeling that it gives me to wake up and do something productive when I'm able.
Some days and weeks my body wins and all I can do is lay down and let the days pass by, but on the occasions I can do something I try my best to do it. I like that despite my future being so unknown and uncertain it gives me hope. I guess it's also like a hobby and distraction too which I can definitely do with. Escapism can be wonderful for the soul. So even though it was only 2-3 subjects, this year I started a new degree with a new hope of being able to just stay afloat. I have done just that and ended with awesome grades to top it off and I hope to do it all again next year.
Take that dysfunctional body!!! 🤗💪🏻✌🏻👌🏻. Erika 1 - body 0 ...ok maybe not quite an accurate score but let me live in this moment 💁🏻
