In the last few months my beliefs about how I feel about my condition have been questioned one time too many, not many things bother me but, this topic is one of the few that make my blood boil. I feel that life has thrown many battles my way, why do I have to explain this one over and over? Why is it so difficult for some people to understand that some of us wouldn´t change the way we look, the life that was given to us or the hardships?
Why would I give up anything that Arthrogryposis has taught me? From a young age, I learnt where hard work could take me, that pain will be present but, I´m stronger that it will ever be, that every tiny victory counts and must be celebrated, and that life will have difficult moments so we can enjoy the happy ones.
Many won´t understand what I mean because they haven´t been in my shoes, and maybe they just focus on my struggles. Yes, I do suffer a great amount of pain. Yes, I struggle doing my daily tasks and it might take me way longer than to an ¨abled-body person¨. Yes, I have to work twice or hundred times harder physically to achieve any physical activity. Yes, I get the awkward stare more often than not. But, all of these struggles have strengthened my spirit, I don´t take anything for granted, I enjoy the good every day so the bad can be overshadowed and I have learned to love my body just the way it is and the way it moves, it took me too much pain to get where it is now and to be formed to its ¨now¨ shape for me not give it all my love.
To give up on AMC will be like giving up on the person that I am today. Every treatment, every tear, every struggle, every victory, every moment shared with my mother throughout the treatments, every doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, every person I met along the journey this condition took me on, have shaped my body and my soul. So, if anyone thinks that I could ever give up on even one second with AMC, they think I could give up on me. And that, my friends, in my book, is a thing I would never do.
This goes to everyone, not just AMCers, please learn to love your life, I know it gets difficult and painful but, the more you accept and embrace who you are and your journey, the more you will enjoy it. Life is about celebrating it, the normal day, the morning shower, the wonderful vacation, the lunch at home, the crazy night out, the sunny day, the rainy day; EVERYTHING is a blessing, and so are you, I and my AMC.
