Stay Strong

For nearly a year I have been wearing one bracelet on my left wrist every day. Within the last few weeks while living here at the hospital, I have received a few more that have become part of my daily wear. They all remind me of strength and bring me joy. Let me tell you a few stories about my bracelets.

First, I wear a magnetic bracelet given to me by my mom. I think about togetherness. While I may be an introvert at heart, being together with great friends and family generally adds extra sunshine to my day. This reminds me of a quote I've been sharing recently.

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine." 

I took this top photo here in the ICU. It is a beautiful mural that brings sunshine inside these walls. Despite the roller coaster ride of the last few weeks, every day has still been a good day. We deal with the bumps, stay strong, and end the day thinking about the moments of sunshine. Those moments are even better when shared with somebody.

Second, I now wear a blessing bracelet given to me by a family friend about a week ago. It came in the mail along with a gift for my aunt. It came with some of the kindest words reassuring this place that my life has brought me to, as I continue to understand more each day since the moment when my life changed course.

I am glad I have been able to be here for my aunt and uncle even though we have been thrown plenty of curveballs. Just more reminders to stay together and strong.

Finally, just yesterday my 16-year old friend Nick and his family gave me this blue "Stay Strong" bracelet. Nick was staying here at the hospital for another round of chemotherapy. I was able to spend some time with him and his dad Mike while they were here. He continues to enjoy life despite the battles he has been fighting. He told me all about his Star Wars Lego collection, we played a few games, and just hung out. 

It's been a little while since I've seen his dad last, hadn't seen Nick in 3 years, and was able to meet his mom this time. Despite the unfortunate circumstances it was nice spending some time together. I am thankful for those smiling moments.

If any of you remember a post back in April, I ran in a 5K race. I ran that race in support of Nick and my aunt. Nick is an inspiration, and spending time with him really got me thinking about this blog post. We shared quite a few smiles together over the past few days, and I shared with him one of my favorite quotes.

"Smile, and the world smiles with you."

Please keep Nick, the Kroeger family, and my aunt in your thoughts and prayers. All of us will continue to stay strong and keep smiling. You do the same!