When life gives you lemons

We have all at one time or another heard the saying "When life gives you lemons make lemonade." I never really thought about how true it was until I became ill. I knew that I couldn't give up but how was I supposed to turn my "horrible" situation into something good? It took lots of time and help to figure that one out.
The first few times that I had to go into the hospital for my treatment I was miserable. The infusion takes 24 hours and I am not allowed to leave the floor. After about the third treatment I go to thinking. How was I going to turn this sour thing into something sweet? Well add sugar of course!
In my case kindness was sugar. I started bringing little things that I could share with the people around me. First I brought my guitar and I had the opportunity to play it for two very kind Navy Sailors. Then I started getting to know each of the nurses. I have, over time, met some pretty amazing people at the hospital.
Right before Christmas I went in for a treatment and I got to see the Mandiville High School choir sing Christmas carols. That evening I colored with a little girl who had been in the hospital for quite some time and I even had the chance to meet another young girl who has JM just like me! And this past time when I went to the hospital I brought Mardi Gras beads for some of the kids on my floor! I got to meet the coolest kid! His name is Blake and I call him my real life Iron Man! He was in to get his pacemaker changed and when I say that this kid is cool I mean it! He is so cool he even got to crown G.W. Baily as the King of Baccus!
I also had the chance to write an article for a magazine called Ig Living. Their pacient rep. contacted my through Facebook because she had read this blog and said she was so inspired by me! Well would you look at that. Someone inspired by little ol' me? Well let's just say I was so flattered and honored to write and article for this wonderful magazine. My article was posted in this months addition and I would have never been able to do that if it had not been for my illness.
All these things are just a few examples of how I am turning my lemon into lemonade. There are so many things in life that I hope to accomplish and I know that this disease is helping me become a stronger and more confident person. I am, day by day, figuring our how to turn my lemon in to lemonade. So I leave you with one question, how are you going to turn your lemon into lemonaid?
Love, Callie

If you would like to know more about my disease please visit www.curejm.com