One year ago today...

I know it's been some months since I've put up a new post. I actually wasn't planning on writing anything new until I had my MRI in June. But I realized I couldn't let my one year AN-nniversary pass without taking a moment to say a few words. After all that Iggy and I went through, it simply wouldn't be right.

Believe it or not, I almost forgot today was my one year anniversary. And I think that's a great thing. It means that I've moved on with my life and that my surgery has not had any serious lasting effects. I am the same girl I was a year ago with only a few minor physical changes.

The fat that was placed at my incision site has finally sunken in and dispersed as the doctors said it would. So I now have a faint scar and a depression about the size of a quarter behind my right ear. It's still slightly sensitive to touch and it still weirds me out a bit to know that part of my skull is missing, but it's not at all painful. The area in my hip is more sensitive (not sure why) and hurts if it gets bumped too hard. I was told that the sensitivity will probably be there for the rest of my life so I'm just going to have to get used to it. My hair has done a superb job of growing back and the difference in length is barely noticeable. It helps that I have curly hair which kind of just blends into one giant poof.

Emotionally and spiritually, I feel fantastic. I am currently living in Ecuador teaching English and doing my best to wisely use the time I've been given. I know there's so many cheesy, mushy cliches I could say about how much I've grown to appreciate the small things and how I try not to take anything for granted and how I want to live each day to the fullest...and they would all be true. When you have to re-learn something as simple as walking, you start to realize just how shallow we can be as humans. Think about it. What did you spend time obsessing over today? Was it really worth it? Did you spend just as much time being thankful for what you have?

It's such an easy habit to fall into and sadly it often takes something dramatic and/or traumatic to re-focus our perspective. Even after everything that happened, I still find myself falling into old ways of thinking.

So, on this, my one year AN-niversary, I would like to take a moment to once again count each and every one of my blessings and remind myself of what truly deserves my time, effort, and thanks. I hope you will do the same.

Happy turtling!