Giving My Thanks

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I have not shared all for which I am thankful! I should have been keeping a list on my sidebar as some friends have. I'd like to thank my friend Jewelgirl from Sandwiched Mom for passing on the 2 things I'm Thankful For meme and prompting me to acknowledge all for which I should be grateful.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:My family, where everyone goes out of their way to accommodate my medical condition and help where they can. My parents visit every fortnight for several days and help with projects such as switching the seasonal clothes, organizing things I can't reach, pulling holiday decor from the basement, etc. My mother is a whirling dirvish doing chores and finding things that I never thought to do and with which she helps me. The day my father got up to get me a drink of water and walked without his cane to the kitchen was amazing. My sister goes to so many of my medical appointments and her husband rearranges his work schedule so he can be home with the kids while she is with me. My nephews and niece help with chores and errands. I couldn't be living on my own without the help of all of them. (Wait a minute, if I wasn't living alone, I'd have to live with one of them, so maybe that's why they do it!)My teachers' union sick bank. I donated one sick day to the bank when I was first hired by the town. When my sick days ran out almost two years ago, I was able to apply to the bank for more days, and all of my requests thus far have been granted, which means I continue to receive pay even though I am not at work. Having a chronic medical condition is scary on many levels, but at least I can pay my bills right now. My health insurance company. I have an EXCELLENT insurance plan, which I thought I knew, but I didn't truly realize until I got really sick. They pay for everything, and nothing has ever been questioned. They have a nurse liaison who calls and checks on me to see if there is anything I need or if I have questions about my condition or insurance. In five years of being sick, other than prescription co-pays, which I find very reasonable, my biggest expense has been paying to park at all the different city hospitals and facilities. That really says something!

My friends who have stood by me even though I can't do as much with them as before. My neighbor Carol, who puts out my trash, the friends like Susan, who call me to check in often, Mary who drives 45 minutes to visit me regularly and helps me with chores, Tom & Paul who make me get out of the house for our breakfasts every fortnight. Everyone jumped in and wanted to help when I was first sick, but it's those who've persisted in continuing our friendship, even though it has had to go a different way, that I truly appreciate.Modern technology. With the Internet I can do all of my shopping and have my groceries delivered. But more importantly it has opened up a social world to me where I have met so many wonderful people on message boards and discussion groups who inspire me to create, decorate, read new genres and authors, try different films, and think about things from perspectives I may not have had in the past. I truly appreciate everyone who visits my blog and comments, which encourages me to write interesting posts and share my limited world with you. It cannot be said enough, the Evil Overlord's Entourage has some of the most fabulous people on Earth!Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, whether it be peaceful or crazy, as long as it's with those you love, celebrated in the way you love.