Winning the Marathon with a Vengeance

   We started our first day of class today! The kids were so excited and ready for me to teach them. I absolutely love the look on their faces while I am teaching them. I wish I could really capture how truly happy they are to have me as their teacher. We started reading the book of Mark in bible today, we are learning Zoology, Early American History, Geometry, Writing, Grammar, Music, Art, Vocabulary, and Spelling. I have my hands full, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Today was honestly a GREAT day! 
   Kevin was off tonight, so he made us a delicious dinner while I taught the kids. He made grilled chicken, loaded mashed potatoes, and green beans. It was delicious. I ate everything on my plate! It was my first time to eat today...I really should start taking better care of myself. After dinner, after our long school day, I am completely exhausted. Did I mention that I put on make-up just to teach the kids? Yep! God gave me the energy to even get all pretty before I taught them. But, now my body is really feeling it, so I am writing this from the comfort of my bed...because tomorrow, I have to push myself even harder to get up and teach the kids. And, I am determined to do so. 
   In the past few months, I have experienced some of my lowest points ever. I have cried more than I think I have in all my 35 years of life. And, at this point, I don't think there is a place I haven't cried (in my car, at the store, at most of my doctors, etc.). I am okay with this, but I think that most people in my life take this as a cause for concern. I'd be more worried if I hadn't shown any emotion towards all that has happened. And, when I think of all that has happened, I cry because I am not sure how I am still standing. I cry because today, I got to teach my kids. I cry because I am grateful that I have been given another day. And, I cry because I truly do not understand why my body deems it necessary to attack itself all of the time. 
   Chronically ill people are running a constant marathon. It's a long haul. It means the rest of your life. You need to learn how to pace yourself so that you will be able to survive the finish line. Running a marathon takes discipline and training. It takes as much mental, as it does physical agility. Some of the advice for marathon runners is fitting for the chronically ill too: get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, practice self-care, and always always wear comfortable shoes.
   It is hard to imagine that people who want and put their minds into running a marathon get tired of training. But they do. So, just imagine how chronically ill people feel. They are training for something they didn't ask for and weren't prepared for...at all! 
   So, if we think about the courage and strength it takes runners to undertake such a feat, it should give us hope (and pause) about the courage and strength that we, as chronically ill people, have to get through each and every day. 
   We don't always make it through on top of the leader board. Sometimes our illnesses get the better of us. But, ultimately, we push through it and move on. If we think of each day as a leg of the journey, we always have our eye on the prize and are focused on the end goal, whatever that may be. 
   Today, I was at the top of the leader board. I pushed through despite the fatigue, the fever, the nausea, the vomiting, and the side effects of my Prednisone. Today, I won that marathon and crossed the finish line at full throttle. God made sure I did.