Thankful

It's important for me to try and be thankful in the midst of a flare up. If I let Lupus get the best of me, if I start my own pity party (as I did earlier this week) nobody wins. Sometimes my self-pitying will reach a point that I can feel the tide of depression coming on. If I don't get up and out of the water, I end up drowning in a sea of my own pity.

So today I am thankful for what I do have (especially for basic & easily forgotten things):
Jesus
An amazing support system (wonderful family and friends)
Health insurance
An education (ALMOST A BACHELOR'S DEGREE)!
Shelter
Food
Clothing (otherwise I'd be mighty cold)
Work (I always seem to make just enough money for food and gas)
My five senses
Visual Art
Books
Music
Smiles
Mexico


Today marks the 22nd day that I've been taking Biotin. My rheumatologist recommended I take it when she saw how my hair was thinning. She said to take anywhere between 5 or 7.5 grams... or 5000 or 7500 mg. She said within a month my hair will stop falling out and within two months it should start to grow back. My aforementioned pity party took place after a shower when I realized the biotin wasn't making any difference... earlier in the week instead of taking one pill, I started to take two. Since the rheumatology appointment I have added a thin spot bringing the total to three (that I can see). The vanities and insecurities of a girl in her early twenties (second only to girls between the ages of 12-19) bubbled to the surface.

A few minutes ago I was filling out medical forms for a weeklong return trip to Mexico and I realized, I haven't been taking 10 mg of Biotin (Biotin is over-the-counter so I selected it myself) I've been taking 10 mcg of Biotin... that's .2% of the amount my doctor prescribed. So... maybe Biotin will work after all.

(More about Mexico in the next post)