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Sunday, October 7, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving


Today is Thanksgiving in Canada.  Although it is not as publicized or blown up as big as in the United States, we still celebrate with full turkey dinner's, family gatherings, etc.  It is usually a fun time for all.  Fall is full of changing colours and festivities: Thanksgiving, Halloween, my birthday.  All very festive times.

As a family tradition, we used to always get together with my aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents on my mum's side to have a humongous turkey dinner at my grandparent's house.  I remember the days of stuffing my face full of food until I thought I was going to explode, and then I would leave dinner early to go skate.  I never remember skating very well on that day. why?!  The last couple of years though, it has become too much for my grandparents to host our entire family and we have sort of had our own dinners with our own families. Some parts of the family would get together, the ones not busy or in town, but I miss the days of 25 people packed in my grandparents basement eating turkey, mashed potatoes, and dressing. Mmmmm!

The last couple of years I have been in school in the states and because they don't celebrate Thanksgiving until November, I tended to work and do school stuff on Thanksgiving.  I missed dinners and family gatherings, but then I got American Thanksgiving off which was a longer vacation than we get here in Canada, so I didn't mind so much.  This year though, it is much different.  It kind of reminds me of old times, with a twist.  This year I am off school until February to get my hip ordeal under control.  My family was invited to Thanksgiving dinner, but I am not able to go feeling the way I currently feel, so my brother came in from out of town, and my mum is making a full blown turkey dinner for my family.  I am so incredibly lucky for her kindness and love.  Since I am basically still stuck on the couch or in bed at this point, we are going to have a full dinner and everybody is going to eat on the couch and in the living room with me.  My family is the best!  Seriously? I doubt, but would hope, that other families would do this for somebody who was recovering from surgery.

I am not going to lie when I say that I have certainly had my set of challenges this year, but, despite the difficult times, I have so so so much to be thankful for....seriously....I am blessed.  I am thankful for my family who has stood by me and supported me as I faced the most difficult year of my life.  They never gave up and helped me after every single surgery this year; going above and beyond what was expected. I am thankful for God, as He has provided the strength and is my rock.  He gives me hope and the strength to keep on.  The sovereignty and love he has shown me this year has been mind boggling.  I am also thankful for the new friendships I have developed and the ones that have grown this year.  My medical school friends really stood by me this year, we had many heartfelt and tear-filled Skype chats about serious situations and they helped me come to terms with my health situation and that it was okay to take time off from medical school.  All the friends with whom I have made because of my hip journey has been incredible.  They just get it.  Plain and simple.  The number of texts, emails, messages I have received from all of you have are worth their weight in gold.  I wouldn't give up the support worth anything.

It would so easy to sit around the house these days in self-pity, wallowing in my currently sucky situation.  And, I am not going to lie, it happens.  I have moments where I can't believe I'm recovering from another surgery.  This past surgery really is taking a toll on the pain receptors, and it is so difficult to not let it consume me.  I don't get many visitors these days, which does place me in a situation that is quite socially isolated.  But, this is only temporary and I will get through.  Once the pain subsides and I can get off of the narcotics, I plan on studying quite a bit which will lend a wonderfully welcomed distraction.  Until then, I have to count my blessings, making this Thanksgiving day and the meaning behind it, especially important this year.

Thank YOU!!

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