I lived to see 26!

As a treat to myself for not dying during my 25th year I ate one of these Gluten Free Lemon Dreams Cookie Bites:



No refined sugars, no dairy, no trans fat, no GMOs, no cholesteral, no casein (no clue what that is, but there's a 97% chance I can't have it), no eggs, no wheat, no corn, no soy, no cane or beet products. Basically, no good stuff.

So, what does that leave?! Rice, ginger, cinnamon and lemon...and they weren't half bad tasting, either...AND didn't rocket themselves from any of my orfices! SUCCESS.

Nana's Cookies

*Side note* Looked up Casein: Who would've thought, but I'm not allowed to eat it that!

One Small Year, A Trillion Large Thanks

A year ago I went skiing for the first time...and it nearly killed me.

It's been a hell of a year and I couldn't have done it without the love and support of those around me.

Thank you to everyone who helped me survive this year.

Thank you for your calls, texts, emails, postcards and comments.

Thank you for driving me around town, for coming with me to appointments, for sitting with me in the ER when I was coughing up blood, and for bringing me food when I couldn't get out of bed.

Thank you for donating items to my garage sale and for helping me run it.

Thank you for holding my hand when I was scared or so I wouldn't fall, and thank you for helping me get up and down stairs.

Thank you for walking slowly so I could keep up and laughing with me when I fell flat on my face.

Thank you for encouraging me and supporting me when I was losing hope.

Thank you for buying me groceries, for making diet-friendly meals at gatherings, and for eating at diet-friendly restaurants.

Thank you for slipping me cash, writing me checks, and loaning me money.

Thank you for helping me move out of my old place and thank you for helping me move into the new place.

Thank you for buying my old bed and thank you for giving me my new one.

Thank you for letting me stay on your couches and air mattresses, and in your guestrooms and beds.

Thank you for admiring my scraper cane and pirate brace, for asking what was wrong when I looked like shit, and for telling me I looked good when I started feeling better.

Thank you for laying in bed watching movies with me, and for reading me bedtime stories.

Thank you for providing me with puzzles, books, and movies to occupy my time.

Thank you for offering job and housing leads, and for suggesting recipes and food I should try.

Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.

Thank you for making me laugh and for holding me when I cried.

Thank you for being the best medicine.

Thank you, thank you, thank you times a trillion!



"One small year
It's been an eternity
It's taken all of me to get here..."
-Shawn Colvin