Gratefulness
I'm really grateful for a lot in 2026. I've got a place to live, food to eat, and a stability I didn't
have when I was younger. Finding out I had ACC was probably the biggest turning point for me. I'm glad I realized I'm different, not less or broken. It was such a huge change that in many ways, I feel like a new person, or at least I see the world differently than I did years ago. The change, for one, was an internal one, not necessarily a change in my outer life (that would come later.) My life lacked stability in almost every way, and slowly that began to change. I began, and continue to reach out for those people and things that will help me improve my life situation. Most of all I began to believe in myself and my own personal power to make changes in my life.
Having internalized the shame and scorn that my family and life heaped on me, I began a process of offloading it, while embracing the person God made me to be. The relief I experienced in my soul was unlike anything else I'd previously experienced. I'm so grateful for the therapists, teachers and people of all sorts that helped me discover the greater part of myself.
In 2026, I'm grateful to have gone to the NODCC biannual conference. I met 75 other adults with a DCC. It was wonderful to meet people like myself, yet so different at the same time. Meeting folks that I've connected with on social media year ago now, 'in the flesh' was a wonderful experience.
I'm grateful to have met parents of DCC children, that are fully engaged in the well-being of their child. Being able to talk with them I learned how a parent is supposed to be with their neurodiverse child. Several times, I left a conference session, went upstairs to my room and happy cried for the first time in a long time.
I'm grateful for coming home to my furry companion Stella. She's the light of my life and often the reason I throw my feet of the bed in the morning and embrace life.
I'm really grateful to wake up every morning now, and it feels like such a huge relief compared to how things used to be. I remember those days when I would wake up in a cold sweat, my heart racing, filled with panic and fear about where my next meal was going to come from or where I would even lay my head at night. It was like living in a constant state of worry, always looking over my shoulder and feeling like I was just trying to survive, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But now, waking up feels like a fresh start! I can actually enjoy the little things, like the sunshine streaming through my window or the smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen. I can focus on what I want to do with my day instead of just scrambling to get by. It’s such a relief to have that weight lifted off my shoulders!
And finally, I'm grateful to you, those who read my blog and hopefully benefit from it.
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