While on my trip to Oklahoma, I had a health scare and had to make a trip to an urgent care. Come to find out, I had scratched my eyelid before flying out and it got infected. My eye swelled up and it hurt badly. At first, we assumed it would get better just taking Benadryl and aspirin. When those stopped working, we headed to urgent care.

The doctors took it really seriously and did a bunch of tests. My doctor sent me to an eye specialist. I was prescribed steroids and antibiotics. We asked the doctor if it would have healed on its own, but he said no. The infection would have spread to my eye and ultimately to my brain; so it was good that we came in when we did.

I was a bit worried about my vision being effected by the infection, but I never thought it would be that serious. I was very grateful that I wasn’t too prideful and went in to get help and even more grateful for great doctors.

It was a big lesson for me to be grateful for what I usually take for granted. I have great eye sight and I am so grateful for that. I am grateful for my body fighting as hard as it could. I am grateful for my body using the steroids and antibiotics as it needed to heal itself. I am grateful for a wonderful and caring Mom who helped me get through it. I am grateful for being brave enough to continue on schedule as planned instead of hiding in hotel rooms or heading home early. I am grateful for my pain tolerance so I was able to experience some wonderful animals. I am grateful for this experience to ground me and remind me what matters.

Don’t wait to be grateful until it is taken away from you. Be aware of how blessed you are in this moment now. Be grateful that you can walk. Be grateful that you can see. Be grateful you have control of your body. Be grateful you wake up in the mornings.

-Cassidy