A Special Thank You

I am not certain how many people still follow my Blog, but for those that do, thank you. I had hoped to shut it down long ago - as soon as I recovered from the brain surgery; and then again, as soon as I recovered from the bacterial infection and coma; and then again as soon as I recovered from all the chemotherapy treatments; and then again, as soon as I recovered from the side effects of the chemotherapy treatments; and as soon as I got my driver's license back; and again, as soon as I was recovered from the hip surgery ...
The "as soon as" can go on and on. As with my recovery - it just keeps going on and on. I sort of consider myself "a work in progress" on this road to recovery. I guess that each of us is "a work in progress" for many things. I guess that sometimes I forget that everyone's life is full of little blips, and big blips, and roads to recovery for various things, as well as illnesses. We are all "works in progress". I guess that I just sometimes forget that. My focus has been so "focused on me" that I have sometimes lost site of the bigger picture. I am just one tiny part of a giant world. It makes me think of the book "A Wrinkle In Time". I will have to go back and re-read it. But the basic story line is about how something so small can affect so much - how one abnormality can cause total catastrophe for many. My illness is much like that. It does not only affect me, but it affects my family and friends and co-workers and doctors and therapists and friends of friends and on and on. As does everyone's life.
The reason that I am thinking about these things is that a realization hit me today. I thought to myself that people must be really tired of me being sick and asking about me and my various illnesses. I feel as if I have been the focus of so many thoughts and prayers for so long, that people must be getting sick and tired of even hearing my name. The odd thing is that just as I was thinking about myself, I thought of a friend of mine that has been struggling with cancer and it's many trials and tribulations for much longer than I have. That person's family and friends and co-workers must have the same "sickness fatigue" that my family and friends and co-workers must have. It is totally understandable.
After thinking about it for a while, I also came to the realization of just how fortunate I am. So many people - so many friends and family and co-workers and friends of friends and medical professionals have made me a part of their thoughts and prayers on a regular basis for a very long time. And they continue to do so! It is really amazing if you think about the connections that each of us has to each other (Sort of like the "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" thing. It is truly amazing that with all the things that people have to do each day and all the different people that they are connected to in so many ways, that so many people still take the time and effort to check on me and ask about me and think about me and pray for me. WOW! Just thinking about it makes me shiver a little.
So, a very special thank you for all the people in the universe who are somehow connected to me and my continuing road to recovery. A special thank you to all of those that somehow fit into the "six degrees of Debbie Sullivan". A special thank you for all your thoughts and prayers and communications - no matter how big or small. It is truly an honor to know that I am connected to so many people, even in a very small way. The universe seems just a little bit smaller to me tonight. Thank you.