A Place Where We Belong

I feel like I've been going 100mph the past 2 months!
If it wasn't a family surgery, it was my doctor appointments, class, and a few camps.

I feel like I haven't caught my breath, let alone have time to sit down and write.

But while there has been so much that happened, probably the most important and my favorite, is that I attended Kid's Arthritis Camp and Autism Camp this year!

Now while I was only at Autism Camp for a few days, It was an amazing experience to get to hangout with those kids. Truly something I've never gotten the chance to do and I learned so much!

The week before that, I had Arthritis camp. I look forward to that every year.

One thing that these camps had in common, is that all (well mostly lol) of the kids truly felt like they belonged somewhere.

I think we often forget what it's like to be in a place where literally everyone in the room knows what it's like to be feeling what you're feeling because that isn't something we come across very often.

But it's wonderful to not have to think about others thoughts about you or worry about feeling a certain way because we've all been there. We all know.

And when you take that out of the equation, you can enjoy just being there and having that experience.

I'm lucky to get to know what that's like and I wish I had more of it.

I find myself at times missing all of my best friends because I'm in a world where you are taught to be empathetic for others, yet you have no idea what they feel like. Your job is to put yourself in others shoes and help them, but you don't know what size they are or what type of shoe they are wearing.

I love going to camp because we all wear the same thing. My shoes may be a little bigger, but that just means that I can give my shoes to the next kid.

Our special "talk time" with Dr. Dorian went shockingly longer than normal, but it was cool hearing the kids talk about what they encounter outside of camp and how they are then treated while with us. Then I normally say something, followed by our Director, Cat, saying something.

She and I both have arthritis and the kids find that really cool because I think it gives them something to look forward to. They can see that we are making it work, and it gives them hope. Well, at least in my mind that's what I think lol! I look up to Cat and hopefully, the kids look up to us.

I thought it was stupid when I was camper. I thought "why am I here?", but now, I can't wait to go back because it's one of the few places that I feel like I really belong. I took it for granted then.

I was able to share with some of the kids that I had been off prednisone since January 20th and they were amazed. I loved that I could say that and they knew what I meant and how important that is!

I went to the doctor today and my labs are great and I'm doing alright. It's been forever since I've been able to say that!

I wish I could tell the kids that they have so many things to look forward to and how times will be hard, but you can make it through...and I think I did that (I was sleep deprived for a few nights lol). But the one thing that they need to know right now, is if you find a place where you feel like you truly belong, treasure it, don't take it for granted. Cause one day you might be in a Ph.D. program and find yourself missing all of your best friends and family because you feel like you're in another world and you might not have time to catch your breathe when you need it the most.

Stay tuned cause I'll be posting pictures when they get put up!!