A JOYFUL NOISE

Lately, I have stewed over the meanings of "trivial" and "normal". Sometimes when people ask me how I'm doing, the matter of fact is that I can't really answer that in fear of not being truthful to myself or others. I can say "I still struggling and still having a rough time", yet the truth is, this illness has been going on for a while. Not just with my recent years of stomach issues, but also with what NF brings with the disease (compromised immune system, trouble with sleep, easy infections, vision instability etc). Then again, I tend to also say I'm doing "ok" because this illness (including my GI issues) is just a part of me that I know I have to endure and it's part of my every day life. People also say to me "I bet you wish your health will return to normal". Honestly, I don't know how to respond. My entire life (yes, since I was born), I've faced doctors, hospitals, etc no less than 10-12...

This past Sunday, I came home from church and a special gathering, very tired and in some pain. Long days are hard on me, mostly physically and especially if the night before I didn't sleep well. I decided to lay on the couch and flip TV channels. I came across Discovery Fit and Health and saw a preview of a man with deformities like myself. When it was made known that it was Neurofibromatosis ( or NF--the condition have) I was intrigued and continued to watch it. It was something I can relate to and I have never really known anyone who has suffered from this disorder as I do. There's no cure and basically it's a life long cycle of surgeries after surgeries. I know a lot about this disorder due to myself suffering from it but also my own research on the topic. When I was watching this show, it blessed me in so many ways. As a background, NF has two types: Type I and Type II. Type I is the most common and least harming to the body; Type II has a huge ...