My Body Is A Jambeled Wonderland

I have been having some issues with self-esteem and just a general dislike for it. I don't like being in discomfort and I don't like being brushed off by doctors as being "just stressed out" or "needing to relax." I know women with kids who work full time and don't end up with as many headaches, joint pain, and stomachaches that I do! (See previous post for explanation).

But tonight, I had a realization. My body may be what others see as a disaster area, but it is amazing what it has gone through! My body may not be able to carry babies, but it can save them when their little lungs stop breathing. I may not have the shapely arms that I used to have when I did color guard in high school and college, but they are strong enough to crack ribs to get to a heart that has stopped beating (three CPR saves! Yay!). My body may have more than its fair share of creases and rolls, but it is strong and able. I may not have the bra size I would give myself, but my chest allows me to squeeze in small spaces to get to something or someone. I may have one of the worst cases of endometriosis my surgeon has ever seen, but I am able to stand up straight, work out, be on my feet for 12 hours at a community hospital ER....I'm able to function! I'm able to pass physical agility tests for police testing! I have the mental capability to keep taking deep breaths and "suck it up" when I can't take a painkiller and lay down.

I know how to take care of myself. I know what my body can and can't do and what is normal for it when most of what my body is is abnormal (I mean, how many other people have a third lobe in their liver on the opposite side that people who normally get third lobes have them??).

Every day is not guaranteed. Every breath is a blessing.