It's been an incredible odyssey to make the journey from a vibrantly healthy person to someone with a chronic illness.

I did as much research as I could and I took ownership of this illness, because if you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live?

Concealing an illness is like keeping a beach ball under water.

When people hear that I have a chronic illness, they'll say things like "Focus on you." Well, my spiritual and emotional fulfillment is based not on who I am but on what I can give. Plus, many of my favorite philosophers suggested that self-fulfillment is found through service. Who am I to argue with them?

The lesion is in the area of my brain that is responsible for motor function, so I have continual chronic pain in my left arm from elbow to fingertips and the right side of my body from my ear to my breast area.

I still when I wake up hit the ground running; and having an illness, I'm only one of hundreds of thousands of people that live with an illness, and I'm just in awe of the bravery and dignity of the people I see at the hospital.

In a way, I have simplified my life by setting priorities.