Celebrate Your Birthday

On Thursday October 9th, I turned twenty-two years old. A few days leading up to my birthday I overheard a conversation where an older woman was telling her granddaughter that on her next birthday she would still be twenty-nine years old. I smiled a bit, amused and then went on my way. Once I got home though and had to time think it over - I realized I disagreed with that woman. 
I have fought to live my whole life. My family has fought for me to live. My doctors have fought for me. I'm never going to lie about my age. Every birthday is a gift, one that is never guaranteed - for any of us. Some people view getting older as a bad thing. They inject themselves with Botox or get surgeries to make themselves look younger. Growing old to me is exciting. Every day that I grow older means I'm still alive. 

I was given a 13% chance of living to the age of five and as of Thursday I turned twenty-two. "Age is just a number." is a common phrase people tell themselves - hoping to reassure themselves that they aren't that old. But to me age is not just a number. Age is a celebration. Age means you made it. You're alive. You survived. Getting older to me is a miracle because I wasn't supposed to get to this age. I am always going to celebrate my birthday, no matter wrinkly I get because my family and I have worked so hard to keep me alive for every birthday I've ever had and will ever have. I am grateful for every birthday because I know firsthand that they are not always guaranteed. I hope you celebrate every birthday and realize how lucky you are to be getting older. Not everyone is given that opportunity and one day, those birthdays are going to end for all of us. Let us celebrate them while we can. 

Hope and Love,
Becca 
 
My Life As A Chronically
Ill Young Adult
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