TB&ME is a collaborative blogging project by patients being treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in locations all around the world by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). They are writing about their experiences o...
Ulyosh works at an art gallery in Nukus, Uzbekistan. As Patient Ambassador for TB, she blogs about staying thankful for what you have, even through hard times. This piece also features hand-drawn illustrations by Ulyosh, depicting her personal experiences.
Everything I've experienced I hold close to my heart. Nothing in life happens by chance - everything has its ramifications. This applies to all problems whether they are big or small.
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To me, the important thing is the relationship between events and how we accept them. This is why I like it when psychologists ask us to describe our problems, and how we perceive them.
The problems may be the same, but the way we accept them as individuals can be different. Some people may accept something as a small issue; others may see it as a serious problem.
"Every morning I express sincere gratitude to God for the fact I'm alive"
Many years have passed since I was successfully cured of TB.
I feel no regret about it, as that period of time gave me the chance to think about my life: from physical, spiritual, moral and even from material sides.
Now, when I look back on my life, it is like watching a movie.
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Occasionally I remember the old times (before TB), and it does not hurt me anymore. I am grateful that destiny taught me this lesson.
Every morning I express sincere gratitude to God for the fact I'm alive; for waking up healthy in the morning, for my current achievements, for the fact that my children are nearby, for people with whom I communicate and cooperate, for having opportunities, for being healthy, for being happy, and for well-being in everything.
"If someone passes you a pen, thank him; If someone passes you a cup of tea, thank him; If someone wishes you good health, thank him"
I also educate my children to be thankful. This is even for small things, such as: "If someone passes you a pen, thank him; If someone passes you a cup of tea, thank him; If someone wishes you good health, thank him".
When it's time to go to bed, I always thank God for the day that I have lived. Then I ask for strength, patience, and support for the upcoming day.
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It seems that being thankful appeases life to a large degree - sometimes it makes it seem that there are no serious problems in life.
I urge all people to be thankful to God, to people, to our close friends and family, also to people who supported us in difficult times.
Today, I am thankful to everyone who good towards me. I am even thankful to people who were mean to me.
