VIII: Pardon me if I get a bit teary-eyed and sappy...

Well, I've been out of the hospital for 8 weeks, and this is it: the final post in my Fun and Games with Almost Dying saga. And I think it's only fitting that it be a big thank you! I found myself, quite unexpectedly, in a situation that both scared and incapacitated me (to a degree I wouldn't have thought possible), and my friends and family came through for me.

Special thanks go to:

• Kyle, for staying with me through this entire mess, from my first trip to Urgent Care to my recurring followup visits. This whole thing would've been a lot scarier without you by my side.
• Tianna and BJ, for being there when I needed you. I knew I could depend on you to not only show up at the hospital but to help with everything from contacting my parents to bringing me my toothbrush, not to mention telling me endless (and repeated) stories, just so I could hear your voices. You're the best friends I could ask for.
• Mom, for taking care of me. It must've been as if I was a little girl again, dependent on you to cook my food and help me get dressed. I don't know what I would've done without you. Even aside from the physical help you rendered, it was just good to have you here. I needed my mother, and you came for me.
  

But many more people deserve thanks than just those four. I was overwhelmed by how many people were concerned about me. Thanks to all of you for the many prayers, fasts, visits, flowers, contributions, and cards. And to my work people, especially thank you for your patience! It was wonderful to know that everyone would support me not only in the crisis itself but also in a rather drawn-out recovery.

As I said, it's been two months since I came home, and I'm largely recovered. I still get tired easily, and from what I understand, that'll take several more months to get back to normal. And of course I still have many scars, but I'm back to doing just about everything I was doing before this whole fiasco. I no longer worry about "what if I never get better?" or anything like that. How could I? It turns out that my Heavenly Father has filled my life with people that love me, to a degree that I never understood or appreciated before. I could never repay all that I have been given, but I would not be doing as well as I am now without your support, and I offer my heartfelt thanks to you all.