For those of you that have/had serious and painful illness...?

Question

What did your learn about yourself and the world around you? What new insights did you gain? And what beliefs became stronger that you already had?

Answer 1

I learned that it is possible for your body to rebel against you and force you into living a healthier lifestyle. I learned that not everything can be cured, and that you have to be thankful for the life you have been given, no matter what trials we may go through, it could be worse, and we could have been the person who was not strong enough to survive the illness and lost the fight, instead of being the winner of the fight.

Answer 2

I learned others are not as well off. I learned about God when I died on the table and they revived me after 8 minutes.
True friends will see you through, I dont have many. Who wants to be around someone on crutches?
It doesnt fit the new, young and healthy imaga everyone is promoting.
I learned self sufficiency but also learned how to depend on others too. I have learned there are actual angels here, on earth, now.
Finally, the small things don;t matter. A dusty house, ill matched fashion, image of your self are only important as they relate to a positive and loving attitude toward others. Some people are rude and cruel. Most are kind and helful if you ask, and even if you don't ask.

Answer 3

I learned that people are a hell of a lot stronger than they think, that drugs don't really take away the pain, that some things cannot be ignored, and I learned to deal with enormous frustration that I cannot do what I did before and that I can work out plans to avoid the worst of the pain by planning out what I do by parceling out the basics, like shopping, cooking , cleaning.
I stopped believing that everything will be alright, sometimes it won't.

Answer 4

I've learned from some 7 surgeries and a bad back that I am much stronger than I ever thought I could be.
I also learned that many people do care about me and that all in all, we are much the same.