The only reason I am still here, quite frankly, is all of you. I made this blog right as I began to get so much sicker, and was completely alone. The support I received through all of you gave me the courage to seek out further treatment that undoubtedly prolonged my life. Prior to this, nobody listened to me. Nobody heard me when I was sick, nobody believed that what I said was happening actually was. I had nearly given up on myself, since all of my doctors and families tried to convince me that I was lying about my failing health.

It was the absolute life changing experience of having an audience that gave me the strength to keep fighting. I actively thought about my followers, many of them by name, as I went to doctor after doctor and treatment after treatment. This is no exaggeration. My followers were the only people who wanted to be in my life and wanted to listen to what I had to say. That was everything to me.

A lot of my early followers have become lifelong friends. I am sitting next to one of them right now, and have seen countless others these past few years, and anticipate meeting many more. Because of everyone, these have probably been the happiest years of my life.

If not for all of you, I would probably be dead already, no joke. My body was completely shutting down, and it took a lot more strength than I could ever have alone to pursue extremely painful and effective treatments. Even though there still is no cure, and my life will likely end sooner than the time since this blog began, it has been made so much longer and so much better because of all of you.

Even if whoever is reading this is a new follower, even if you are an old one, if you ever doubt yourself, remember that your mere presence can be life changing to someone else. I still have a lot more fighting to do, but I never would have made it this far in the first place alone.

This birthday is because of all of you.

Thank you.