I know how obvious these things sound, but they were true for me. Being around to raise your child and have them become a wonderful adult is a pearl beyond price. The ability to have a reasonable life, even with permanent damage from medical stuff is a gift. Surviving is a really big deal, even if lots of people do it. All the clichés about appreciating things more are true, for a while anyway, then you get used to living again. You don’t necessarily take things for granted, but you do tend to relax. You learn a lot about the people you love by how they react to your circumstance. And sometimes it’s heartbreaking. And there are always a few that will tell you you did everything wrong, and you learn to laugh at that. I haven’t thought about this stuff in a while, interesting to revisit. ETA: Life threaten8ng kidney stuff in my early 20s and cancer in my early 40s.