What now?

Life will now be very different than how it was before. Don't give up or give in! It will most likely be very hard for the first couple of years until you accepted and have grown accustom to the "new" you. You were striped of certain things, but you were given a gift. It is not one dressed in shinny wrapping paper and topped with a vivacious bow. It is one that has laid beneath your tough exterior, and it needed a dramatic circumstance combined with time to rise it to the surface. Harness it and use it to your advantage. Hardly anyone will ever be in your position. You are at a crossroads. You can curl up in a ball and submit to the forceful change or you can accept it, work to maintain or improve it. What would have happened if you threw in the towel earlier? Nothing! Degradation! Tough it out for awhile longer and see what happens. No matter how the difficulties or the challenges you may face may gnaw at you, just keep your eyes open and learn from everything in an attempt at making your tomorrow even brighter. I am reminded of a quote that fits this theme: "When nothing goes right, go left."