Dear A-team,

Thank you. I probably do not say it nearly enough to adequately express how much I truly appreciate you. You are the most important and essential people in my life. You have built into me and truly have shaped at least one part of my life dramatically. So, to my unsung medical team, therapy heroes, and my rock star "go-to's," this ones for you:

To my rheumatologist: Thank you for being the first person to listen to me and for checking in with me in between my appointments to make sure I am doing okay. It's not every day that you find a healthcare professional that is willing to spend time to get to know their patients personally. Thank you for doing your best to make sure that I do not end up in the hospital and for advocating for me when I do end up there. You have gone above and beyond to help me see the silver lining in everything. Thank you for being the best lupus advocate and for reassuring me that everything will be alright. It's been a long road, and I still have a long way to go, but with you on my team, I'm confident that we can overcome anything. Thank you for fighting for me when I am not strong enough to fight for myself.

To my physical therapist and support staff: Thank you for pushing me to limits that I did not know were possible and for encouraging me to keep going even when it hurt. I have gained so much more strength and endurance that I honestly thought was lost forever. Thank you for cheering me up when it's too difficult for me to complete the exercise and for reassuring me that it is more than okay to have bad days when I am being too hard on myself. Thank you for greeting me with a smile, and for making being there enjoyable. It is evident that you guys are confident and love what you are doing. When you are surrounded by people who genuinely want to see you thrive, it makes going that much better. Most of all, thank you for welcoming me with open arms and for treating me like a person and not just a number.

To my therapist: Thank you for teaching me that it is okay to not be okay and that my mental health is worth the same amount of investment as my physical health. For a long time, I was in the mindset that I just had to keep going. I was so invested in my physical well-being that I wasn't taking the time to process everything that was going on. I didn't realize until I hit that imaginary wall that I needed to make a change. And little by little, you are teaching me mechanisms to become the best version of myself. Thank you for encouraging me to do my best in any situation and for reminding me that my best is enough. Thank you for helping me put the pieces of my puzzle together. Meeting you has become the silver lining in my battle with lupus and mental health and you change my life for the better, in each 45-minute session. Thank you for being there.

To my friends: You might not be a doctor or have a medical degree, but you are valuable players on my team too. Thank you for the late-night diner runs, venting sessions in the Starbucks parking lot, and for driving down Robert Moses Causeway with me anytime of any day. I am often limited in the things that I am able to do. These things might not seem like a big deal to you, and I know for sure, that they are sometimes, not the most eventful. But just having your presence while I am doing some of the biggest things that I am able to do, means everything to me. Thank you for sending encouraging text messages when I become quiet and for reminding me that it is okay to ask for support. Thank you for being my rockstars.

So, to my A-team: it takes a village. Thank you for everything you have done for me, everything you do for me and everything I am sure you will do for me in the future. I am forever grateful for my "village."