Okay, I would like to share one thing with you, but at first I have to tell you about our country's military service system.
We don't have a hired army like US has. In our country, every 18 old is called to train in military, so when the enemy attacks, our country can call these men to arms. The alternative to that military service is Civilian service, which lasts for 395 days where military service is normally only 180 days, so SC is quite unpopular for that reason.
You can have yourself freed from the service, if you have some kind of disease or if you're a Jehovah's Wittness. (Yep, really, they are the only religious group who have this benefit and I don't know why they are granted with such a privilige =D)
I have had rheumatism since I was a kid. I have gone trough one surgery: my right wrist was cleaned, and I have had cortisone injections to calm down the infected joints. I have eaten medicine for many years and my condition is now pretty stable, and I thank God for that.
This disease doesn't affect my life very much. Sometimes my joints ache when I strain them a lot, and I can't partake in sports very much, but it doesn't bother me much, I've learned to live with it.
I've always thought that it would be nicer if I was healthy. I am not sure if I think like that anymore, because I got relased from the military service, and I don't have to go to play any war games for my country, because I have this illness.
I'm smiling now, because I think that this was meant to be. Rheumatics isn't good at itself, but I think that God meant it unto good, so I would have a reason not to go to army to train how to kill people, although they prefer to call it "defending our country". ^^
I told this to share with you how an illness can turn into a blessing. =)