several years ago, I got hit with graves disease ( the thyroid) I thought I was having a heart attack...turns out graves disease, I went onto a major pity party for myself... I lost my eyesight for 6 months..finally my sight came back but, my eyes are damaged from my optic nerve being damaged.. so again, I went on a pity party...then I said you stupid a$$, you can still do it....you have to adjust, I slowed my pace, make a few prs a day, yet I AM STILL DOING IT....yea, I am a perfectionist, I am a wire wrapper and take pride in my tight wrappings..it just takes me longer along with a magnifying glass... so, I am thankful now that I can still do what I love to do....Then, it flared up again...I was terrified I would go blind... I didnt, I had my thyroid meds changed but then the metal detecting came back and its done something to me that nothings ever done to me since getting this disease... its given me hope...its given joy... its given me free time and exercise and when I sit to take a break, I gaze at the forrest or the ocean and think how lucky I am to see this... to feel it... so for me along with my many hobbies... metal detecting has saved me and renewed faith in myself... for that I am thankful... weather I find something or not... I am outside, I am in the air, I am seeing things and people and I dont think I will ever stop detecting again... so for this I am so very thankful... even thou I am a sorta rookie...I love it.....