4:30 AM, Dialysis, and a Flat Tire — Finding Joy Anyway

At 4:30 in the morning, the world is quiet. No traffic. No noise. Just darkness, cold air, and routine.

I stepped outside to head to dialysis — and there it was. A flat tire.

Of course it was.

In that moment, frustration would’ve been easy. Early mornings, treatment days, and unexpected problems usually stack the odds against joy. But something different happened. I paused. I laughed. Because this is life — messy, inconvenient, and completely unscripted.

The joy isn’t in the flat tire.

The joy is in still showing up.

The joy is in adapting, solving, and refusing to let a small setback define the day.

Dialysis teaches patience. Recovery teaches perspective. And mornings like this remind me that joy isn’t about perfect circumstances — it’s about choosing how you respond when things go sideways before sunrise.

#DialysisLife #EndStageRenalDisease #ChronicIllness #FindingJoy #Resilience #LifeUnscripted #KeepShowingUp