Things like not having a 7-kilo (15.4 pound) mass on your face like Marlie Casseus did. (This would probably more than double the weight of her head, for those of you keeping track at home.)
Or, if you are one of the unlucky few with a non-hereditary genetic disease called polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, that there exists such a thing as maxillofacial surgery, as well as charities that can help kids like Marlie Casseus (a 14-year-old Haitian girl), who don't have the money, have access to this surgery.
Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia is a disease that causes the bone to weaken and expand into a jelly-like substance with pockets of air and liquid that cause it to balloon out. In Marlie's case, this started visibly happening when she was 8, although it could have begun as young as 5. By the time she was 12, she no longer went to school. Her face was so distended that she could not talk or eat solid food, and she only had one good eye. Her nose had disappeared, leaving only her gaping nostrils visible.
But, like I said, the growth was able to be removed during a 17-hour surgery. It's great to have things to be thankful for, isn't it?
(To read the news article about Marlie, go here. Or, you can read more about fibrous dysplasia.)
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