No matter how many times I have complained about not being able to stay home, in one way or another it has taught me how to be more independent and how not to rely on other people to solve my problems.

1. "Take some Advil, put some ice on it, and you'll be fine."

No matter how big or how small the injury was, the go-to solution for every one of them was to put ice on it, take some Advil, and call it a day. You could be crying in pain and this is all that would be done.

2. "As long as you're not broken, bleeding, or not breathing... you can still go to school."

If I had a dollar for every time this was said, I would be rich. This was the only statement that was ever made in regards to having an ailment of any kinds that she didn't think was that serious.

3. Sick days never happened because you were never allowed to stay home.

You never really know what it is like to stay home for one day and sleep in, except the weekends. All your friends do it every once in awhile so why can't you do it too? And if you did happen to get that one sick day, you would get a phone call every hour on the hour making sure you were ok and not out somewhere doing something you weren't supposed to be doing.

4. "Oh, your stomach hurts? Go to school. Seeing your friends will make you feel better."

After all of the times this was said, it still to this day has never worked, nor will it ever work. Going to school to "see my friends" will not make me feel any better. Take my mind off of it, yes, but make it "better," no.

5. Why Google your symptoms when she can give you the diagnosis in .2 seconds.

From headaches to pains in your leg, no matter what the symptom... I go to my mom. I'll tell her what's wrong and she pretty much diagnoses me in a matter of seconds. Now sometimes she tends to underdiagnose something that should really be tended to by an actual medical expert, but I'm alive and well, so I think she knew what she was doing.

6. Doctors visits occur once a year so you can get mandatory physicals and shots for the upcoming school year.

Most kids go to the doctor when there is something medically wrong with them. For me, I go to the doctor's office once a year to get a physical for school and an update on vaccines. And in very rare cases, when she didn't know what was wrong (which barely ever happened), we would go to the doctor, get some medicine, go home, completely ignore anything the doctor said or prescribed, and go about our day like we never even went.

7. "You must have a fever of at least 101 and be throwing up to stay home."

Even at that, there were still times I went to school after my temperature was taken and it was either 101 or over. I would then proceed to go to the school nurse, have her take my temperature, call my mom, and have her tell my mom I needed to be sent home. I cannot even count the number of times my mom argued with the school nurse that there was nothing wrong with me and to send me back to class.

8. No matter how many times you try to get one by her, she sees through your lies every time.

I cannot even count the number of times I have pretended to be sick because I wanted a day off of school. Regardless if I didn't want to take a test or just because I wanted to skip, she saw right through my little trick and made me go anyway. Every time I have tried and every time I have failed.

9. Now that I am in college, I still don't skip class when I am sick.

Because I have lived with a parent who wouldn't let me stay home from school, I now seem to be following in my mother's footsteps. I refuse to miss class if my stomach hurts or even if I just don't feel right. Over the years, I have learned to suck it up, go on with my day, and live through the pain.

10. By 18 years old, I can pretty much diagnose myself and anyone else around me almost as quickly as she can. (Almost)

"My chest hurts." "Where does it hurt?" "Right in the middle." "Oh it's just your sternum, you'll be fine." Even though I am in college to become a nurse like my mom, I have learned more from her in 18 years than I ever will in all my years of schooling.

So Mom, thanks for making me struggle through all of the aches and pains. It has not only made me a better student, but also a stronger person, and of course, a better daughter.