Proud? Proud of WHAT???

My mother wrote me the other day, she always says she's proud of me, all I'm going through, all I've been through, she's great isn't that what all the great moms say?  She often says things like "I couldn't go through that!" and "You have so much determination!", well if it happens to anyone, better to happen to someone who refuses to die, I really don't feel as though  I've done anything special, certainly nothing to be proud of.  I had some brain surgery followed closely by chemicals and radiation.  I work out every day and I've survived.  Does that make me special, a fighter?  Or a human cockroach?  If there isn't full recovery as a result of lots of clean living and lots and lots of physical labor I don't have a clue what I'll do.  I think I'll always work out.  I've always been a picky eater, always feeling like food is an option, not necessarily a requirement.  No one asked me if I was up to the Challenge of a Brain Tumor, if I was asked, I would have screamed,"Hell, no!"  It's being assaulted every day.  Life as I knew it completely changed when I woke up from surgery and kept changing.