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Yes, you can absolutely be happy living with VHL. If you are feeling down due to loss of physical capacity or cognitive abilities, talk to your physician about medication to help before you fall into a deep depression. It can be very disheartening to get 'bad news' at every appointment, especially when we average 6+ appointments per year. Count your blessings. I remind myself often that my situation could always be much worse. I am not terminally ill. In most cases, a surgical procedure can be performed to remove the tumor. Keeping a positive attitude is 99% of the battle! You'll have bad days, we all do - but our life expectancy has increased greatly the past several years, and the miracle of modern medicine is amazing!