CFLF Blog

Blog banner 2021

 

The Kids Are All Right: How My Kids Taught Me Resilience in the Age of COVID-19

It’s been thirty-eight days since my family has ventured out of the neighborhood. Thirty-eight days since the kids have shot hoops with their friends. Thirty-eight days since they’ve played catch, colored the sidewalk, or done anything with anyone even remotely their age. Thirty-eight days of Mom’s non-award-winning cooking, Dad’s mildly successful attempts at sibling mediation, and the keen knowledge that anyone approaching our end of the cul-de-sac is to be avoided at all costs.

Three Points in a Star

I view the process of any transplant as a miracle. Particularly a lung transplant. Perhaps it is because I underwent such a course. It is due to that procedure, I am still here. 

Perhaps it is because I know of others who have had lung transplants. It is due to that procedure, they are still here.

And perhaps it is because I know of others who did not have lung transplants. It is due to the absence of that procedure, they are no longer here.

Putting life on pause for COVID-19

We are months into the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and we are all experiencing a range of emotions. Everyone’s experiences, emotions and thoughts are unique to their own situation. I’ve found myself to be weirdly prepared for this situation. No, I’m not a paranoid doomsday prepper but because having CF for 26 years has, in a way, trained me for this lifestyle change that we are all facing together.

Protecting Our Healthcare Heroes

For those of us with chronic illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, our experiences with healthcare providers are different than the typical professional relationship. Inpatient for weeks at a time, sometimes months; the hospital becomes a second home. Various staff sit with us in our pain, wipe our tears (or our butts), and bring laughter to our chaotic situations. These people are our family.

Love in the time of Corona

A few weeks ago the world shifted. In reality it had already been shifting for months, as the first case of coronavirus was reported on November 17th, 2019, in China. It would be months before people, myself included, understood the seriousness of it though, worldwide. But on November 17th while that was happening on the otherside of the world, we were celebrating my son’s second birthday. For the next three and a half months life went on as usual.

COVID-19 and the CF Community

We realize this is an unprecedented time in our nation, and across the world, as we face a pandemic which greatly affects so many people, those with Cystic Fibrosis are one of the most vulnerable. For people with CF, every precaution should be taken to reduce exposure and help prevent infection.

Bionic CF Warrior

Bionic is derived from the Greek root word “bios," which means life.

So, how many transplants does it take for someone to be considered a bionic woman?

Rae is the name of this Cystic Fibrosis Warrior. This bionic woman. This Bionic Cystic Fibrosis Warrior.

The Power of Support

It was October 2013, and her name was Diane. There she sat in the basement of our local children’s hospital – drenched in a fluorescent glow and clutching a stale submarine sandwich. Her hair was cut into the pointiest of pixies, and her scarf had found that magical balance between perfectly styled and casually draped.

A Journey to the Arch of CF Warrior Hope, Strength, and Perseverance

I was in the middle of traveling when I received a message asking if I was in the St. Louis, Missouri area. My original intent had been to only visit a dear Cystic Fibrosis Warrior friend in Indiana and drive back to Texas the following day. However, in this instance it did not matter that I was on my way to spend the night at a hotel in Tennessee. When Miranda Hutson contacted me about a potential lunch with her in a state from which I was expecting to soon exit along Interstate 55, I made the instantaneous decision to alter my plans.

A New Challenge To Access

Challenge to Access

Life with cystic fibrosis (CF) can often feel like climbing a mountain that never ends. It is a lifetime of uphill challenges, which can vary in intensity. Sometimes the climb is very steep and difficult just to hang on. Other times the incline is less, and maintaining health is more manageable. The newer medications on the market don't necessarily take away the mountain, but they do help us to be better equipped for the challenges ahead!

Pages

Support CFLF