Approaching The Future With Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a life altering disease. How do you approach your life and future living with it?

It can be extremely hard to look at the future when you aren’t sure how long you have left.  It can be hard to stay positive and plan a future: what you want to study in college, and what career to pursue. I have accomplished many things so far in my 24 years that I never imagined I would be able to. My biggest blessing is my now 2 year old daughter. I had always been told I wouldn’t be able to have kids and again that was an obstacle I overcame. When I’m feeling down and upset about the hand I was dealt, I look around and remind myself of all the great things in my life. 

How do you stay positive and prepare for the unexpected?

I try my best to live each day at a time. I fight to stay healthy every day and do the most I can to keep doing my best. I have days when I want to skip a treatment or exercise but I get past these thoughts by reminding myself of my goals and the future that is ahead of me despite having cystic fibrosis. 

What do you want others to know about cystic fibrosis?

Even though we usually look normal from the outside, CF is a mean and awful disease. Not only does it affect your lungs, pancreas, organs and your whole body, but it also messes with your thoughts and feelings. I have suffered from horrible anxiety and depression because of CF. Remember to be kind and try to understand that although we may look fine from the outside, we are experiencing pain that no one knows about.