31 Days of CF: I’ve Found My Home with a CF Partner

Photo courtesy of Jenny Livingston

Day 13 of 31

This is Randy Hanks’s story:

When I was young, I watched my mother pass away from a respiratory illness. I was crushed and vowed to never put myself in a position where I’d potentially lose someone again. 

Twenty-five years later, I met Jenny. On our first date, she talked about cystic fibrosis, but it took a while for me to understand what all that meant. I did some research and began to realize the seriousness of her disease. I’ll be honest, it was terrifying to know that CF could potentially take her life. I was already super into this girl, to say the least. 

Something that struck me was that she talked about CF as simply part of her life, not a nuisance. Her outlook made me think of things differently. When she passed away, my mom was doing unhealthy things that kept her sick. Jenny, on the other hand, has been dealing with this disease her whole life and she chooses to fight to stay healthy every day. And she does it with a smile. 

After that very first date, I knew I wanted things to work out with Jenny. Even with the losses in my past, I didn’t care that Jenny was “sick.” She made me feel differently about everything because of the way she views the world. Jenny has a daughter, Morgan, whom I met in 2016. Seeing the two of them together, knowing all that they’ve been through, melts my heart to this day. 

Early in our relationship, someone told me, “It’s not too late to run.” There have been times that CF makes things difficult, and I’ve been afraid. But I’ve never considered running away. Jenny’s taking a new medication that has changed many things about her life with CF.

Each day feels like a miracle and I’m happy to have the chance to share life with the two most beautiful girls I know. Cystic fibrosis or not, I have found my home.

Cystic Fibrosis News Today’s 31 Days of CF campaign will publish one story per day for Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month in May. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more stories like this, using the hashtag #31DaysofCF, or go here to see the full series.