31 Days of CF: Leila’s story

Written by Luisa Palazola |

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Day 3 of 31 Days of CF ⁣ Topic: Adolescence, grief, and mental health Hello! My name is Leila, I am 15, and I have CF! I am here to write about the mental health side of Cystic Fibrosis, and how to deal with losing a family member with CF or a CFer in general. On May 29th, 2018 at 3:28am I lost my best friend, James, he gained his wings, and he also had CF, and was 16 years old. James and I always seemed to be admitted around the same times, he was the first genuine, funny, kind, sweet, and CFer I had ever met in person! I fell into a deep depression, hospital admissions brought me nothing but sadness and I didn’t have that person who could relate to me and also keep my spirits high! Fast forward, 2019, I am here to tell you that a year later I am still grieving. Grief has no time limit. Your medical health is just as important as your mental health. If you have lost a loved one with CF or a CFer online and it has affected you, don’t hide your emotions, let it out, talk to someone, and of course, keep living! What is something that affects your as a result of having CF?

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About the Author

Luisa Palazola Luisa Palazola is a 25-year-old with CF living in Memphis, Tennessee. She injects her perspective as a Hispanic woman and her love for life and stories in all her interactions. In her downtime, she's learning Portuguese and is an avid coffee lover.

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