Living Beyond - a Column by Jennifer Bleecher

In a private Facebook group for adults living with cystic fibrosis (CF), a post jumped out at me asking if anyone had gone through a divorce after their double-lung transplant. The post instantly caught my attention because that’s my current situation. What disturbed me was the number of responses…

In the first few days after my double-lung transplant in 2020, I was looking at a hand-held mirror and saw a central venous catheter protruding from the left side of my neck. A large, bulky bandage covered the right side. Little did I know then that the bandage represented something…

The power of water is underrated. If you Google it, you’ll see you can delve into multiple aspects of water’s properties, including how it supports thermal energy, hydropower, transportation, and anti-erosion efforts. It’s a universal solvent (because of its molecular structure), it’s often symbolic (as in the Bible), and…

Is it just me, or did January feel like an entire year all on its own? From drastic political shifts to devastating wildfires, extra-cold temperatures to egg shortages, a surge in influenza activity to outbreaks of tuberculosis, 2025 has been exhausting so far. On top of everything, I feel a…

This month, my beautiful daughter, Claudia, will celebrate her 29th birthday. I was 24 and living with cystic fibrosis (CF) when I became her mother. It’s now been four years since my double-lung transplant, and I’m currently fighting COVID-19 for the fourth time in four years. As the…

The end of 2024 is upon us, which means it’s time to reflect on the past year and evaluate ourselves and our decisions. It’s also a time for resolution — the promise to implement positive life changes in the new year. Many New Year’s resolutions focus on exercise, with goals…

They say that the older you get, the faster time passes. At 53 years old, I completely agree. As I look back at the columns I’ve written in the past, I can’t believe we’re approaching the holiday season again. Don’t get me wrong — I’m thankful for it.

Many of the thoughts that cross my mind daily are specific to cystic fibrosis (CF). Recently, I’ve recognized that they’re not things that most people, including my family and healthy peers, have to think about. I’m not upset that the following topics are frequently on my mind. It’s just…

I had a virtual call recently with my cystic fibrosis (CF) physician, who’s also a lung transplant expert. More recently, he obtained credentials in palliative care as well. Since my double-lung transplant in 2020, I see him every few months under his palliative care hat. On this virtual…

Here in Pennsylvania, September is my favorite month. The summer humidity is gone, the sun is still warm, but there’s a slight chill in the air that’s new. If you’re observant, you can notice the leaves on the trees are not as vibrant. They start to look more frail as…