Living Beyond - a Column by Jennifer Cogliano

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…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with a continuous glucose monitoring device. Not everyone will have the same response. Consult your doctor before using any new medical device. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is largely known as a respiratory disease. It primarily affects the lungs and digestive system,…

I learned last week that my pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) physician had recently passed away. I say pediatric physician, but I was under his care from birth to age 44. I’m now 53. As I reflect on my experiences with him, I realize the CF patient-doctor relationship is unique…

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a complex disease that affects each of us differently. However, many outside factors impact our lives in ways healthy people often don’t realize. In this column, I want to spread awareness of one of the many challenges and stressors involved in living with CF:…

It’s utterly amazing to be able to breathe easily again, almost four years after having a double-lung transplant due to advanced cystic fibrosis (CF). It isn’t easy to put the enormity of the feelings into words, even now. Besides the vague discomfort from a scar that runs from…

“I’ve never run a race, but I want to,” I said to myself when I saw a registration link for the 27th annual Gift of Life Donor Dash, held last month in Philadelphia. I’m a 52-year-old with cystic fibrosis (CF), insulin-dependent cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, stage 3 chronic…

Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) feels like riding on a never-ending roller coaster. There are highs and lows, unexpected pitfalls, and twists and turns around every corner. Like a roller coaster, the paroxysmal journey of CF leaves us feeling ill much of the time. But life moves forward,…

If I didn’t have cystic fibrosis (CF), I’d be rich. This thought has crossed my mind many times throughout my adult life. While I can’t prove I’m right, I know I’ve certainly spent an absurd amount of money on CF-related expenses. Living with CF has had many physical,…

Last year, we had a big health scare in our family — but for the first time, it wasn’t about me and my cystic fibrosis (CF). My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was found early and by accident. She had a face and neck CT scan done…

In my last column, I wrote about the psychological aspect of living with cystic fibrosis (CF) that I dislike the most: the focus on shortened life expectancy. This week, I want to offer more of an optimistic outlook, as I try to find balance in all things.