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I’ve had so many surgeries that I’ve lost track. You’d think I’d be used to the routine by now, but I’m not. With each surgery comes more anxiety as my trauma stacks up. I was convinced it’d get easier as I underwent more procedures, but I’ve learned that each…

“We could go to the beach,” my mom says as the two of us sit on her screened-in porch in Alabama. It’s spring break, and because I’m picky about who can stick me with a needle, I’m at my parents’ house to get my port flushed by my regular nurse.

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,…

“Everything will be fine. You just have to stay positive.” Ever heard this idea while dealing with a chronic health condition? If so, you’re not alone. Born with cystic fibrosis (CF), I’ve had a life filled with difficult health challenges. Contrary to popular belief, my symptoms…

My husband and I sit in the same waiting room we did years ago when our daughter, Claire, was a newborn. A similar sense of anxiety washes over me as I watch for her pulmonologist to emerge from the operating room. Claire was undergoing a bronchoscopy, a procedure to…

Six years ago, I had a double-lung transplant because of severe cystic fibrosis (CF). I found the process traumatic, mostly because I didn’t feel prepared. I wish someone had taught me all the things I learned during that season of my life. To help others on a transplant…

The day my children entered the world I felt responsible for their future path in life. As they have grown, I’ve helped them learn age-appropriate skills to hopefully enable them to be independent, successful adults. Like most parents, I teach my kids the basics, such as how to walk, use…

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…

One of the “pleasantries” of life with cystic fibrosis (CF) is navigating cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD). I’ve been periodically dealing with it since the summer of 2007. For the last two and a half years, though, it’s stayed with me like an unwanted memento. As I…

Born with cystic fibrosis (CF), I’ve been told my whole life that there’s a number on my head. I’ve written about my beef with life expectancy before, but to sum it up quickly, thinking about death and dying is normal for me. Mortality is a common topic of…