Columns

Celebrating Each Birthday Is a Gift With CF

Birthdays aren’t just another day for me — they’re a reminder that I’m still alive. Last month, I turned 36. I’ve lived my entire life thinking I would die young. Growing older with cystic fibrosis (CF), living with minimal inhibition, and dreaming about the future all feel like…

Why I Wish Mask Mandates Were Still in Place

One of Disney’s latest creations is “Disenchanted,” the sequel to the 2007 musical film “Enchanted.” Without revealing any spoilers, one of the characters makes a wish to return their living conditions to a place of familiarity and comfort. One song, “Fairytale Life (The Wish),” reminded me of the…

For Me, Fear of the Unknown Is Harder Than Fighting Disease

For two decades, plummeting pulmonary function percentages terrorized me, weight flew from my body, and my diagnoses list stretched longer than a CVS receipt. Trips to the clinic featured grim reports detailing my body’s ruin: estimated organ expiration dates, fistfuls of prescription slips to counteract the destructive side…

All I Want for Christmas Is to Feel Normal

In elementary school, the holiday season was always a time of illness. With cold and flu season being driven, in large part, by Thanksgiving travels and family gatherings, it was inevitable that kids would return to school with whatever respiratory bug some uncle flew into Alabama from North Carolina,…

The Many Reasons Why I Love Reading Books

I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to books. I get so excited when new books are delivered to my home. Yes, I still read physical books. Am I alone in that? I’m not afraid to admit I’m old-fashioned about the healing power of physical books. They’ve changed…