Columns

Living with cystic fibrosis and undergoing a double-lung transplant have had profound effects on my character. I’ve been graced with the ability to dig deep amid pain and suffering and find golden nuggets of wisdom. The rarest attribute I’ve developed on my health journey has been a deep level…

Movie musicals are the hottest trend in the musical theater community right now. “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Tick, Tick… Boom!” are just two of the adaptations, and it’s rumored that “Tarzan” is the next show to move from stage back to the big screen. Fans of the 1999 animated Disney…

It doesn’t snow much here in my home state of Alabama. It’ll just get cold enough to shock the system with wildly fluctuating temperatures. It gets warm in February, and the flowers will think about blooming; in fact, my mom’s daffodils are blooming right now. But with the vernal equinox…

“Her Voice” from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is one of the most beautiful songs. In the Broadway show it was sung by Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, and his voice hits me right in the hormones: “And her voice It’s sweet as angels sighing And her voice…

I didn’t know how impactful organ donation was until it personally affected my life. I first learned the details of it through my evaluation for a double lung transplant. Since that surgery four years ago, I’ve frequently witnessed the impact the process has on both the recipient and the donors’…

Does my disease define me? I’ve been battling this complex question since I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 5. Most of my CF friends would say no. The disease is a part of them, but it doesn’t make up their entire identity. While I’d never want to be…

I guess I would say I am a problem solver by nature. When it comes to my loved ones, I am more so. I am protective, perhaps overly so! When I hear loved ones complain about a problem in their lives, a little voice inside my head says, “You need…

“Do people with cystic fibrosis really call themselves ‘CFers’?” a friend once asked.  “Some do, some don’t.” I told her about the shorthand terms I’ve seen used in the community, such as “cysters” and “fibros.”  Personally, I’ve always appreciated those monikers for their playfulness, which among many…

For those unfamiliar with the Broadway sensation “Phantom of the Opera,” one of its most famous songs is called “The Music of the Night.” I was enjoying Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music the other night when I realized it was 3 a.m. It made me think of all the…

I never really dreamed about my future until after my double-lung transplant in 2017. My friends who are also transplant recipients inspire me to dream bigger as we navigate this new world together. Although it’s been over four years, dreaming can still feel risky. But the more time that passes,…