Columns

Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and a double-lung transplant often feels like inhabiting two worlds simultaneously. There’s the extraordinary world, filled with medical miracles, precisely managed medications, and a body that has defied more statistics than I care to count. Then there’s the ordinary world, where sometimes all I…

Have you ever been asked why your parents didn’t undergo prenatal genetic testing? During a hospitalization for cystic fibrosis (CF) in my early 20s, a nurse asked my mom this question right in front of me. I rolled my eyes because I’d heard it before, although it didn’t take…

Hope is something I have often reflected on throughout my life. In fact, my first tattoo was of a Latin phrase commonly referenced in the cystic fibrosis (CF) world: “Dum spiro spero,” which means “While I breathe, I hope.” But my perception of that phrase has changed over…

Once upon a time, in a small town where laughter mingled with the scent of blooming flowers, I became a parent. My daughter, Jasmine, was born on a sun-drenched day in August, a tiny bundle with curious eyes and a spirit that sparkled like the stars. Little did we know…

The University of Alabama hospital wing that houses my cystic fibrosis (CF) clinic always reminds me of an airport. The main hallway has signs overhead that direct everyone toward different “terminals,” and by 10 a.m., the place is always swarming with people. Patients have myriad chronic illnesses, some apparent,…

The benefits of being in nature are well-documented. There are the physical benefits, such as improving blood pressure and immune activity. And then there are the mental benefits, with people spending time in nature seeing reduced rates of depression and anxiety and increased vigor. These findings don’t…

“You smell sick. I literally can smell the Pseudomonas.” I was a young teenager, and in classic teenager fashion, Mom’s comment aggravated me. For one, no teenager haunted by puberty’s horrors warmly welcomes a parent’s wrinkle-nosed remark about odor. Second, in all my stubborn, hormone-raging years, I worked hard to…

As I write this, I’m sick with a fever and chills. I know it’s a result of being stressed in recent weeks and neglecting self-care, but I feel the need to keep moving at the same fast pace. I hate putting my life on hold because of my health. After…

At 54 years old, and five years after my double-lung transplant, I feel September’s arrival differently than most do. I don’t just notice Pennsylvania’s crisp air or the dry leaves crunching underfoot. The month carries a weight that goes beyond seasonal change for people like me who are living with…

I was lucky to grow up with a lake in my backyard. On quiet mornings, the water would lap a steady drumbeat against the seawall. Yet despite being raised next to a body of water, I never learned how to swim because of the environmental risks I faced with…