Realizing what my dad faced when I was a baby with cystic fibrosis

It was the middle of the night when I found myself in an Uber with my dog Ruby. I was traveling through an area where, over 10 years ago, I would’ve been hanging out with friends without a care in the world. Now, I was bringing this small dog with an unexplained medical issue to the vet. She was walking into walls, restless at night, not eating much — or at all — and frequently urinating.

After Ruby settled into a cage to rest, I was left alone with my thoughts on a couch in the waiting room, and there was only one person I could think of: my dad. He often reflects on the days when I was a baby with cystic fibrosis (CF) experiencing “failure to thrive.”

Sitting on that couch, I’d never related more to my dad. He had watched over a sick infant while I was watching over a sick older dog, but the pain was the same. Because of my CF, my wife and I can’t have children naturally and will rely on in vitro fertilization. All we have now are our two dogs, Otis and Ruby. When they are sick, it cuts us deeply.

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I’m not usually in a position where I have to care for those who are ill, because I’m typically the one who’s sick. After I was hospitalized three times last year, I was hopeful that 2025 would spare me and my family.

However, at the end of 2024, Ruby developed a urinary tract infection (UTI) and had high liver enzymes. Around the same time, my dad’s blood work revealed that his prostate-specific antigen level was high. By the end of February, doctors confirmed that he had prostrate cancer.

Ruby’s UTI eventually disappeared, but after she went off antibiotics, she had more bad days than good ones. She was lethargic, confused, and ataxic, would randomly shake, and was in incredible pain. My wife and I suspected it was her liver, but all the tests indicated Ruby was healthy. We made an appointment with an internal medicine veterinarian, but the monthlong wait was excruciating.

I’ve been in excruciating pain before with my disease, but that never could’ve prepared me to see a loved one hurting.

A few weeks after Ruby’s illness started worsening, my dad had surgery to remove the cancer. When he returned home, my wife and I stopped at my parents’ house to see how he was. He tried not to show it, but I could tell he was in pain. It’s hard to see a parent struggle.

But as he recovered, Ruby got sicker and stopped eating. Again, Dad’s stories appeared in my head.

As a baby, I couldn’t keep anything down. My doctor, who had CF himself, suggested a feeding tube. Although my dad was trepidatious, he gave the tube a chance after I puked again in the doctor’s office. Thankfully, it was successful.

However, my health declined earlier this year due to the stress of my dad’s diagnosis and Ruby’s illness. I didn’t want to eat much myself and was coughing like a maniac, losing sleep, and spitting up enough mucus to fill an 8-ounce cup.

With Ruby, my wife and I tried everything from kibble and canned dog food to chicken and rice to get her to eat, but nothing quite worked.

We made it to the appointment, though, and explained to the vet everything that was going on. He took Ruby back to do another ultrasound and, to our delight, found what he believed to be the issue: She had a liver shunt and hepatic encephalopathy, which meant her liver wasn’t filtering out toxins, affecting her neurological state. He prescribed two medications to help her feel better.

A happy ending

I’ve seen my dad a few times a week since he was cleared by a doctor to resume some normal activities. Luckily for both of us, we can still call or text one another about the Yankees and Mets.

My wife and I weren’t sure we’d be celebrating Ruby’s birthday on July 1, but we did, with a little birthday party, doggy ice cream (not too much), and toys. We also ordered Chinese food because Ruby’s breed goes back to the Ming Dynasty.

Now that Ruby is running and jumping for food again, I feel like my dad watching me get older. It gives me a sense of pride to know that because my wife and I never gave up, Ruby gets to live a healthier life.

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.