Base

In 1989, I experienced a massive hemoptysis event while assigned to the U.S Embassy Khartoum, Sudan.  At first we thought this was caused by tuberculosis.  No positive sputum culture was possible because all I produced was blood.  At the same time, I was failing rapidly.  The agency flew my parents to Germany to say good-by.  In desperation the  doctors administered an aggressive shotgun treatment of all 4 synthetic antibiotics for tuberculosis.  Those were dark days and I was convinced they were my last.  Fortunately, one of the antibiotics administered became my future best friend Ciproflaxacin.   After a year of rest and rehab in the US, I convinced my agency that I was fully cured and took  another assignment to US Embassy Managua, Nicaragua.  That assignment lasted a little more 14  months before hemoptysis returned.  I medvaced to D.C. where a doctor at Walter Reed Medical Center got creative and administered a sweat chloride test–just to rule out the possibility.  So, at 36 years old I was officially diagnosed with CF.  Everything changed.  I moved back out west and started a new life.

I’ve always been very protective of my public identity.  The only social media I participate in is LinkedIn and that is as a passive observer.

Sharing my life experience with strangers is not something I’ve considered–until now.  I’m about to semi-retire.  I have time to reflect.  Maybe this is just a process and I’m navel gazing.  Maybe I want to finally share what its been like with people who have a clue.

I’m  just not sure.  But I think I’ll give it a shot.