Not All Work Is Paid: Reflections on Self-value with CF
Growing up, I was lucky to attend school almost entirely uninterrupted by cystic fibrosis. I didn’t see the inside of a hospital for more than occasional appointments until I was 19.
Work that Works
— Elly Aylwin-Foster
Elly Aylwin-Foster (yes, folks, that’s what an Anglican-Celtic name looks like) is a writer and communications strategist with cystic dibrosis and CF-related diabetes. She lives in Cambridge, U.K., with her partner and two cats, Mack and April. She is partial to a good hike, coffee, yoga, and dreams of life out in the open.
Featured Post
I’m Taking a Break from Sharing My Story
I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I’ve gone from being an out-and-proud chronic illness advocate to someone craving something akin to a total cystic fibrosis blackout.
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Can We Take a Minute to Rest?
Reader, I am tired. I don’t need to explain how that feels to those who have cystic fibrosis (CF), but for the benefit of others, I will. It’s…
Does Having CF Affect a Career Negatively or Positively?
I’ve written recently about getting more feedback and input from the CF community for this column. I love sharing my journey with you, but I’m only one person. Through this…
Dealing with Expectations at Work with an Invisible Illness
My column focuses on working life and professional ambitions for people with cystic fibrosis. I write it for two reasons. The first is to speak to…
My Body Is Not Always a Temple: Work-life Balance with CF
Many young professionals burn the candle at both ends, especially when the temptation to fit into a big city’s lifestyle lurks. Somehow, they continue to function as productive humans —…
The Isolation of Self-employment Is Worse with CF
Loneliness is a killer. It’s perhaps not something those of us with life-limiting physical conditions spend much time thinking about. But the statistics are convincing. In the U.K.,…
Taking to the Skies with Cystic Fibrosis
The gentleman in front of me is held up. An unsmiling, uniformed official calls him to one side with a brisk gesture. We exchange worried glances. The beeping intensifies and I start…
How Does Cystic Fibrosis Affect Our Fear of Failure?
I was made redundant last year. A week later, I turned 30. One week after that, I found out that I had failed to make it into the preliminary stages…
Becoming Perfectly Confident in an Imperfect Body
Picture the scene: You’re standing in front of a sea of faces about to present something. You’re a woman who’s 5 feet, 2 inches (OK, 5 feet, 1½ inches) tall. Oh, and…
Taking Sick Leave Shouldn’t Cause Low Self-esteem
During these last two weeks, I’ve felt the sickest I have in years. I was admitted into the hospital for a bronchoscopy, intravenous antibiotics, and continuous aminophylline infusion…
Tried and True Tactics to Stay Healthy in the Office
“Alcohol gel like it’s going out of fashion.” “Giving the stink eye to the colleague who came to work with a cold.” “Hot tea with six cloves of…
Making Dreams Come True in Uncertain Times
Last week, I introduced this column to share my experiences while working with cystic fibrosis (CF): the highs, the lows, the mid-meeting IVs — those kinds of things.
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