Sunday, April 14, 2013

One Month Down

I DID IT!
I did a whole month of three a day treatments.  This is a huge accomplishment for me because before then I had a hard time even doing one treatment a day.  I'm pretty proud of myself to say the least.  This may not see like a big deal to a lot of you, but for me it's a big deal.
I couldn't have done it without my husband and my family.  Only those closest to me know how impossible this seemed just a few months ago, and it was because of them lecturing me and helping me realize how important this really was.  So thank you, especially to my sweet my husband for reminding me every four hours to do that dang treatment, even if it meant doing it at four in the morning before clinicals.  Yes, I did it.
Celebrating during my last treatment for the month
I have realized a lot about myself since the last time I had my doctor visit down in SLC.  It was in January and my PFT's were lower then they have ever been (PFT's are a test that I do to measure my lung function).  Not that they were awfully low, but it was at that moment that I realized that I was slowly declining.  I guess I've always wanted to look stronger then I really am and tell everyone that I don't have to do treatments, but in order for me to be strong I need those treatments.  After my sputum culture came back a couple days after my appointment they told me that I had Pseudomonas and Staph growing in my lungs again (when I was little I had it, but from soccer I had been able to keep it away).  That really hit me.  It never seemed like a big deal to me until I decided I needed to read up on it a little bit more, and I found out that Pseudomonas is the number one bacteria that causes terrible lung damage in CF patients.  Ah...now I see why my doctors have always stressed to me that I need to keep it away.  Well my only option to get that dang bacteria out of my lungs was to start on Cayston, and antibiotic, which is the three treatments a day that I have been doing for the last month, on top of treatments that I am always supposed to me doing twice a day.  I had to faithfully do them everyday for a month, then I'll get a break for a month, then I'm back on.  It sucks, I'll be honest.  I've always wanted to be that one patient that could stay healthy without working for it...haha that just seems silly now.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I am at a point in my life where my life isn't the most important thing to think about.  I have a husband and a future family to live for. I now know that I feel better after I do a treatment...even if its a pain.  I know that for right now, it's what's going to keep me alive until they find a cure.  Until then, I am going to fight this dumb disease.  I don't ever want my husband, my family or my future children to think that I could have fought harder to stick around a little longer.  I will never take a breath for granted.

This is a big reason of why I've all the sudden wanted to make Cystic Fibrosis known.  I want that cure so dang bad, and I know there are so many other CFers out there that want it as well.  I am at a stage in my life where I think I can make a difference, even if it's a small difference.  So once again...please please please donate now.  You can click the donate button at the top of my blog on the right.  It's so quick and easy, and would mean the world to me.