The Unexpected Road to Unexpected Blessings

The road to rebuilding shattered dreams is not a straight one.

Aug. 6, 2015 | 2 min read
Lisa Greene Headshot_square
Lisa C. Greene, M.A., CFLE
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There is no way to prepare yourself for hearing the words, "I am sorry but your child has cystic fibrosis." In our case, we had never heard of CF. There was no family history, no warning and no reason to suspect anything was wrong.

We were joyfully awaiting the arrival of our first child, a boy. Two weeks before my due date, the doctor ordered a routine ultrasound. While we were gazing at the screen with excitement about seeing our son, the doctor was looking with concern at something else, "something unusual." He ordered an immediate C-section. That "something unusual" was meconium ileus, caused by cystic fibrosis.

That day, that moment, is forever etched into my memory, heart and soul.

The emotional climb uphill from feeling shocked and overwhelmed, to handling it generally “okay” has taken time.

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The road to rebuilding shattered dreams is not a straight road. It is filled with hills and valleys, peaceful by-roads, and at times, hairpin turns. U-turns are often necessary. However, through it all, there are many unexpected blessings:

  • We value each day, each breath, and each other.
  • We enjoy life to the fullest. Don't wait for tomorrow to live your dreams.
  • We appreciate the good times, and take advantage of a sunny day.
  • We have learned coping and resiliency.
  • We have grown in faith and compassion.
  • We have an opportunity to help others.
  • We can make a difference.

We have two kids now, both with CF. They are teenagers, and work hard to stay as healthy as possible. They are happy, well-adjusted, do well in school, have lots of friends and enjoy life. They have many dreams for the future. They too have discovered unexpected blessings like perseverance, empathy, gratitude, courage and hope.

Yet our journey is far from over. It's hard to know where this crazy road will lead. But this we do know: we will take it one day, one breath at a time with hope leading the way.

This site contains general information about cystic fibrosis, as well as personal insight from the CF community. Opinions and experiences shared by members of our community, including but not limited to people with CF and their families, belong solely to the blog post author and do not represent those of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, unless explicitly stated. In addition, the site is not intended as a substitute for treatment advice from a medical professional. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your treatment.

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Topics
Parents & Guardians | Diagnosis | Infant Care
Lisa Greene Headshot_square

As a national public speaker, Lisa speaks to parents and medical professionals about parenting, medical adherence, transition, and resilience. She is also the author of three books on parenting children with health issues. Lisa is a certified family life educator and parent coach. She holds a master's degree in family life education and teaches college classes at Concordia University in the Department of Child and Family Education. Lisa's mission is to help families learn practical, easy-to-use tools to deal with the everyday challenges of living with CF. You can find more articles by Lisa at www.TipsForCFparents.com.

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