I always thought cystic fibrosis was a burden in my life. I always thought that I would have to work around it. At lunch sometimes, my friends notice me taking pills and ask, “What are those for?” Other times, before a soccer game, they might see me using an inhaler and ask if I have asthma. Moments like these usually lead to the same conversation where I explain that I have cystic fibrosis, or I avoid it because I feel embarrassed to talk about it. My inner dialogue always tells me I’ll be judged if I share. So what do I do?
I was diagnosed with CF at birth, so taking care of my health has always been part of my daily life. Treatments, medications, and doctor visits are things I’ve learned to manage alongside school, sports, and friendships. Sometimes that means stepping away from what I’m doing to complete treatments or take medicine, even if I’m hanging out with friends or staying over at someone’s house. It may not always be that convenient, and there are moments I wish I didn’t have to think about it, but I’ve learned that I’m blessed to have treatments at all. They allow me to keep doing the things I enjoy.
A lot of my treatments happen during normal parts of my day. Sometimes I’m doing my nebulizers while finishing homework, texting friends, or playing a quick game online. It’s just one of the ways I’ve learned to balance CF with the rest of my life.
Balancing school with CF also takes planning. Between treatments and doctor visits, I sometimes have to adjust my schedule or miss part of school. It can be frustrating, but I try to stay organized and focused so I can keep up with my work while still taking care of my health.
There are also times when things don’t go perfectly. Like many people with CF, I’ve had moments where I missed a treatment or forgot a medication and then stressed about it afterward. Managing CF every day takes discipline, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming. But those moments have taught me something important: what matters most is continuing to try, staying committed to my health, and not giving up on the routines that help me stay strong.
When it comes to social moments, at first, it can feel uncomfortable explaining CF. The more you explain, the more questions people sometimes ask. I don’t blame them. I’ve realized that most people are just curious and trying to understand. I’ve also been lucky to have great friends who treat me just like anyone else. They’ve never made me feel different because of my treatments, and that support has meant a lot to me. They’ve never judged me, and they always embrace me whenever I have to take care of my CF.
One of my favorite parts of life is playing soccer. These days, soccer is my life. I practice and train frequently during the week, and I have games almost every weekend. Because CF affects my lungs, stamina can sometimes be harder for me to improve than for other players. But that motivates me to work even harder on my conditioning — to take the extra step to get to practice early and do laps around the field. It’s all about wanting to be better.
The moments that make me most proud are when I realize I played almost the entire game and didn’t sit on the bench, and I still feel strong. In those moments, I feel like my conditioning and hard work are proving that CF does not control what I’m capable of. Another moment that makes me proud is when I get good lung function scores at the doctor’s office. Those numbers remind me that my treatments, discipline, and effort are paying off. It makes me motivated to continue to better myself. It makes me extremely grateful for good health and it teaches me to not take it for granted.
Living with CF has taught me resilience and confidence. Just because someone has CF doesn’t mean they are abnormal or unable to live a full life. I feel like any other teenager — I just have to take a few extra steps to stay healthy.
If I could share one message with other kids who have CF, it would be this: be proud of what makes you different. The discipline and strength you build from managing CF can help you grow in ways you might not even realize yet.
CF is part of my life, but it will never decide the size or the achievement of my dreams.
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