For most of my life, I measured time differently than other people. While many children spent their days dreaming about what they wanted to be when they grew up, I spent mine learning how to manage cystic fibrosis. My childhood was filled with breathing treatments, medications, doctor's appointments, hospital stays, and constant reminders that taking care of my health would always be a part of my life.

Living with cystic fibrosis taught me resilience at a very young age. It taught me how to fight through the hard days, how to appreciate the good ones, and how to keep moving forward even when the future felt uncertain.

If I am being honest, there were many years when I did not allow myself to dream too far ahead. Living with cystic fibrosis often made it difficult to picture what life would look like years down the road. There were times when I kept my expectations small because so much felt uncertain.

Would I be healthy enough to have a career?

Would I be able to accomplish the goals I dreamed about?

Would I ever have a family of my own?

Those questions followed me throughout my childhood, my teenage years, and even into adulthood.

That is what makes my life today feel so special. I am blessed to be a wife and a mother of two, something I once was not sure would be possible. My family has become one of the greatest joys of my life and one of my biggest motivations to keep pushing forward.

Then something incredible happened. In 2022, I started Trikafta.

It is difficult to put into words what that moment meant to me because the impact has been so much bigger than numbers on a pulmonary function test or improvements on paper. Trikafta did not just improve my health. It gave me the opportunity to start looking ahead instead of constantly worrying about what was right in front of me. It gave me hope for a future I was not always sure I would have. For the first time, I began to imagine a future that was not defined solely by cystic fibrosis. I began to wonder:

What if I could do more?

What if I could go back to school?

What if I could pursue the career I had always admired?

That career was nursing.

My dream of becoming a nurse was born during some of the hardest moments of my life. Throughout my journey with CF, I have spent countless hours in hospitals and clinics. I have been cared for by extraordinary nurses whose compassion, strength, and dedication left a lasting impression on me. They were there during difficult admissions, exhausting treatments, and moments when I felt scared, overwhelmed, or discouraged.

They treated me as more than a diagnosis.

They listened.

They encouraged.

They cared.

Many of them probably never realized the impact they were making, but they inspired me in ways that changed the course of my life.

When I was growing up with cystic fibrosis, pursuing a demanding healthcare career was not something that was often encouraged. There were times when I questioned whether I would ever be healthy enough to make it through nursing school, let alone build a career in healthcare. But once Trikafta entered my life, those impossible dreams started to feel achievable. In August 2022, I took a leap of faith and enrolled in a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) school.

I was nervous. I was excited. And I was determined.

Balancing school, family responsibilities, and life with cystic fibrosis was not always easy. There were long nights studying after taking care of my family. There were moments of exhaustion and self-doubt. There were still medical appointments, treatments, flare-ups, and reminders that cystic fibrosis had not disappeared. But for the first time, I felt like I had the ability to keep moving forward.

In 2023, I successfully completed my LPN program. That accomplishment alone felt monumental. Yet, I was not finished.

In January 2024, I began a bridge program to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Once again, I challenged myself to believe that I was capable of more. Month after month, class after class, clinical after clinical, I continued pushing toward a goal that once felt completely out of reach. I completed the program in September 2025 and graduated that October.

After spending time enjoying my family and celebrating the holidays, I prepared for one final challenge: the NCLEX. This past April, I sat for the exam that represented years of hard work, perseverance, and determination. And I passed.

Today, I am proud to say that I am officially a registered nurse. Even now, writing those words feels surreal. The little girl who spent so much of her childhood as a patient has become a nurse. The child who once sat in hospital rooms wondering what her future would look like is now caring for patients of her own. The dream that once felt impossible has become my reality.

Of course, cystic fibrosis is still part of my life. Trikafta is not a cure. I still experience exacerbations, flare-ups, and challenges that require careful management. There are still difficult days. There are still moments when I have to slow down and listen to my body. But the difference is that those challenges no longer define what I believe is possible. Instead of wondering what I cannot do, I now focus on what I can.

I can pursue my goals.

I can build a career.

I can care for others.

I can be present for my family.

I can dream about the future.

When I look back on my journey, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude for my family, for the healthcare providers who cared for me throughout my life, for the nurses who inspired me, for the advancements in cystic fibrosis treatment that have changed the lives of so many people like mine. Most of all, I am grateful for the hope that Trikafta brought into my life.

If there is one thing I hope someone takes away from my story, it is this: do not let today's circumstances convince you that tomorrow's dreams are impossible. 

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