I have faced the continuous need to self-advocate to manage my life with cystic fibrosis, particularly when facing complications post-transplant.
Site Search
Not only am I a member of the CF community, but I’m also a member of the clinical community — an oncology nurse — and I have had to endure hard lessons to learn to advocate for myself and get the medical care I need.
Life with cystic fibrosis can come with many recovery days. But it’s hard for me to avoid feeling guilty when I need time to rest and recharge. Working harder to be more productive and make up for the time I lost at work and with family while resting often leads me right back to my couch and needing to take another day to rest.
Advocacy is impactful at all ages, but the term can sound intimidating. It implies effort, time, commitment, politics, and publicity. As a 30-year-old with cystic fibrosis, I am currently an active member of the CF community, but I was not always aware of the benefits, power, and impact of advocacy.
Sharing your CF story is one of the most powerful things you can do, but that can be hard for some of us. If you want to use your voice but struggle with how to get started, here are three things that helped me.
To be considered for a lung transplant, you must undergo an extensive evaluation at a transplant center. The process can take several days to several weeks, depending on the center. This evaluation will inform the transplant team about your health, finances, support system, and ability to follow a complex medical regimen.
If the transplant committee thinks transplant surgery would be harmful to you, ask your transplant team about what options you have. It is possible that you will need to receive treatment for another medical condition before you may be considered a good candidate for a lung transplant.
At 34, I had no obvious symptoms or family history of colon cancer. My body was telling me something was wrong and compelled me to push for more tests to reach a diagnosis. Now every day I get up and learn to be comfortable living in the uncomfortable. With more screenings happening earlier, you may never have to.
My service dog, Jasper, and I relocated across the country and began to find our footing in our new home just before devastating forest fires started spreading around the area. Now, I feel more grateful than ever for the irreplaceable things in life, like Jasper.