Now that I am feeling healthy on Trikafta®, I no longer feel special for thriving despite the challenges of cystic fibrosis. I don’t feel like I belong in the CF community anymore, and I miss that sense of camaraderie that comes from a shared struggle.
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Despite the scars and appearance-altering side effects of medications, I am proud of what my body has survived in the face of cystic fibrosis. Being a brand ambassador has lifted my spirits and led to a greater acceptance of my body, which has withstood a double-lung transplant, a feeding tube, and a port.
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.
When I was in college, I wanted to do it all and my health wasn’t as much of a priority anymore. I learned to accept that things will not always go according to plan and to integrate routine in my life to ensure my health comes first.
One of the reasons I decided to attend boarding school was to take charge of my cystic fibrosis care. Although I’m not perfect at taking care of myself, I learned that the importance of staying on top of treatments when my parents gave me the chance to fail.
La fibrosis quística (FQ) es una enfermedad genética. Escuche las presentaciones de los expertos, el Doctor Fadel Ruiz, director del centro de fibrosis quística de Baylor y el Doctor Carlos Milla, director del centro de fibrosis quística de Stanford y sus respuestas a las principales preguntas de la comunidad sobre terapias genéticas para la FQ. El panel fue moderado por Sylvia Mazuera, madre de dos hijos, el menor de los cuales tiene FQ.
I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. After one year, I’m still fighting a tiring battle with it and cystic fibrosis, but I won’t quit.
I asked the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Dr. Whitney Brown about how cystic fibrosis care might change as the CF population grows, lives longer.