Breastfeeding when you have CF is more complicated than it is for people who don’t have CF. Here’s what I’ve learned about it with my kids.
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The journey my husband and I traveled while trying to conceive our son was stressful but ultimately fruitful. Here’s what I learned during that process.
Although the initial diagnosis for cystic fibrosis seemed to elude our doctors, we knew in our hearts that our son had cystic fibrosis. When we advocated for and got a CF doctor, we began a relationship that became a partnership of mutual trust and respect.
On our journey to become parents, my wife and I experienced several disappointments and began to question the entire process. Meeting our daughters made it worthwhile.
I grew up thinking I would never be able to have children because of my CF. While advancements in treatments have made motherhood a possibility for many, I ultimately made the painful decision to not have children.
At times, my pediatric CF care team told me about the possible negative outcomes of my cystic fibrosis. Their gentle support helped prepare me for unexpected good health, and is one reason why I was able to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
My son, Keith, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after an initial focus on CF as the cause of his health issues. With people with CF living longer, we need more awareness of pancreatic cancer in CF individuals due to the potential increased risk.
My daughter, Lauren, didn’t know that having a lung transplant would greatly increase her risk for cancer until it was too late. Her death has taught me how important it is to know the health risks faced after transplant and our need to advocate for ourselves.
Since my daughter, Kinley’s, cystic fibrosis diagnosis, I have come to rely on her care team. We have become a true team in Kinley’s care.
My wife and I knew that following our dream of having children would be difficult, but we would do whatever it takes to grow our family. Despite the challenges we’ve experienced on our in-vitro fertilization (IVF) journey, we will continue to fight to make our dream a reality.