When I became a nurse, I was determined to be punctual and reliable, and I excelled despite my cystic fibrosis. But on the advice of a CF doctor, I changed my career trajectory, which at first caused heartbreak, but eventually led to a leadership opportunity.
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I felt so alone as a kid being gay and having CF — there weren’t any role models in the 80s and 90s that I could look up to. Eventually, I found people who understood what I was going through and that helped me feel good about who I was, and who I am today.
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.
Throughout my life with cystic fibrosis, I have marked many milestones. My most important one yet is holding a full-time job while managing my health.
My experience traveling with cystic fibrosis has taught me that a chronic illness should never slow you down. It may require extra planning and packing, but it’s worth it and definitely doable.
After decades of identifying myself as Monique, “the girl with cystic fibrosis,” I didn’t know who I was anymore after Trikafta changed my health for the better.
I didn’t realize how important my cystic fibrosis care team was — or how they had my back — until I stayed in a hospital where the staff had little knowledge of the needs of people with cystic fibrosis.
Now that I’m in my 40s and post-lung transplant, I’m beginning to embrace the realities of aging with cystic fibrosis. Despite the gray hairs and deepening wrinkles, I know that I am lucky to be looking forward to mammograms and menopause.
After I had to go on disability to focus on taking care of my health, I got involved with the CF community and volunteered with Community Voice. Little did I know it would help me when I needed it most.
Understanding that I suffered trauma from medical encounters during my childhood helped make me a more effective self-advocate as an adult.