Shortly after receiving a double-lung transplant, I was fortunate enough to meet my donor's family. It brought us peace, healing, and connection.
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In third grade, I was granted the most amazing wish -- to go to Disney World! Through Make-a-Wish, I was able to have the time of my life with my family and put aside the everyday stresses that having cystic fibrosis brings. All these years later, my family still cherishes this time.
With cystic fibrosis, it is easy to compare yourself to others and feel like your accomplishments are less impressive or significant than the people around you. Fortunately, I've found four ways that help bring me out of this mindset and set achievable, realistic, and fulfilling goals.
My girlfriend, Kassandra, is an adventurer who also happens to have CF. At the beginning of our relationship, I got to know how she lives with CF, and that's helped us plan out trips, as well as look toward the future.
Cystic fibrosis normally doesn't get in the way of me having a good time when I travel, but on one particular family vacation, it made for a cringeworthy moment.
Facing a possible lung transplant led me to rethink how I wanted to live my life.
Facing the challenges of cystic fibrosis is something no one should have to do alone. Fortunately, I have been able to rely on my support system to give me strength when I wasn't sure if I'd be able to continue the fight.
I have always been a singer. I have also always had cystic fibrosis. Together, these two distinct aspects of my life have led me down a unique path and allowed me to grow in ways I never could have anticipated.
When I was in the hospital for a month-long stay, I watched YouTube videos created by people with cystic fibrosis. Feeling inspired by their videos, I launched my own vlog one year later. Now I feel more connected to people in the CF community than I ever have before.
As a young girl who spent most of her time in the theater, I didn't want anyone to know that I had CF or treat me any differently because of it. When I met the love of my life in college, however, my approach to opening up about my disease began to change.