I grew up on a farm in the countryside in Sweden. My younger brother also has cystic fibrosis, so money was always a little tight in my family, due to the costs of treatments. My classmates would often brag about places they had been on their vacation, England, Stockholm, Greece, and I was very envious.
Site Search
Planning a last-minute vacation before the end of the summer? We’ve got you covered! All week long we’ll be sharing tips, advice and personal stories on traveling with CF.
I was nervous about deciding to go to college — how would CF and the intensity of college fit together? There have been more than a few bumps along the way, but I’ve learned that through everything, I got this.
I initially struggled with how to share about my cystic fibrosis with people I met when I started college. Here’s what I learned.
After starting on Trikafta®, I finally became able to travel without getting an immediate exacerbation when I returned home. Now, I am relishing the opportunity to travel abroad, while taking every precaution necessary to protect myself from the pandemic.
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.
When I went off to college it was up to me to manage my cystic fibrosis for the first time without help from my family. I felt fine after skipping my medications and decided to stop using my noisy vest because it embarrassed me, and I wanted to make friends at my new school. As a result, I stayed in the hospital for a few weeks and left with a new perspective on life.
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.