Although my journey with cystic fibrosis has been difficult, over time, I have learned to embrace it. In my poem “Monster,” I address this head on and describe my own process of coming to terms with my disease.
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Practicing meditation has helped me cope with many of the stresses that come with a life with cystic fibrosis.
As a teenager with cystic fibrosis, I always felt that my body was different, and therefore, shameful. But in one day, I had a change of perspective that allowed me to love myself and appreciate how far I've come in my journey with CF.
I may not have chosen to have cystic fibrosis, but I did get to choose my outlook on life and -- ultimately -- my perspective.
Not having a roadmap for life wasn't a problem when I thought I wouldn't be around long enough to take the trip. A double lung-transplant has me rethinking this belief.
Although I asked for help to manage the physical aspects of my disease, it took a long time for me to feel comfortable asking for support for the emotional impact of cystic fibrosis.
I am grateful that I can run and work out at the gym even though I have cystic fibrosis. Still, I can't help feeling guilty that others with this disease are struggling, and it's hard to shake the feeling that one day it could be me.
Although your teenage years can be difficult, they ultimately help mold you into the person you are meant to be -- especially when you have a chronic disease, like cystic fibrosis.
After my last hospitalization, I faced new challenges and issues related to my cystic fibrosis -- including panic attacks and supplemental oxygen. Although it's been difficult adjusting to my “new normal,” I am slowly learning how to cope with the uncertainties of my disease.
I've learned that what I tell myself about how cystic fibrosis affects me, affects my belief in what I can achieve, and how I feel about myself as a person.