Living

There has been a lot of talk about cleaning, disinfecting, and overall best hygiene practices this past year. For those living with cystic fibrosis (CF), cleaning and disinfecting has been...

Trikafta has changed the lives of many individuals and families in the CF community since it’s release. A lot of people with CF are finally feeling better and living different...

It's no secret that cystic fibrosis touches every area of our lives. Whether we are going to school, choosing colleges, entering the workforce, or building relationships, CF is there. When...

In the "Searching for Answers to Chronic Pain," I detailed the frustrating journey of living with chronic pain since late puberty. After the pain started severely impacting my quality of...

It is still early days when looking at the long-lasting effects trauma can have on babies and parents in newborn intensive care units (NICU). What has been identified as badly...

Even though I have gone to roughly 140 or more cystic fibrosis clinics in my life so far, I still feel anxious before each one. If I’m sick then I’m...

I’ve never been shy in regards to talking about those whom I have met with cystic fibrosis and the impact they’ve had on my life. I have talked about losing...

Otitis media, more commonly known as middle ear infections, is a prevalent infection that usually occurs in childhood. In fact, otitis media is the most prevailing childhood infection in the...

There’s a reason why when our bodies are experiencing pain we try to make it go away--ice, Tylenol, warm baths, hugs, and kisses, etc. Pain is supposed to be a...

In our home, we are a home divided. We have fruit and vegetables and waffles and snack cakes. Anything my son wants, he usually gets. If he asks for something...

Chronic illness requires a lot from a person. In CF, it takes a lot away from a person at a young, fragile age. Many CFers are riddled with traumatic memories...

Living with cystic fibrosis can be physically debilitating and mentally destabilizing. We know there is an elevated level of depression and anxiety within the CF population, but little research has...

As people with CF continue to live longer, healthier lives, couples are in the unique position to decide to become parents or not. Growing a family is such an exciting...

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) is one of the most common non-respiratory complications of cystic fibrosis (CF). It differs from Type 1 and 2 Diabetes, yet shares similar features of each...

The end of the year is always a stressful time in our household--and not because of reasons you might assume. It’s not holiday stress from Thanksgiving or Christmas that makes...

I am very lucky to have grown up in a family that loved me for me--and my CF. Being the only one in both my immediate and extended families with...

Hair loss can be disheartening no matter what the underlying cause is, as many of us have an emotional attachment to our hair. In some cases, our hair is tied...

Living with CF can be challenging, and it certainly is not made any easier by all the unsolicited advice dished up by strangers. Many in the CF community shared that...

Advance directives aren’t something to be scared about doing and it’s not something to put off either. We each have preferences and, when the time comes, we can have our...

Identifying triggers for an infection flare-up has been a minefield I am still learning to navigate healthily. We have all heard psychological stress weakens the immune system. When we are...