Friends for life

I have CF and also grew up with a friend that has CF. We lived in a small town of about 2,400 people. It's a kind of town where everyone knows everyone. Before the 6-foot guidelines and before we knew how easily we could spread bacteria to one another, we spent time volunteering at great strides events every spring.

Growing up with a CF friend

Talking to each other in hospital rooms when we were hospitalized at the same time. Visiting each other when the other was in the hospital. She is one of the few people that I share my personal CF complications with. One year she started getting really sick. She was hospitalized more times than I can count. For weeks at a time. So sick that she was evaluated for a lung transplant. She got worse shortly after being placed on the list and was hospitalized again.

Worried for my friend

This time, the hospital became her home. After a few weeks of texting, she stopped responding. I texted her more times than I could count. I feared the worst and started to panic. I didn't know her parents phone numbers to see what was going on. So I did the first thing that came to mind, check Facebook. I immediately saw posts of, "I hope you are ok" and endless messages of prayers. I posted a message saying "I don't know what is going on but I hope you are ok."

Grateful for her life-saving lung transplant

Moments later I received a private message explaining what was going on. She took a turn and was put on a ventilator. I can't recall how long she spent on the vent but it was too long. She recovered and was able to be taken off of the vent. A month or so later she got the call, lungs have become available. She was flown to Seattle where she received her life-saving transplant, two days shy of her birthday.

We're forever friends

Today, she is five years post-transplant and doing very well. We've grown apart over the years but still make a point to see each other once or twice a year. Abiding by the 6' rule of course.

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