Blue-Eyed Breather

I just got home from a delicious annual back to school dinner with my grandparents. Even though school doesn't start for another three weeks, tonight was the only day available for our tradition. In my family, when we establish a tradition, we don't like to go messing around with it! Therefore, we never really change it. Tradition is tradition, after all! Anyway, we used to always go to the Melting Pot downtown for our annual night out. Unfortunately, that location of the Melting Pot closed this past year. We had to break our tradition partially and branch out to try someplace else. I'd say it paid off nicely. Dinner was quite delicious. For starters, the bread was very yummy. Anyone who knows me knows I love bread. I could probably live only off of bread. If a restaurant doesn't have good bread, it's not a winner for me. This restaurant's bread was warm and freshly baked--an A plus in my mind. Everyone ate a different entree, which is pretty unusual for my fa...

I love the Olympics. Maybe it's the excitement of cheering on team USA. Maybe it's the spirit of competition, since I love competition myself. Maybe it's the chance to see all of the athletes' hard work paid off. Whatever it is, when I hear the Olympic theme song start to play and see the Olympic rings displayed proudly, I get excited to watch the Games. Before the Games officially started, a blind archer from South Korea was already making history. This man, unable to see at all from his right eye and officially labeled legally blind, beat his own 72-arrow record. With his two other teammates, they broke the world record archery score during the preliminary round, receiving 2,087 points. The Olympics had not even officially begun, yet this man was astounding the world with his skill and determination. He did not let the fact that he is legally blind stop him from achieving his dreams of representing South Korea at the Olympics. At just twenty-six years old, Im Dong H...

So, it is Friday apparently. I lost track of the days! Easy to do when you must "take it easy" and "have a low activity level", I suppose. I've decided to write Thankful Thursday today, since I forgot yesterday. 1. I can breathe again-The doctor took the packing out of my nose, so I can kind of breathe again! Thank goodness. My nose is still swollen, and it hurts pretty badly, but at least I can inhale. 2. Walks around the block- Surprisingly, I've really struggled bouncing back from surgery. I get winded walking around too much (and I feel pretty pathetic!) Because I'm supposed to be staying pretty low key, I haven't gotten to exercise as frequently as I used to. Instead, I go on two walks around the block each day--one in the morning and one at night. I am pretty tired after my little excursion, but I am thankful for any chance I get to escape the confinements of my house and breathe some fresh air. 3. Friends (the show)- I know Friends is no lo...

Well, everyone was right... This week has been pretty miserable. I will never take my nose for granted again! You don't realize how much your nasal passage does for your well-being until you're unable to use it anymore. For instance, I didn't know it was going to be so impossible to swallow. Every time I try to swallow, my ears pop, and whatever I'm swallowing often gets stuck. I have also slept like I have sleep apnea. Because I can only breathe through my mouth, I'll sometimes stop breathing in the middle of the night, only to gasp for air seconds later. My mouth and throat have never felt this dry. I wake up in pretty intense pain, needing water to heal my cracked, dry mouth. I obviously can't smell food, so nothing sounds appetizing. However, without food in my stomach, I feel incredibly nauseous because the IVs I'm on are heavy duty medicines that need substance in the stomach. It's kind of a vicious cycle. I am going to be so happy when the docto...

1. Sleep- I've only slept in bits and spurts yesterday and today, but I'm very thankful for the little sleep I've gotten. I woke up at least once an hour last night, so I'm guessing I will be napping off and on all day today. Between the anesthesia and the lack of sleep, I'm quite grateful for any sleep I can get. 2. Water- I've never been so thirsty in all my life. I have to breathe through my mouth only because of the packing in my nose from my sinus surgery. I've been drinking water pretty much nonstop to try and keep my mouth from drying out too much. What would I do without clean drinking water?? I have no idea. 3. Chocolate milk and smoothies- Because sense of smell and sense of taste are interrelated, I really can't taste food. I'm having issues chewing, too. Hence, smoothies are my friends these next few days so I don't lose calories. My dad is an excellent smoothie maker, and I enjoy the variety of smoothies he can make. Plus, smooth...

Tomorrow is surgery day. My prayer these next few weeks is more than for a quick recovery. I'm asking God for more than a "perfect surgery." I'm praying for more than an increase in my sense of smell and decrease in bacteria dripped from my nasal passageway into my lungs. I don't necessarily care about looking normal as soon as possible. No, my prayer is for something bigger. I'm asking God to use this adversity to show others His love and grace. God uses our trials for His glory. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."--ALL THINGS, including difficult situations, like an unexpected surgery. I know that God uses my Cystic Fibrosis to proclaim His name to all the earth. I strive to remember this (although it is definitely difficult sometimes). If I'm being honest, I cannot say that I am thankful for my CF, nor would I decide to have CF if ...

God has blessed me tremendously with great friends and family who continue to set amazing examples of what it looks like to live a life full of love for Him. I honestly can't imagine myself without these family friends who have poured into my life and continue to pray for me and mentor me. I have grown to love these families as my own, joking with them at times but sharing my heart with them at others. Our little family of families has grown into a bigger group of people, and I am blessed by every single one of them. Even though we are far from perfect, I do believe that our "family" mirrors how Christians are supposed to fellowship with other believers, rejoicing in the good times and taking one another's burdens to God during the difficult times. These are the same people who decided to eat dinner with me in the hospital cafeteria, forgoing the good food across the street and eating the less-than-desirable hospital food. These people were with me when I got half of ...

Have you ever thought life was going one direction until it throws you a gigantic curve ball? That's kind of how I'm feeling right about now. I had sinus surgery scheduled for August 10th, right before going back to school. I haven't been experiencing any sinus difficulties, but it's always good for a CFer to get his or her sinuses washed out and opened up so that the nasal passageway isn't harboring bacteria that then goes back into the lungs. I haven't had a sinus surgery in a very long time, so my doctor advised me to have it done this summer. Originally, I was told recovery time for the surgery would be between one and two days. I thought having the surgery then would be perfectly fine because I would be feeling good after a few days. I could also finish my summer school class and finish working at the speech pathology clinic without the surgery getting in the way. However, yesterday, I was told the extent of the surgery required for my sinuses. Let me t...

1. Rain- This past week, we have had several storms pass through. Although it's no fun to drive in or to spend any time outdoors, we needed the rain very badly! Who knows, maybe the temperatures will cool off some, at least for a little while! Our grass was starting to die, it was so scorched from the lack of rain. A couple of days of rain isn't going to get us out of the drought, but it definitely has provided some relief from the constant heat. 2. Pertzye- I know the name sounds funny, but Pertzye is my new enzyme that I am so so excited about! Enzymes help my body absorb and digest food because my natural enzymes do not work properly. Pertzye is supposedly the same formula used to make Pancrecarb, the old enzymes I used that worked to help my body absorb nutrients extremely well. Pancrecarb was taken off the market about two years ago, and the enzymes I've been taking simply haven't worked as well. Pertzye could potentially keep me from having to get a feeding tube...

The power of a storm is absolutely mind blowing. The force of wind and rain exceed anything I can comprehend. Lightning streaks across the sky in spine-tingling fashions, with rolls of growling thunder followed shortly after. To us experiencing the thunderstorm, it seems like the storm can swallow us up. We are powerless to slow the rumbling thunder and blinding lightning. We cannot stop the rain, even if it is flooding the area, or make it continue pounding the dry ground. We can do nothing to control the forces of nature. Similarly, storms in our life can seem absolutely unbearable. We cannot control every aspect of our life, no matter how hard we try. Sometimes, we are going to walk through trials. God did not promise a perfect, carefree life. Yet when we do go through trials and storms, we can take joy in the fact that God knows the storm inside and out and is with us always. He alone gives peace and comfort in the midst of fear and hardships. How wonderful it is to have faith in...

Have you heard the news?? Press release Now you have :) Every time I read this article, I want to jump up and down. Phase 2 of the VX-809 and Kalydeco study was successful in patients with deltaF508 mutation, the most common mutation that causes Cystic Fibrosis! (Actually, roughly 90% of CF patients have at least one copy of deltaF508.) In case you didn't know, studies testing new medicines go through three major phases. Phase 1 often screens for the safety of the medication and is usually tested in a small group. Phase 2 is a bit larger and tests the effectiveness and safety of the drug. Phase 3 is the final stage before approval from the FDA. In a Phase 3 trial, larger groups of people participate in it to affirm the drugs effectiveness, decide on common side effects, and figure out the best way to provide the drug to the public market. If a drug makes it through all three phases, it is sent to the FDA for the official stamp of approval. This can be a rather long process, o...

1. Being able to go on a vacation with 16 of my family members (see a prior post)--this one is a given for this week! 2. America- How blessed we are to live in the country we live in! America is like no other country in the world. It is a huge melting pot that mixes all different cultures, ethnicities, and traditions. We have many freedoms that others only dream about. Of course, our country is flawed. But "I am proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died and gave their life for me." 3. Cf Voice- CF Voice is a website that connects CFers with each other. On the website, there are separate sections for the different age groups, catering to each specific groups' needs. For instance, the 18-24 year old section has high calorie foods, information about transitioning to college, songs by CFers, and interviews of fellow young adults. Pretty cool, huh? I think so :)

One of my favorite hymns is "It is Well." Here's a little background information behind the hymn: "It is Well" was written by Horatio Spafford. Before writing this hymn, he suffered tremendous loss. In 1871, his youngest son died at the age of four. Following that, Horatio Spafford lost all his financial wealth in a fire. In 1873, his wife and two daughters were involved in a shipwreck crossing the Atlantic, and, although his wife survived, the wreck killed his two daughters. While crossing the Atlantic to be with his wife, Horatio Spafford wrote this hymn, praising God even amid his difficult earthly circumstances. The background story of this hymn gives me chills every time I read it. When I listen to the hymn, I can't help but feel utter joy, despite what happens to me on earth. I know that it is well with my soul because Jesus Christ has taken ownership of me. I am His, and He is mine. No power on this earth can ever take that away from me. How...