All I want for Christmas is to be healthy. And I mean really healthy. I mean able to run, jump, and dance kind of healthy. I mean being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I mean not having to worry about lung function, bone density, caloric intake, blood sugars, vitamin levels, liver and kidney function, and IV antibiotic scheduling. I mean being able to lift weights or go on a jog or sit on the front porch without wondering if your lungs are going to start bleeding. I mean being able to stay up as late as you want without fretting about sleep deprivation and the drastic problems that could cause. My head is swimming with so many issues and problems right now, and it never seems to stop.
Maybe soon, my Christmas wish will come true. After all, researchers are discovering more and more about CF and the mutations that cause it. Some CF patients are on these groundbreaking medications. And you know what? They're able to live near normal lives. I can't even imagine! No, they're not technically cured of CF, but their health has stabilized, and some have even improved! However, with my mutation combination, I'm not nearly as close to being able to start these medications because of necessary studies and FDA approval. As much as I would love to be rid of the hassle of dealing with cystic fibrosis, however, I wouldn't trade the life I have right now for anything. I have an incredibly supportive, loving family. I have terrific friends who I can count on for anything. I am completely and totally in love with Jesus Christ and cannot imagine life without His saving grace. I have an amazing church family who cares for me and who I love to serve alongside. I love being a student at Baylor and get excited when I think about learning and attending classes. I have a strong, independent, determined, spunky personality that God has blessed me with as well as a capable, active mind and functioning body. What more could a girl want?
I may not get my Christmas wish this year, and I may never get to see this wish fulfilled. But I'm okay with that. Sure, it'd be nice to be normal. And yeah, I get sick and tired of being sick and tired. Yet God will not leave me nor forsake me. I trust Him with my life, my desires, my everything. He has given me the best gift I could ever ask for--salvation through Jesus. Isn't that what Christmas is about, anyway? Jesus Christ was born a baby to live a sinless life and die on the cross so that we could live forever with God in Heaven. He came to be the light of the world. Everything else is fleeting compared to that, even my Christmas wish of healing. In a world of brokenness, sin, disease, and destruction, I am so thankful that I have the hope of Jesus to grasp tightly, and He will never let me go.
My final plea to you is this: If you have a relatively healthy body, please don't take it for granted. I would give so much to be able to just have one day in a "normal" body, to be able to breathe without limitations. Your health is a gift. Don't misuse it.
Merry Christmas to you all!!
Life is a gift we all use & misuse. We're human. You are a strong, brave human. I admire you. Wishing you and your family a very merry Xmas! I hope 2015 is a good year for your health.
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