My Moments to Breathe

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Great Strides



Laila caught some kind of nasty bug last week with a nasty nose, cough, sore throat and fever (it got up to 103.6, and I was a little worried.) We took her in to see her Doctor, who luckily knows a ton about my situation so does everything she can not only to make Laila E. healthy, but to make sure the bug stays away from me. YUCK, it didn't. I am pretty sure I am sitting on this couch right now with a cold, and know I should call the doctor....just do it Cassie. Ok hold on.

There done and done. I guess when I write things down, like in a blog, I realize how stupid I sound when I don't do things like pick up a phone and make a simple call. My coordinator isn't concerned because my FEV1 (volume I breathe out) hasn't gone down, I don't have a fever and I have been able to keep my diet and pills up. So maybe just a nose spray to keep things moving, and make sure to drink tons of liquid to flush those lovely kidneys. PHEW glad I called though.

Laila is now on the mend as well, just a cough and since she has seen her mom as a CF patient coughing things up all the time. I was able to easily coach her on how to cough and spit nasty stuff out to feel better. She is such a good learner. (This is pretty much the most disgusting thing I have ever been proud of...totally puts in in the category of "you know your mom has CF when...")

The CFF Great Strides fundraiser was this past Saturday so Laila (antibiotics and all) and I made the trip over to Michigan so we could walk with out team. It was a great year. I don't even know where to start. We had the coolest Tshirts ever, so many people walked with me, my friend Jon surprised me and flew in from California to walk with me, Ryan actually broke all the rules and hugged me...plus I got to meet his and Sues kids, my Dads softball team was playing across the street so I got to watch some of that, and to top this all off: I WALKED (easily) THE ENTIRE THING!! Yes, me, little ol' CF patient/5 months post transplant survivor, was kicking some butt and showing CF who is boss.

This was an amazing feeling. This weekend I could prove to myself that I can do things normal people can do. I was normal. Count your blessings when you are able to walk and carry things at the same time, I now do. Count your blessings when you can shop and cook, I now do. Count your blessings that you can walk and talk at the same time, I now do. Count your blessings that you can walk a distance and end with a smile instead of a feeling a suffocation, I now do. I count my blessings probably more than people actually know. The simple things in life and becoming my simple things now. 

Breathing and walking...it will never ever get old.