Tuesday, August 2, 2011

You Know You Have CF When...

This is something I found off of my new favorite site, CysticLife. Obviously not all of them apply to me, but most of them do! Enjoy!
*You do a happy dance when you hack up a huge wad of mucus, show your dad, and he gives you a congratulatory high five.
*You know more medical terms by the age of ten than most people know their whole lives.
*You have your pharmacist, family doctor, CF doctor, the emergency room that you always use, and your medical insurance company as numbers 1-10 on your cell phone's speed dial.
*You have multiple scars from PICC lines, IVs and other 'experimentations' as the doctors like to call them.
*You are so used to getting your blood drawn that you are the proverbial 'test dummy' for all the new nurses fresh out of college - you don't mind, do ya?
*You have antibacterial gel in your purse, in your car, on the kitchen counter, in the bathroom, in your friend's dorm, in their car - hell everywhere!
*You can smell smoke hundreds of feet away and go searching for the source so you can thump them upside their retarded heads!
*You adamantly think that smokers are some of the dumbest people you know!
*You laugh at those who bitch and moan from a common cold or worse yet, stay home because of it!
*You are truly sad for those cute little lab mice who must suffer from experimentations so we can have medicines to help us live - for about 1 milli-second then you jump for glee because they came up with something to help you breathe!
*You can instruct the nurses how to work the IV machine at the hospital.
*Some of the most memorable times with your friends is hanging out and wasting time at the hospital.
*You have also learned who your real friends are because most people can't take the pressure of being around a person who has CF.
*You make people wince on a daily basis because of the sound of your cough.
*The checkout lady at Wal-Mart has confidently told you that she just got over whatever I have and Theraflu worked for her, which you calmly and sarcastically say, 'I will make sure to tell my doctors.'
*You can sleep through anything - you perfected the skill by being shaken by your Vest all of these years.
*You are a multi-tasker by need. While you're doing your Vest you MUST eat breakfast, do your nebulizers, homework, make-up, straighten your hair and have a conversation with your mother about your most current ache in your chest all at once or it would never get done.
*You learn by the age of 15 that life is a gift and most people don't see it's pretty paper.
*You have used your Vest multiple times as a torment device for your dog by blowing air at him and watching him try to catch it in his mouth, entertainment device for kids because a shaking vest is a fun 'toy' and a laughing tool for adults when you try to talk to keep up with the conversation, even on the maximum setting.
*Many adults have commented to you that you are very wise/mature for your age.
*If Albuterol and Xopenex were living things you would marry them because according to you, they were sent from heaven by God to us CFers for a little help in the breathing department.
*You laugh at your friends and their newest drama - ha! Don't we all wish it was THAT easy!
*You are constantly on the go, realizing that time stands still for no one.
*You feel as if there is ALWAYS someone worse off than you somewhere.
*You truly get pissed at people who don't put 'yes' as organ donors on their driver's license.
*You grew up thinking that everyone in your class does machines, nebulizers, inhalers, sprays and pills for an hour or two each morning before they came to school and an hour or two after.
*You are more scared of losing your loved ones, family and friends than you are of dying yourself.
*You realize at an extremely young age that you can buy everything but time and as a CFer, that is one thing you would love to have.
*You get asked on a daily basis how old you are - and you just have to laugh when people rudely say you look 12 and not 18.
*When dogs and babies lick your ever-so salty skin.
*After working out, or just being in the heat, you have a visible film of salt covering your entire body.
*You look at food labels and say things like, "Sweet! 600 calories per serving!"
*You are so tired of people saying "have another smoke!" after you finish a coughing fit, and you wonder if they are worth the real explanation.
*You have an extra dessert and everyone wonders where you put it, because it sure doesn't go to your hips!
*You make sure you don't go to the bathroom BEFORE you get weighed at clinic - every ounce counts!

2 comments:

  1. I LOVE this. I seriously was laughing the whole time while reading it!

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  2. Great idea for a post. I stole this, tweaked it a bit, and posted to my blog =) Thanks for sharing!

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