2013

Here's 102 blog posts from this year summed up into one. This year was full of exciting adventures for Tim and I, the most exciting being that we finally purchased our first home!

• At the beginning of this year, I was presented with the possibility of having CFRD. Thankfully after meeting a wonderful endocrinologist in Chicago, he taught me how to adjust my diet to keep my sugars in check without having to have insulin injections, yay!
• In February, unfortunately I had to reset my compliance count due to lovely mail order pharmacy mix ups. I did, however, proudly complete 100% of my treatments for 352 days!! I reset my count on March 1st, which puts me at 312 days today!
• Also in March, we celebrated Tim's great grandma's 99th birthday, learned about the new CFF regulations (which caused a huge uproar and debate among CFers), and we got the ball rolling on the CF Living video phone interviews and plans!!
• April was a busy month! Tim and I shot our CF Living footage which was harder than I thought, but SO rewarding! I attended another Great Strides in DeKalb, the TOBI Podhaler was released, our kitten, Ozzie, was born, and I started taking the best thing ever = PROBIOTICS!.
• May was pretty uneventful, aside from me finishing up my first year of teaching! Tim celebrated his 27th birthday and we were able to spend some quality time with our adorable nephew, Isaac.
•  In June, we finalized our first house mess, and found a house that we both loved and went under contract on it. We traveled to Tennessee to meet our newest nephew, Liam, and spend time with family. Tim also kicked my butt in Brett's Run!
• July was a busy, fun-filled month! I attended my best friend's bachelorette party, spent lots of time with family, brought Ozzie home, went to Country Thunder and became a home-owner!!
• Our first chapter of our Day in the Life series finally came out and I was so surprised and humbled by all of the amazing and supportive feedback. I also started my second year of teaching - this year in first grade. And of course, started taking Kalydeco on August 30.
• In September, Tim and I continued to work on our house, we did our annual camping trip with his family which is always a great time, and we attended the most love-filled wedding I've ever been to - Jessie & Jeremy's wedding. :-)
• October is always special to me because its our anniversary month. We celebrated our third anniversary this year and we're not just married anymore, but we're now married home-owners! Tim and I also went to the Peoria Great Strides which was excellent! I was asked to speak there and we also met my blogger, CF friend, Cheriz. Finally, I had my first post-Kalydeco clinic visit where I gained 6lbs, my FEV1 increased by 5% and my small airway lung function went up by 18%!!!
• In November, Tim and I conquered 58 flights of stairs at our first CF CLIMB! Then I signed us up for the CF Rock Rivers 5K in Michigan in March, put on by the lovely Emily Schaller.
• December was full of ups and downs, and sadly ended on a very low note. We lost our great friend Jeremy on December 31. We celebrated his life in Ohio with Jessie and his family the first weekend in January, and I'm very glad we were able to attend to say our 'see you laters'.

I feel like things can only go up from here and I need to keep that positive attitude. Here's to a happy, healthy, productive and positive 2014!!!

Thankful November, Week 5

This is my final thankful November week. If you'd like to see the previous weeks, follow the links (1, 2, 3, 4). These are in no specific order, just whatever I can think of for the day, no matter how big or small.

24) I love being an aunt! We have the three cutest nephews around and yesterday we got to spend time with them. Isaac (2) wasn't feeling well because he's teething (poor guy!), but he even his 'evil eye' was still adorable! And then we have two more nephews, brothers Cole (3) and Liam (6 months). Cole is getting so big, and learning & talking so much more. Liam was passed around all day and ended the evening zonked out on my chest - it was so precious! I love spending time with our nephews and can't wait until we have our own kids, so we can watch the cousins all play together. :)

25) Cooperative, involved, supportive parents of my students! I had several dealings with uncooperative, under (or non-)-involved and un-supportive parents today and that just makes me realize how thankful I am for those that care...and show it! Teaching is not babysitting. Teaching & learning do not stop (or only happen) at school! We have to work together to do what's best for a child. That means helping with homework, holding their child accountable for their actions, coming to parent/teacher conferences, field trips, etc. Supportive parents rock! 

I came across this article, called Parents Need to Be Reminded That Teachers are People, Too, posted by a fellow teacher and really enjoyed it! I really wish I could share it with my students' parents. So if you're a parent, or think that teaching must be so easy, go ahead and read that article. Also, come work with me for a week and then see what you think! :)

26) I am beyond thankful for the CF community tonight! Chapter 4 of our Day in the Life video series came out tonight (it's my favorite one out of the five) and I am overwhelmed (in a good way) with the amount of positive comments, blessings, encouragement, "likes" and shares - it's a wonderful feeling! THIS is the exact reason I did these videos. I want to inspire others with CF (or those who know someone) to have a more positive outlook on their disease. Realize that it IS possible to live a "normal" life as long as you take care of yourself.
I'm also thankful that Tim did these videos with me! I think it's really important for the CF community to hear the perspective from a spouse. He's the one that keeps me going! Even though he might not have to remind me everyday to do my treatments anymore, our relationship and our future is my motivation to be compliant and be as healthy as I can. Thank you honey, you're the best!! :-)

27) Four day weekend!! Although we're going to be pretty busy this weekend, I love the fact that it's four consecutive days off with Tim. I hope we're able to get a lot done in our spare bedroom and I'd love to bust out the Christmas decorations!

28) I'm thankful for a hard-working, super-handy husband! We got a good chunk of items accomplished today in our spare bedroom - second coat on the walls, I repainted the baseboards and Tim installed a ceiling fan and two pot-lights. I really wanted to keep going, but it was time to stop for treatments and dinner. I'm also glad that we're not stressed out about trying to have a fancy meal this evening, especially because we're not fancy dinner kinda people. We've decided to not make dinner ourselves, that we're going out to eat = no dishes or cleaning! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

29) Today I'm thankful for friends! Our friends Karissa and Ryan were down in our neck of the woods visiting family for Thanksgiving so they decided to stop over at our house for a little while. It was so good to see them. Since we moved last year, we're about three (or more) hours away from all of our friends from college, so its tough to see them often. I appreciate that Ryan and Karissa took time out of their family weekend to come visit. :)

30) Last, but definitely not least, I'm thankful for KALYDECO! I haven't felt the best for a few weeks this month, and I wonder how much worse I would have felt without Kalydeco helping my lungs and body. I'm thankful that its having such a positive impact on my body and that it will help prolong my life. I hope that next November I'm able to be thankful that more of my CF friends are on something that helps them this much, too!

Thankful November, Week 2

Each day of November, I'm going to take some time to recognize at least one thing I'm thankful for - no matter how big or small, then I'll post them at the end of the week. Go here to see the first week. I should also mention, that these are not in any specific order, other than one thought per day.

3) Dr. Maria Dowell, my CF doctor! She is AMAZING! I had a wonderful peds doctor, but I felt that as soon as I moved to the adult clinic, that I was finally in charge of my own health. Dr. Dowell helped me realize that I was in charge of my CF, not that CF was in charge of me. I thought there was no way to gain back lung function that I had lost. She opened my eyes to see that if I took the job of taking care of myself seriously, then I could fight back at CF, and that's exactly what I've done over the last six-seven years since being with her. Dr. Dowell gave me the kick in the ass that I very-much needed to keep myself healthy for as long as possible! She is full of information, extremely understanding, and is a great person to talk to.  I know that when I see/talk to her, she has my best interest in mind.  I look forward to my appointments with her several times a year, not just to see how my health is doing, but just to sit and talk with her. I appreciate, more than I can express in words, everything that she has done for me, and I hope that we can maintain this great relationship for years to come!

4) Speaking of amazing people, there's my husband, Tim! He's the second 'kick in the ass' that I needed to wake myself up and live my life. To be honest, the first day I met Tim, I didn't have this "oh my goodness, he's the one" feeling, and he was actually the one who pursued me (read about how we met, here). But a few months later, after talking to him one night online, I said to myself, "I'm gonna marry this guy!" and the called my best friend to make sure I wasn't going crazy! Haha!
Here we are seven years later and still as happy as can be. Tim is perfect for me. He laughs at my stupid jokes, and I laugh at his. He 'kept me in line' in college with my healthcare, which motivated me to be the healthiest version of myself, for him. He'll go along with me when I sign us up for 5Ks and stair climbs, and usually beat me. :) He puts up with my excess mucus like a champ and rarely ever complains. ;) He is supportive, a listener, understanding, open, happy, and loving....how could I ask for anything more??

5) Today, I'm going to go with music and the ability to listen to it (I think it's something we take for granted). Without my ability to hear, I'd miss out on all the beautiful and fun music that I like to listen to. There are some days where music just gets me through. Its something I enjoy listening to and singing along with, especially country music. I love that songs are powerful enough to bring me back to a specific time and place, and bring back so many memories and emotions. I love that there are different types of music and like to switch it up a bit depending on my mood. Music is good for my soul. :-)

6) I'm thankful for the opportunity to shoot the Day in the Life Videos with cfliving.com! When I was a teenager, hating and trying to deal with my CF, it was videos just like these that I was looking for! I hope that by participating in these videos, and sharing my story, someone somewhere is getting the little pick-me-up, motivation, advice and/or information that they need to keep themselves going! I never thought I'd be able to do something like this, and it was so fun making the videos! The cfliving people are the best! :-)

And if you haven't seen it yet, here's the latest video on routines & goals. I thrive on routine and schedule, although I still know how to be flexible when I have to be. Having a routine and setting goals for myself keeps me motivated and on track with all of my treatments! Just so happens that today is my 250th day of 100% compliance....haven't missed a vest or neb in 250 days!!

7) Today I'm thankful for technology. I love having my blog, Facebook page & groups, etc, to connect with family, friends and other CF patients around the world. I've met so many wonderful people who I would never have met if it wasn't for online communities and the internet. Today, I'm especially thankful for technology because I'm starting to catch a cold/virus/something, so I was able to email my doctor & nurse this morning to call in some Cipro for me. It's amazing that I'm able to get in touch with my doctor in Chicago and get the drugs I need the same day! I'm also thankful for the advice & information I get from other CFers I'm able to connect with through social media. Several suggested doing sinus rinses when catching a cold (and regularly) to help with sinuses. I bought one while at Walgreens picking up my Cipro and tried it this evening - what a WEIRD feeling! I still feel stuffed up on one side, but I'll keep at it over the next few days to see if it helps relieve my cold a bit faster. Thanks everyone for your help! :)

8) I'm grateful to have a 'recovery' day on Monday. I've got Monday off due to Veteran's Day, and I can already foresee that becoming a very lazy day. I've felt pretty crumby all day today and am looking forward to finishing up this third treatment so I can get to bed. Tomorrow we're heading up to Chicago to hang out with some friends and then we have the CF CLIMB on Sunday! Tim and I will be climbing 58 flights of stairs. My goal is to finish in under 30 minutes, and I'm really hoping this cold doesn't slow me down! I am thankful though, that I'll have Monday of to be completely lazy and get my schoolwork done in my PJs...and rest my legs!

A Day in the Life: Chapter Two

Yay! Chapter two is finally out! This chapter focuses on my "Work Life" as a (kindergarten) teacher. I really want to show others with CF, and especially parents to little ones with CF, that having a "normal" life is absolutely possible if you take care of yourself! I'm not saying I've always been the best at that, but once I moved away, went to college and met Tim, then things started looking up for me and that motivation started to come out to take care of myself.

I've always wanted to teach, and I was not going to let CF get in the way of that. Sure, I expose myself to their nasty, germy little bodies, but so what? In a weird way, it kind of motivates me to keep myself super healthy so that I'm not allowing their germs/colds to get me down. I do take precautions, like washing my hands, but I'm not a germ-a-phobe, so that probably helps. Have I been sneezed on by a student - more than once. Same with being coughed on and spit on (from talking, not anger!). I can't put myself in a bubble because I have CF. Teaching is so rewarding. I am impacting the life of a human being - encouraging them to grow, learn and become independent little people. Watching them grow and learn throughout the school year is an amazing thing. And the fact that I get to do that with a new group of 20-something kids every year is awesome!!
I'm just so happy that I pursued my dream of being an educator. Yes, having CF and teaching is sometimes difficult. I've been struggling with my weight since I started (teaching burns LOTS of calories!), and I've caught a couple colds, having to wake up extra early before work everyday to do treatments...but I've never let it get in the way of my job performance. Even if I'm tired, or extra mucusy for a day, I still go into my classroom and give those kids everything I've got because I'm there for them. This is the career path I chose, I wouldn't change it for the world, and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability for as long as I possibly can.

So for the parents out there with children with CF - don't keep them in a bubble. Show them how to take care of themselves and live a normal life, finding that balance is possible. Treat them like you would any other child. Encourage them to pursue their dreams. Don't let CF stop them from anything.

A Day in the Life: Chapter One

I am SO excited to finally share this with you!!!! I've hinted at something coming up for a while now and I can finally share this wonderful experience with you! I was approached at the beginning of this year by the people at CF Living because they were looking for a "fresh face" for 2013. Someone had referred me to them, which I found so inspiring. After several phone interviews, they came out one weekend in April to film Tim and I discussing our lives with CF. I am so proud and happy that Tim was willing to do this with me! I feel it's so important to get his perspective, not just mine, because really it's something he has to deal with, too. 

I cannot believe the amazing amount of feedback there's been from the video since CF Living released it one week ago. The video has had over 300 likes, over 140 shares and over 50 comments! And that's just off of the one posted by CF Living! I've seen fellow CFers, co-workers, friends, family and people I don't even know, share the video on their Facebook & Twitter pages, which I appreciate so much - the more awareness of Cystic Fibrosis, the better!!! 

I never thought I'd have the opportunity to be a part of something like this, and when the chance came up there was NO way I could turn it down! THIS is exactly what I was looking for when I was going through my teenage years when I didn't want to accept CF as a part of my life. To read all of the comments about how I'm 'inspiring', 'motivating', calling me a 'role model', telling me that I 'give them hope' it's an unbelievably amazing feeling! 

I can't wait until the next four chapters (Work Life, Routine & Goals, Marriage & Family, and Exercise & Nutrition) are out because they each touch on their own subject and I think they'll spark a lot of great conversations. 

So without further ado, if you haven't seen it yet, or you'd like to watch it again, here's Chapter One: Meet Colleen.

A Day in the Life: Chapter 1, Meet Colleen