In my last post, I wrote about my desire to find solid ground and above all, strength again. I wanted to update my blog to discuss what my journey has been like these past 6 months. Finally, I have found something solid to stand on, and I no longer feel like I'm bouncing up and down on a bungee cord. Let me explain: when Cystic Fibrosis is really kicking my booty, I sometimes feel helpless, like I'm suspended in mid-air by a bungee cord and plummeting toward the ground. In truth, I never really know if I'm going to hit the dirt, or bounce back and rise toward the sky again. It seems that each time I get sick and fall, the cord stretches a little more, and I'm left with that awful feeling of uncertainty. What if I hit the ground? What if this is it? Fortunately for me, I've always managed to bounce back after each drop.
I have been told many times over that exercise can be a huge benefit for the lungs of Cystic Fibrosis patients. Exercise helps to push air deep within the lungs, expanding them, and forcing mucus secretions out. Also, exercise can serve to strengthen the immune system. When I was feeling my worst and could barely breathe, my fiance helped me to get on the treadmill in our bedroom everyday. My lungs were on fire, burning with every step, but Hunter kept assuring me that it would get easier. He had enough faith for both of us. I'm not going to lie - just doing 2 minutes made my lungs hurt like hell, and exercising took a lot out of me. I threw up, I cried, but I made a promise to keep exercising a little more each day. In a way, maybe I did not want to let him down, and above all, myself. I became more focused, repeating the words over and over to myself, "it doesn't matter how fast you go, just keep going." With The Fray blasting on my MP3 player, my little 2-minute walk turned into a 5-minute walk, and in time, that 5-minute walk eventually became an hour-long cardio session. Months later, I found myself laughing through tears - not because of the pain - but because I was so relieved that I was able to do it. That slow, painful 2-minute walk that had me on the verge of tears was now a full-blown hour-long workout that left me feeling like Superwoman! I was ecstatic that I had come so far, and I never wanted to go back to feeling like I did just months prior. Hearing The Fray's song, "Run for Your Life," along with the words of my fiance, really helped light a fire inside me. I am so thankful to have Hunter's love, patience, and support. He makes me a better person everyday.
My pulmonary function test went from 36% FEV1 to 57% FEV1 in April. I was super excited, and exercise has continued to be a part of my daily regimen since then. I have been feeling like a badass, inside and out!
Come April, I had completed 3 miles on my treadmill! :)
Also, I have been going to The Salt Room in Orlando twice a week. The Salt Room is a more holistic way of treating my CF lungs. Dry, pharmaceutical grade salt is pumped into a room during a 45-minute session. Salt naturally has antibacterial properties, and I'm able to get tons of secretions up during my sessions. The Salt Room is like a car wash for my lungs! In patients with Cystic Fibrosis, our salt channels are messed up, causing abnormally thick mucus to build up in the airways of our lungs. Scientifically speaking, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is caused by the loss of functional CFTR Cl-channels on a cellular level. This defect disrupts salt and liquid movement in the airways of the lungs. The thick mucus makes it hard to breathe and leads to infections, lung damage, and clogged airways, as well as early death. The Salt Room has helped me to sleep better, get up more secretions easier, and has helped with my allergies as well. I'm hooked! :)
The room is covered in salt! Yum!
