Ready to Fight

I've always been a pretty private person when it comes to talking about having Cystic Fibrosis. But as I'm hooked up to I.V.'s I have more time on my hands to write it all out. This is my first blog ever...here I go.

December is always a bittersweet time for me. A happy time because of all the giving, sparkly lights, holiday cheer, and my birthday! But at the same time these past years have always turned into me being on I.V. antibiotics which isn't too exciting. Friday night, the day before my birthday I went ice skating! Then I spent December 19th(my birthday) resting and feeling like poop. December 23rd my doctor told me it was time for I.V. antibiotics after my PFT's had dropped to 48% FEV1 and my chest x-ray was not looking too good. When I was in middle school my FEV1 was 90%. Due to frequent lung infections and lung damage caused by the disease my lungs have worsened over the years. A good explanation of what FEV1 is: Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second. This is the amount of air you can blow out in 1 second. This is the number, I am told, that is most relevant. When it falls below 30% it's time to start looking into a lung transplant.

After being on Cipro, an oral antibiotic, for two weeks and that wasn't working.... I.V.'s were the next step to get rid of the bugs in my lungs. The best example to describe what CF is like from day to day for me is if I told you to breathe with a straw in your mouth and visualize that mucinex commercial where the boogers are having a huge party in your chest. And when I get a bad lung infection its that times a whole jar of peanut butter in my chest. It hurts when I cough and the best way to breathe easier is to get the goodies up.

When I went to the hospital to have the PICC line(for long term I.V. use) put in, there was too much scar tissue from past I.V. use that the line wouldn't thread and they had to pull it out. So they went into my left arm and thankfully that worked. I was praying to everyone while lying there even Oprah and Tiger Woods, to please make the line thread to my heart. At least all of us got a good laugh. My boyfriend, Hunter, was such a trooper watching and holding my hand letting me know that it was going to be okay. Some of my CF friends have ports because of frequent I.V. use but I'm not going to lie as much as I've researched and know about it, I'm still scared to go that route. Maybe one day that will happen, but I'm not ready yet. So I will stick with PICC lines until the doctors tell me that I have no more good veins.

So, I'm on Colistin via I.V. and Merrem via I.V. and I've been really tired and it's been hard to breathe easily. The oxygen has been giving me some relief. My best friend Nicole came to visit today! That made my night. She brought Swedish Fish and Sour Patches for me to nosh on. She knows me well. For now, I'm just thinking positive thoughts of beaches and pina coladas and I'm hoping to feel better soon! Plus, I'll be praying for my friend Jess tonight who has CF. She is so strong and is on the lung transplant list. I hope she gets new lungs for the New Year.