Dear Self,
Stop apologizing for being sick. Stop apologizing for the coughs that you can’t control. Stop apologizing to waiters for the strict diet you follow so you can maintain as much health as possible. Stop apologizing for the missed appointments and canceled plans. You can’t control these things, and they don’t make you any less of a person.
You know what you are doing an amazing job at? Staying alive, staying healthy and enjoying life to the max potential. You are strong. Look at you breathing and stuff. It’s time to let go of the fears of being judged for wearing a face mask in public, for applying for a handicap parking sticker and it’s time to embrace the strength that you have. You need to remember that you are strong.
Dear CF family,
Please know that you are ENOUGH! Actually, scratch that… you are MORE than enough. You work harder than most people will ever know. When your lungs fail you, and you have to focus all of your energy on the inhale… you are doing so much. When you are unable to walk, think of the strength it takes to just make it through the day. When you have to sit through medical procedures and endure true trauma, you stay with it and grow.
If you ever have a moment where you feel alone, and that you are incapable of greatness, remember your strength. Living with Cystic Fibrosis is not an easy task, it is often painful and isolating, but in that suffering there is unfathomable strength. You have been gifted a life filled with challenge, because YOU can endure – but more than that, you can thrive through the difficulty and change the world for the better.
The world needs more people who have suffered. Because we see pain in others, and by looking through the veil of hardship we can see the light at a magnitude that most will never comprehend. We can hold space for others, because we understand what it means to feel alone. We can find love when others might only find pain. We are gifted these challenges, because we are here to learn and help others.
Help Others Live STRONGER and LONGER-
Ashlee is 28 years old and lives in Reno, Nevada and is a past Grant Recipient of multiple CFLF Recreation Grants. She is a yoga teacher and enjoys spreading knowledge on health and wellness. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to her at ashleecmcdougall@gmail.com
***Views expressed in the CFLF Blog are those of the bloggers themselves and not necessarily of the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation***
***Please speak with your physician before making any changes to your CF management***
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