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"Different"

For years I've always been open about having Cystic Fibrosis. I've never kept it a secret; in fact it's something I usually mention not long into a conversation with someone. People always ask me why I'm so open about having CF, and what it's like to be different. That word "different," is such an important word.

A Day To Remember

World Trade Center

Yesterday, September 11th, I could not help but feel a bit eerie about flying from Charlotte, NC following our Dancing For CF event to Boston to plan for our STROLO and KnockOut CF events, and land in the very airport where two flights had left that would result in this country's greatest devastation.  

Why I Run

As a kid my nickname was “horse legs.” But I actually took it as a compliment for two reasons. One, I was completely infatuated with horses; collecting statues, posters, stickers and drawing pictures of them in my school notebooks constantly.

Every Breath Is A Gift

I teach yoga and I have cystic fibrosis. Why would someone do something that revolves around breathing when that’s the one thing that they struggle with? I ask myself this question before every single yoga class I teach. I get apprehensive about teaching and instructing people to breathe when its something I have the most trouble with.

Swim to Live

Watching the U.S. Olympic swimmers, breaking world records and winning gold medals these past few weeks has been inspiring. They have demonstrated skill, discipline, perseverance and spirit. To quote Michael Phelps: “I wouldn’t say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it.” 

Strength and Struggle

Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. ~ Oprah Winfrey

Body image and self-love have always been difficult for me. I was born with meconium ileus, a bowel obstruction and the earliest clinical manifestation of cystic fibrosis. I had 15 different abdominal surgeries in a 2-year time period. Needless to say, I have a heck of a scar!

Don’t Call Me The C-Word: Achieving Balance By Defining Yourself

If someone had asked me 10 years ago to write a blog post having anything to do with Cystic Fibrosis, I would have sworn out loud, hung up the phone, and burned any written correspondence in the sink.

Everything I know about CF, I learned from my dog

Eight years ago my life took a huge turn. I had just graduated from college and was at a place where I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with the “rest of my life.” It was around this same time that I was getting sick a lot, and the time between being sick and on oral antibiotics was getting shorter and shorter. I knew that in order to improve my health I needed to be exercising more and taking better care of myself. Through a friend I heard about some puppies that were looking for homes and instantly grew attached to the idea of getting one. 

Exercising For Energy

Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that has a wide variety of unseen symptoms that is so drastically different from patient to patient. Not only are the symptoms drastically different, but the treatment plans are equally as diverse. What works wonders for one CF patient may do nothing for another. Something that does universally improve life, for anyone with or without CF, is exercise. Having a healthy body is the first step to a healthy life, which is why it is so important to stay active. 

Always on the Move

I am surrounded by athletes. Most of my friends and family members participate in some form of physical activity every day. That includes my parents, who are in their seventies, and still walk over two miles around their neighborhood every morning!

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