Be positive!

[CFHockeyMom]

Ok, there's been a lot of negativity around here recently so I'm hoping this will help change directions...

To the CF Adults,

What are some of your biggest accomplishments/things you are most proud of?

The reason I ask is that I would like to pass these stories on to my CFer. He's going into 4th grade this year and is worried about being the "shortest kid in 4th grade" even though that's not really the case. Whenver he gets down about CF I'd like to share some of your accomplishments with him so he knows that anything is possible (even if he's the shortest kid in 4th grade <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> ).

Thanks.

 

[Purplelungs]

My greatest accomplishments to date and I am most proud of is my marriage. I am so very much in love...and everyone said in the beging about our relationship that it was just young puppy love...then we got married and they said it was the honeymoon stage...I have to say three years later we havent changed. We have gone through alot together and know we will go through alot more. We never fight...sure we get aggrivated at each other but who doesnt. My husband has a good job, sure he doesnt like it sometimes but he likes the people he works with. He is very responsible and loving (even though he doesnt like to show emotion to anyone but me he is the kindest person I know. We own a house at a young age of 22 and 23, we have a "son" our dachshund....Sure we are living through hard times, live pay check to pay check...where everyone else would be freaking out (they do say finaces and sickness is the top reason for marital problems)...we are doing great. Where everyone else our age is still in college, or out partying, getting drunk 3-4 times a week...have no thoughts of settling down anytime soon, enjoying the "game"....we are very happy. I am very proud to be married to the man I am and the life he has provided for us.
I am also proud of a internet support group I put together, no not this one hehe. I started one day because I was bored and just had what i thought at the time impossible hopes that people would come to it and maybe we could help each other. Today it had grown, many people are there and we have all helped each other out. Sure like this one people dont get along, we have arguments. But for me if I could have just helped one person know that there is more to a cf life than just hospitals and doctors, its just great. I dont mean to sound coinceded on that but it is heart warming to know people are coming together and helping each other out.

 

[CFHockeyMom]

Thanks Purple.

My husband and I also got an early start (19ish) and much like you owned our own home by the time we were 23 so I know exactly what kind of an accomplishment that is. It's refreshing to see someone as responsible as you and your husband.

Good luck to you and thanks for the reply. It's certainly something I'll be sharing with both my boys!

 

[JazzysMom]

My daughter is my proudest accomplishment. Not only is she gorgious, but she is a very kind hearted child. A little bragging there! I also am proud of my work history even tho physically I am no longer able to do it. I have never held a job that I did half assed. Of course my husband and home rank up there to. We see so many people that argue all the time.

 

[roblake29]

I like this...
Biggest accomplishment: Running the London Marathon in April... and actually being pissed off not getting under 4 hours and deciding to run at least 2 more so that I achieve my goal!!!!
Oh, and Claudette, I was also one of the shortest kids in my class for most of childhood... and now Im 6 ft 3. The bullies have begun apologising!

Rob 24 wcf

 

[serendipity730]

Claudette,
I would say I have 3 proudest accomplishments. I graduated Salutatorian of my HS class. Now, I am in my 2nd year of graduate school, another thing I am greatly proud of. And, next summer, I am going to get married, which seems like an accomplishment, cause I was always really shy around guys! But, to put things in perspective, being a kid with CF was much more difficult than being an adult with CF. I hated having to go to the nurse to get meds, and generally just felt different. So, tell Sean to hang in there! We are all routing for him!!

 

[JazzysMom]

I remember in 9th grade that my "goal" for that year was to get perfect attendance. Noone understood why that was a big deal to me. I mean NO ONE!. I did it & 22 years later I still have the certificate to be proud of!

 

[Beth]

My sister went for the perfect attendance thing also. She made them put off a surgery so that she could do it.

 

[lovingBenandCambree]

I have to say that I have many great accomplishments that I am very proud of. Top though are my daughter and my husband. They are such amazing people and I am proud to be a part of their lives. Second, is my bachelors in psychology where I spoke at my graduation. That was an awesome accomplishment. I never thought I would ever speak in front of that many people. It truly was an honor. I hope that your son always sets his goals high and never lets anyone tell him he can't do something. My brother also has CF and he is taller than my husband<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Also when he was in the 7th grade he ran the mile the fastest in his grade. That was a great accomplishment for him. He is a teacher now, is married and has beautiful twin boys. I believe that nothing is out of reach if you dream big enough!

Emilee with 2 E's

 

[Diane]

I have done a lot that i am proud of, ( and some i am ashamed of) but i guess the one thing that stands out to me is ........i had two dreams in my life that i wanted to accomplish thinking i wouldnt live to see either. One was to have the big fairytail wedding all little girls dream of, and the other was....i wanted a loud, obnoxious ,bad to the bone ,muscle car. Well i got married at 28 to the man of my dreams but it didnt work out. Things got bad and we divorced 6 years later. To make the car story short i got a car i liked and thought had potential after i got b.cepacia and built it into the car of my dreams. I am now in a muscle car club and compete in shows and i also am a judge in our club shows. I recently ran into my ex husband after 8 years of being apart, and he saw my car and said he admired me for having a dream and following thru with it. He also apologized for all the wrong he had done in our marriage, and THAT was a huge defining moment for me.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[SeasonsOfLove]

This is the easiest question ever - for me, it's Coll! <img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0">

 

[letsrockcfem]

wow I like this one....I'm probably one of the most positive people I know. Always smiling and having fun..so here are a few accomplishments that I love!

I play drums in my band Hellen that we started about a year ago..we thought we'd maybe play a gig in like 1-2 years because none of us had ever played our instruments before..well New Years Eve rolled around and after 3 months of being an actual band we played our first show. It was at one of the most reputible venues in the Detroit music scene. Since then we have played at almost all of the rock clubs here and are heading into the studio to put out a demo this month...We play almost every weekend and that's something I thought I'd never do..(next I gotta get smoking banned in Detroit bars!!)

The other is my Just Let Me Breathe Benefit concert I do each year for CF....it's a night of great Detroit music (my band, my bro's band and 1-2 of my favorites here), a silent auction and a lot of other stuff. I plan it all from the booking to the auction, getting the flyers and t-shirts designed and printed and getting the bands on and off stage. This is my favorite thing to do, in 2 years I've raised close to $20,000 for CF research...I'm already planning my next one and I'm moving it forward because I'm so excited!
Emily
23 pwcf

 

[CFHockeyMom]

These are some fabulous accomplishments!

I read these to Sean today, his 9th B-day <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> , and he thought they were way cool.

Thanks everyone for helping me teach Sean there's more to CF than being short!

BTW... Here are a couple of Sean's "greatest" accomplishments (according to Sean)...

- Running a half mile in four minutes
- Playing travel hockey
- Being good at taking care of himself (i.e. he takes his meds and does his breathers like he's supposed to)
- Not being afraid of "pokes" anymore

Thanks again.

 

[ClashPunk82]

I think for me my biggest accomplishment was going to college and becoming a Surgical Technician. It was a nine month program but everyday I would get up at quarter to 5 and be gone until 4 that afternoon. I would be in the operating room all day. It was the most fun experience ever. I graduated and right after I was looking for a job but got really really sick and alsmot died and ever since then I am sick so often I wouldn't be able to hold down a job. I would love to go back to that but although i can't I am proud of myself for making it through and doing great with it.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Academically / professionally = graduating HS with a 4.0 GPA. Getting into my first choice school (not the easiest school to get into), and making Dean's List more than once. Getting a summer job at the American School for the Deaf so that I can spend some time working in my field. Being welcomed back the following summer without them giving it a second thought. I also have an invite to work there again next summer.

Personally = being fairly responsible. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't drink and drive. I drive carefully without too many major incidents. I don't let my friends drink and drive. I tell Mike if he's ever out at night, drunk, and wants to come home, even it's it's 4:00 am, to give me a call. And he does. I am a neat freak, and some people think it's creepy, but I like it. I do laundry and fold it and put it away neatly. I keep things clean. I'm organized. I do Mike's laundry for him while he's at work. I've been helping him try to lose weight by making him dinners to take with him to work every night, so that he doesn't eat McD's or whatever garbage he comes across.

Emotionally / mentally = hmm... Quitting cutting myself (almost a year now woo). Finding my Mike and still being with him (it'll be two years on the 11th), knowing that we're going to stay together. The fact that his whole family seems to like and accept me as their soon-to-be (within a few years) relative. Hell, they already treat me like family.

I guess that's enough. I don't want to sound like I'm too full of myself. Hahaha. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

 

[anonymous]

As of right now my biggest acomplishment has been earning my Associate's Degree. It took me four years to earn due to illness and frequent hospital stays. I kept at it though. Now I am attending the university that I have been wanting since I was 10 years old.

-Sunnie 24 w/CF

 

[anonymous]

I am sooo proud of my 19 year old daughter who has CF. She completed her higher school certificate, became a qualified swim insrtuctor, has got every job on her own merit. Part-time in retail, trained then secured job as swim inst and now works 4 full days in a government office. I am soooo very proud of her!! She recently climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge with her 72 year old Nan. She has been a guest speaker at 3 CF events of which her Dad and I were sooo proud. She has been told she heightened more awareness and funds in her few minutes of speaking than the organisers could have done in the year it took to put the event together. I know it is not easy for her, she has only recently gone from 5 days to 4 work as she was in hospital often and getting tired. I must admit it broke my heart that she had to cut back on hrs at only 19 years of age but we just never know with CF and have to go with what is happening with her health at the time. I Love her so very much, feel so much for her but can never know what she goes thru. Although mixing with others with CF is no longer allowed, I am glad she has formed friendships over the years and can share with others by email, text, phone or whatever in times of need.
You all do a great job, it cannot be easy to work hard everyday trying to maintain your health along with everything else in life.
Nicole,
I sincerely hope your health improves and you can get back to what you love. I can't imagine what it is like to have it taken off you even tho you were doing all the right things. Depending on how you feel, it must be like a kick in the guts and take alot of positivity to cope. I think it is good to allow times to feel jacked off, have a cry, shout or whatever and then it is easier to cope afterwards rather than keep it all in.

Best wishes to everyone.
Nene

 

[anonymous]

Rob, I am in the same boat as u. I have c/f and I am 33 years old. My name is Linda and I like u believe we can accomplish anything a normal healthy person can. I like working out and running also. I think the reason I am so healthy is because I excercise. I also found the right meds that work for me. Sometimes less is more!

 

[anonymous]

You can check out other notable cf'ers on this web site: <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/normap/CF.htm">http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/normap/CF.htm</a>