Can someone give me some reasons

[anonymous]

I agree with Steve, i do not have CF but my daughter does, there are times that i get really depressed because i worry about my childs future and her health, she is only 9 years old and a big inspiration to me, she is so positive and i pray that she always stays positive. Steve, what an inspiration your reply was for me, something that i needed to hear, as a mother and one that is constantly worrying about my daughter and her CF. I pray that the next time i get depressed i will think about what you said.

I also watched the House episode and it made me think about my daughter and how i know that she would live for me. She often tells me that she can't wait to see Jesus and the Golden streets in Heaven, she has such a positive and spiritual outlook on life and loves living. What an INSPIRATION !!!!!!

I am not an athiest and truly believe in the Lord.

Kaitsmom<img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[ccflewallen]

To me, everyone needs to find a purpose for life. To simply exist is not good enough for me, whether I have CF or not. I had to realize that it's not all about me and cf and death, etc. I had to find something or somebody else to live for. Anyone who just tries to live for themselves will fall short because we have to many imperfections. Everybody has SOMETHING wrong. Just look around. We are really not in the minority as far as people with diseases or conditions go. It is so easy to focus on myself sometimes and think that I just got a bad deal in life and its just not fair. But when I start to talk to other people and find out that maybe someone doesnt have cf, but they were abused. Maybe they dont have cf, but maybe there is no one that loves them, maybe their mom or best friend has very terminal cancer. Anyway, I just have had to train myself not to be so worried and concerned for my health and other issues, and to just look ahead and try to find things to enjoy, people to encourage, and other positive people to encourage and motivate me and me them. Best of luck, sincerely,

ccflewallen

 

[anonymous]

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[TCNJcystic]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr>Anyone who just tries to live for themselves will fall short because we have to many imperfections.<hr></blockquote>

I strongly disagree. I can't even put into words how wrong that statement is. I am not sure why you would even say it, your genuine opinion or not, in a topic where the original poster is looking for encouragement.

The theme of your post was generally positive, which I highly appreciate, but that one sentence just really throws me off. Telling people that we are so full of imperfections that when they are completely acknowledged would mean we were better off dead (or whatever you implied by the haunting phrase "fall short") is not a positive tone to be setting. Nor is it a correct statement.

I'm sorry, I can't even explain any further right now because my mind is so boggled by the fact that someone would even just come out and say something like that.

Sorry to be rude and throw off the vibe of the topic, but I just needed to say something. Don't mean to cause drama.

 

[anonymous]

I don't think the poster meant a person who lives for himself would be "better off dead" but rather that such a person will "fall short" of finding a "purpose for life," however you want to take that. But I could be wrong.

Q

 

[pedalup]

I do not have c/f, but my 23 year old bro does. he is my only sibling and quite frankly he is not doing good. besides not feeling good at all, it seems there is a black flag over him, and he just can not get away.. his car is falling apart, he doesn't have the money to fix because he gets dissability and it barely covers the rent and the car payment and food and medicine, (what insurance doesn't cover)and he has disassociated himself from the entire family. he doesn't want anybody to call him , visit him. he is extremely depressed and sleeps half the day. i havent seen him in two years. the reason i want to live a good life is because he can not, and i feel that i am healthy so i can not give up even though my life has not been the best either, but compared to his, it is great. i ride my bike a lot and it reduces stress tremendously for me, it is my drug and keeps me going. you have to get into some sort of extracurricular activity wether it be crocheting, or swimming . because believe me, you will feel better, sorry thats all i can suggest.

 

[anonymous]

"they might be sad for a while, but they'll get on with their lives weather i'm alive or not" I don't know how to do the quote thing, so I just copied this from Mockingbird.

Anyhow...yes, "they" will get on with their lives, but they won't be sad for "a while" they will be sad forever even if forever is 50 or more years!!! I lost my brother due to other reasons than CF and I still miss him every day of my life...that was over 17 years ago. I still cry all the time because of his loss.<b>Text</b>

So, don't think that it is that simple....please enjoy your life and please do remember that your loved ones will suffer, especially if you take the attitude that your life will be shortened (sp??) because they will always wonder what they could have done to not make you think that way...hope this makes sense...anyway, please all hang in there....I hope my cf child will.<img src="i/expressions/angel_ani.gif" border="0"><img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[WinAce]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Anonymous</b></i><br>I was wondering if someone could give me some reasons to think that life is worth living?<hr></blockquote>

Dunno if it'll help you, but for what it's worth, this is one of my favorite poems (and always lifts my mood, somewhat):

<b><i>Is Life Worth Living?</i> by Alfred Austin</b>

<i>"IS life worth living? Yes, so long
As there is wrong to right,
Wail of the weak against the strong,
Or tyranny to fight;
Long as there lingers gloom to chase,
Or streaming tear to dry,
One kindred woe, one sorrowing face
That smiles as we draw nigh;
Long as a tale of anguish swells
The heart, and lids grow wet,
And at the sound of Christmas bells
We pardon and forget;
So long as Faith with Freedom reigns,
And loyal Hope survives,
And gracious Charity remains
To leaven lowly lives;
While there is one untrodden tract
For Intellect or Will,
And men are free to think and act
Life is worth living still..."</i>

 

[JazzysMom]

What an awesome Poem WinAce. Thanks for sharing it!

 

[anonymous]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Anonymous</b></i><br> I don't see why I should bother doing treatments if it is just prolonging the evident. <hr></blockquote>


the number one cause of death is life. it is inevitable for everyone not just us with cf, so why not enjoy the short time we have here on earth before reaching eternity, whatever it may be. cf isn't necessarily what is going to kill us anyways...could be a car crash, skydiving accident, etc. i think the best way to go about thinking is just that way, not that cf will kill you, but something totally random and unexpected. that's how i approach life.

s

 

[WinAce]

Unfortunately, CF can not only kill you, it can <i>take away your life</i>. As far as I'm concerned, there's a world of difference.

 

[anonymous]

if you dwell on death then you are missing out on so much of life. i used to think about dying young all the time, thought i'd be dead by 21. now i'm 27 and my point of view has changed. it would have been easy to think myself to death, i could just get to thinking about all the negatives of cf and be sick and in the hospital a week or two later. now every morning i wake up is the most amazing day for the simple fact that i am still alive. no matter how crappy i feel that day or how many things go wrong it could always be worse. for 13 years i had been in the hospital every 3 months, 4 times a year. i was in 1 time so far this year for about 4 days and don't see any reason to go back in in the near future. the only thing that has changed is my mental outlook.

s

 

[cheynne]

Rockstars have always lived short, intensive lives which many of us envy. They might not see fifty or sixty because of their hard living, but we all know that when they did live, they shined. I think of Cystic Fibrosis in much the same way. We might not live as long as normal people, but while we do, we outshine them all. I have tried to apply this Rock ?n Roll philosophy to my life, with much success. Lives are judged by the great experiences felt, not the days passed. When I think of life like that, I realize that in my short life I have experienced things most wouldn?t in a dozen full, mediocre lives. I might have a chronic cough. I might be skinny. I might only see my friends every second or third weekend.. But my life is worth it. I've accepted my disease. And I believe that all of us should try live the same way. To take advantage of our condition, rather than have it take advantage of us.

I have applied this philosophy for most of my life, and have found that many people are more than willing to give people such as ourselves a 'good time'. Our disease is debilitating - we all know it - so why shouldn't we take advantage of EVERYTHING we can, while we can? I've done some stuff that normal people have never even dreamed of doing - simply because people know that I want to live life to the full. I know our disease is one of the worst, and I know that all of us - in someway or another - have had our lives impacted by the treatment and/or sickness. It took me a long time to work up the courage to to tell the truth to my friends when I went into hospital. I now go in every 3 months for two weeks, but I still go out and live life.

http://www.cflivin.com/stories.html <--- for people who have tried to live life regardless of their condition.

 

[anonymous]

The rock-star story arc seems a pretty sad one to me. The cult of youth and of dying young might be romantic by definition, but for my money, I'd rather have the next guy go out in a self-destructive blaze of glory while I live to reflect on how poignant it was.

Q

 

[WinAce]

Haha, no kidding. Plus, rock stars don't particularly suffer from debilitating surgeries, toxic side effects of medical treatment, inability to eat without having to poke yourself in the stomache first, tedious treatments that take 1/3 of your waking hours, chronic exhaustion, being tethered to an oxygen tank...

 

[ihatecf]

I agree with the anonymous poster, sometimes I fail to find a reason for living, but I just go on with my life. I only live for one person who is jesus. I just dont want to go to hell...

 

[Lilith]

Aw, but all the fun people are in hell!! (J/K...I know, I have a sick sense of humor ^_^)

Anyway, when I made my last post on this forum I felt depressed too, and pretty much like sh**. But now I'm feeling a lot better. Why? I can't really say except that I've been going out with friends, hanging with my boyfriend a lot more, and doing what I love to do; draw and write. Plus, it helps to go out to your local cafe and watch the people who whine and complain about how hard they have it while they're perfectly normal. And you listen to what they complain about and it's the smallest, most insignificant thing, and you just want to go up and slap them. But then you think about it and it just makes you laugh because you suddenly realize that you're a much stronger person than the majority of the population.

Well, at least that's a big part of what helped me. Besides, my mantra is "It's not how long you live, but what you do in your life that counts." I still believe that, and now I've got the motivation I need to start working out again and doing my treatments like I should. Like pretty much everyone else has said, you're going to die from something someday, anyway. Live it up while you can and don't waste your time being miserable. It's okay to feel that way once in a while, but there's no point in staying upset. Life goes on. Just go out and watch some stupid shallow people. You'll feel a lot better ^_^

 

[anonymous]

Dear Original Poster
I know that you said you wanted God left out of this, well for me that is difficult,seeing that God gave you life. Yes you have life with CF in it. I know alot of you will think that this is easy for me to say because i am not the one with CF. I would trade places with my daughter in a heartbeat!!! No i do not know what it is like having CF but i know how i feel as a parent and every day worrying about my child. Everyone of us has a reason for living even though there are times when we feel down and wonder when we are going to die, We are all going to leave this world one day and like others have said it may not be CF that takes your life.
I can only hope and pray that my daughter never thinks about why she should live. I hope that she will enjoy the life that she was given and the blessings that have come her way. I hope that her reasons for wanting to live is to beat CF and spread the Word of God. I know noone wants to hear about God but as a Christian, it is our jobs to teach others about the Word.
There are so many people in this world with different problems and illnesses and some that i have met that have really had it rough, and some that have experienced the Love of God in their lives and are truly happy despite what trials they have been through, because they know that God is always with them.
There have been so really negative responses to your topic and i find that very sad because we all need positive influences in our lives and during those times of difficulties so i hope that you do listen to the positive replies and look for happiness in everything.

Kaitsmom<img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[anonymous]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>WinAce</b></i><br>Haha, no kidding. Plus, rock stars don't particularly suffer from debilitating surgeries, toxic side effects of medical treatment, inability to eat without having to poke yourself in the stomache first, tedious treatments that take 1/3 of your waking hours, chronic exhaustion, being tethered to an oxygen tank...<hr></blockquote>

you ever seen that one skit they do on saturday night live called "debbie downer"? you remind me of her.

and in regards to living like a rock star, that's kinda the way i look at it. i'm not self destructive or irresponsible like one. i tend to walk around with a little arrogance, my head held high and with a smile on my face because i feel like my life is better in so many ways than a lot of people i see out in public. all i see are people running to and fro without ever looking to the sky and realizing what a beautiful day it is, or how nice the sunset is. everyone is in such a hurry to make their next appointment, speeding in and out of lanes cutting people off, working 80 hours a week. by the time they slow down their life is already 75% over and they have missed so many opportunities because the focus was not on what is important. i realize what is important because i had to face things as a child that most only face later in life. this disease has given me way more than it has ever taken away or will take away in the future.

s

 

[anonymous]

Thanks for your replies, this is the original poster. I appreciate your veiws. I do like I said believe in God but when you believe in God you believe in Heaven. If you believe in Heaven you know that there is no pain or suffering there. No tears, no sickness or disease. Call me selfish, CF is not going to be beat within my life why wouldn't I rather be there then here?

I don't have a significant other in my life, I live off my parents and I am about killing myself physically trying to get though school. I am having a hard time even wanting to do my treatments. I am full of guilt because the people who love me are so frustrated with me because they don't feel like I take care of myself.

I don't want to be alive to keep other people happy. I don't want to do my treatments only because I know others will be hurt if I don't. I do have good and bad days. Some days when I forget I am sick or if I don't feel like my entire body is going to fall off because it hurts so bad, I find a little bit of joy in my day. Then after a while, when I am thinking about it, and I realize what a good day feels like, it makes me sadder because they are so few and far between. I want to wake up and feel good, not in pain, not with always having to do a treatment over my head, not having pain just by walking because my body is falling apart.

I am not saying I am suicidal because I wouldn't do that to the people I love but it would be nice not to have to be in this pain.

Thanks again. Winace. I liked your poem.