I was actually looking for a good place to chime in with my similar news, I figure this is as good as any to add to the chain.
I was diagnosed at 4 months (I'm soon to be 27) and I've slowly had to fight recurring infections and such, a couple bad bouts with pneumonia, staph, pseudomonas, etc. Diagnosed I believe two years ago with bronchiectasis as well. I can absorb some food and for some reason extra enzymes never did the trick for me and kind of bothered me physically -- I am VERY fortunate in this (and other) regards as it simplifies my condition, at least mentally and emotionally.
I still could never really do what "normal" people could, and I think back on memories of, say, high school and not being able to fully appreciate how early on I was in my progression because I just didn't know how bad it was going to get (relatively, that is -- it seems like it can get SO much worse).
That said, a month ago I tried getting a refill on a prescription for TOBI because it was time to go back on, and the last of the few meds I could even safely take were ineffective (in this case Doxycycline, for what it's worth). There was apparently a gigantic misunderstanding with our new insurance prescription benefits company and I didn't get the medicine in time which was enough time for me to slip in what had to be the worst condition I'd felt I was in outside of a hospital. I always resist trips to go in and this time I was pretty much asking because it didn't seem like a sustainable thing to remain enduring what my little body was going through at the time.
I talked to my primary and my pulmonologist on Monday and the latter admitted me. I went on Azactam and Vancomycin and eventually was able to restart tobramycin on the back half of the stay and got out this afternoon. It may have been the finest day I've felt in all of my adult memory. I have to assume that I haven't felt this good since back in the high school days. This despite my CT scan even revealing a slightly worse (but consistent with age/progress of the condition) bronchiectasis. It was infection and colonization alone, somehow, that was ruling me, dragging me down. A dozen symptoms common to us all, greatly exacerbated.
Today I could take in more air. Today I felt lighter (and strangely, weighed nearly 10 more pounds!) and my first order of business after leaving the hospital doors was running down the parking lot and screaming to high heaven in the name of my freedom. Maybe the best day I ever had in my life as far as just feeling good on purely physical grounds. Everything feels small compared to this.
It was worth what I'll have to pay for having gone. It's a taste of normal, some "bought lost time" and I'll do whatever I can to keep it. If it does go, I will always remember today. This is all I wanted out of trials, though I have yet to be in any, is just this taste. (Thanks for the space to share!)
