W
welshwitch
Guest
I definitely agree with a lot of what has been said. There IS no way to quantify that eternal question "How long will I live?" I have been struggling w. that question for TOOOOO long....
One thing that has really helped me is gaining some sort of control over my CF. I really didn't start to engage in any of the real treatments besides pills until last year. I found out that the treatments really do actually work and that I have some sort of power over this. It was really great to do that and to stop feeling the helpless "there is nothing I can do, this disease will get me eventually anyway so there is no point."
The main idea is, there is ALWAYS something you can be doing. I feel healthier than ever and I know deep in my heart that I have quite a few years in front of me before things start to go downhill, if they ever do. My Dr. made the point that if things continue to go this well, I could have a normal lifespan. However, this is something that I refuse to take as a ticket to normalcy and that I don't have to earn it. There is NO WAY I can continue at this rate w. out continuing to work my butt off.
At the same time, I need to respect CF and the fact that a lot of people (including some that I knew) didn't make it this long. Some kids I know w.CF that I used to play with died in their early 20s. So I know that no matter what attitude you choose to take, the harsh reality, the "numbers" as NYCLawGirl said, are true. As much as I would like to think, it isn't just for fundraising.
It is about choice. You can choose to live your life optimistically, or you can choose to live it in fear. I am slowly learning to get rid of the fear and face whatever it is I have to face. Your daughter will to. Much luck to both of you.
One thing that has really helped me is gaining some sort of control over my CF. I really didn't start to engage in any of the real treatments besides pills until last year. I found out that the treatments really do actually work and that I have some sort of power over this. It was really great to do that and to stop feeling the helpless "there is nothing I can do, this disease will get me eventually anyway so there is no point."
The main idea is, there is ALWAYS something you can be doing. I feel healthier than ever and I know deep in my heart that I have quite a few years in front of me before things start to go downhill, if they ever do. My Dr. made the point that if things continue to go this well, I could have a normal lifespan. However, this is something that I refuse to take as a ticket to normalcy and that I don't have to earn it. There is NO WAY I can continue at this rate w. out continuing to work my butt off.
At the same time, I need to respect CF and the fact that a lot of people (including some that I knew) didn't make it this long. Some kids I know w.CF that I used to play with died in their early 20s. So I know that no matter what attitude you choose to take, the harsh reality, the "numbers" as NYCLawGirl said, are true. As much as I would like to think, it isn't just for fundraising.
It is about choice. You can choose to live your life optimistically, or you can choose to live it in fear. I am slowly learning to get rid of the fear and face whatever it is I have to face. Your daughter will to. Much luck to both of you.