Hello everyone,
My name is Peter jeffrey Makris. I am twenty seven years old and I have Cystic fibrosis, two copies of delta F508. I have been reasonably healthy for a large part of my life. I grew up healthy with the yearly visits to the hospital for my "clean-outs". I made myself sick for many years with drugs and alcohol for one reason or another. But I made it thru to the other side for now. I have been sober for three years in April 2013. My PFT's are close to normal. 98% or so and other than a cough and excess mucous production and the occasional wearing down from work, I live a normal life. I have a job I work 35-40 hours a week to maintain my apartment that I live in with my girlfriend. I am very grateful to my family and friends for supporting me for a long time. emotionally, and somewhat financially. It is hard raising children with CF. I understand that now. It was always so hard for me to even admit that I was in any way different than anyone else. But my days of wanting to live in the wilderness off of the land are over. Thats not for me. I have accepted that. I have accepted that there are some things in this world I should not do. Not only for my own sanity but for the people that love me as well.
People used to ask me in grade school if I was going to die, they still do. When are you going to die? they say. I dont know, when are you going to die? Ive read that someone born with CF in 1985 had a life expectancy of 25. I dont know if thats true but I feel as if I have surpassed my life expectancy. Maybe its the same way someone feels when they turn 100, like they've beaten the odds. I am going to live to be an old man. For some reason I know that, dont ask me why. I suppose I am more scared of growing old with CF than people without CF are. Oxygen, Drugs, Pain, Not Sleeping(Thats the worse) Coughing. God I hate coughing. Coughing symbolizes everything unhealthy about me. It reminds me once ive forgotten. I suppose thats why I hate it, a constant reminder I am living on borrowed time. That any day my PFT's could start plummeting and I could be hospitalized and die. Im actually kinda laughing as I wrote that, that doesnt scare me. What scares me is hurting the ones i love. Watching them watch me decline. Thats what scares me. Death to someone with CF is beautiful. Death is peace. I do not want death, I love life. For the first time in my life I am the man I was supposed to be. I just want to live as long as I can as healthy as i can. Thats my goal, and have as much fun as possible but aslo dealing with the responsibilities a man must deal with. Life isnt easy but who's is? People ask me what its like having CF, being sober, having to deal with everything. I say its like brushing your teeth. We all have to brush
our teeth if we want good hygiene. Well I have to do certain things everyday to remain healthy. It may take a little longer than brushing your teeth but its the same. Im just brushing my teeth. Any ways. I love all of you, I know none of you, but I love all of you. Thanks for reading my first blog ever. God bless
My name is Peter jeffrey Makris. I am twenty seven years old and I have Cystic fibrosis, two copies of delta F508. I have been reasonably healthy for a large part of my life. I grew up healthy with the yearly visits to the hospital for my "clean-outs". I made myself sick for many years with drugs and alcohol for one reason or another. But I made it thru to the other side for now. I have been sober for three years in April 2013. My PFT's are close to normal. 98% or so and other than a cough and excess mucous production and the occasional wearing down from work, I live a normal life. I have a job I work 35-40 hours a week to maintain my apartment that I live in with my girlfriend. I am very grateful to my family and friends for supporting me for a long time. emotionally, and somewhat financially. It is hard raising children with CF. I understand that now. It was always so hard for me to even admit that I was in any way different than anyone else. But my days of wanting to live in the wilderness off of the land are over. Thats not for me. I have accepted that. I have accepted that there are some things in this world I should not do. Not only for my own sanity but for the people that love me as well.
People used to ask me in grade school if I was going to die, they still do. When are you going to die? they say. I dont know, when are you going to die? Ive read that someone born with CF in 1985 had a life expectancy of 25. I dont know if thats true but I feel as if I have surpassed my life expectancy. Maybe its the same way someone feels when they turn 100, like they've beaten the odds. I am going to live to be an old man. For some reason I know that, dont ask me why. I suppose I am more scared of growing old with CF than people without CF are. Oxygen, Drugs, Pain, Not Sleeping(Thats the worse) Coughing. God I hate coughing. Coughing symbolizes everything unhealthy about me. It reminds me once ive forgotten. I suppose thats why I hate it, a constant reminder I am living on borrowed time. That any day my PFT's could start plummeting and I could be hospitalized and die. Im actually kinda laughing as I wrote that, that doesnt scare me. What scares me is hurting the ones i love. Watching them watch me decline. Thats what scares me. Death to someone with CF is beautiful. Death is peace. I do not want death, I love life. For the first time in my life I am the man I was supposed to be. I just want to live as long as I can as healthy as i can. Thats my goal, and have as much fun as possible but aslo dealing with the responsibilities a man must deal with. Life isnt easy but who's is? People ask me what its like having CF, being sober, having to deal with everything. I say its like brushing your teeth. We all have to brush
our teeth if we want good hygiene. Well I have to do certain things everyday to remain healthy. It may take a little longer than brushing your teeth but its the same. Im just brushing my teeth. Any ways. I love all of you, I know none of you, but I love all of you. Thanks for reading my first blog ever. God bless