CTdigitalPhotog
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<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><br>I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at about the age of4 ( 1964 ) mainly for digestion problems. Fortunately my lungs were pretty clear.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">At that time they used electrical " sweat test " methods etc.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">My grandparents and parents were told at that time " Eric probably won't see Elementary School age "<img alt=":" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/resources/core/images/cry.png" width="25" height="25"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">At this particular time in my life, my parents were divorced and I stayed with my grandparents while my mother worked and lived out of town.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I call these years of CF Medication the " DARK AGES " because all they had at that time to treat CF digestion problems was a " stinky " white powder which came in a large plastic jar. It was also " horrible " tasting as well. And it was expensive.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">My grandmother would have to mix the " stinky " powder with chocolate syrup and milk and I would have to drink it.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I had to take this nasty stuff before each meal.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">When I was school age, I would have to go to my teacher and she would give me the bottle of powder and chocloate syrup that I would add to at lunch time.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">Although my lungs were pretty clear, I also still had to use a " nebulizer " and at that time it was a large heavy silver " noisy " piece of equipment with a small plastic hose on one end going into nebulizer and the other end was connected to a plastic mask which covered my nose and mouth ( kind of like an ambulance uses on you to give you oxygen )<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I used the nebulizer about 2 times a day.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">As part of therapy, my grandfather would " pat " me on the back several times at each therapy to try to " loosen " any mucus in my lungs and help bring it up so I could cough it out.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">My grandfather even hand built a curved board so i could lay over it ( top was covered with soft carpet ) while he or my grandmother patted my back for therapy.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">A coupleyears later, a " MIST TENT " was developed to help CF patients ( many children ) sleep better at night.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I was one of the 1st CF patients to " TEST TRY" the Mist Tent inYale New Haven Hospital in New Haven , CT around 1965 or 1966.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The MIST TENT was a largepiece of plastic which has a " zippered " part which would cover the top of the bed , then over the CF Patient to about waist level.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The MIST TENT ( do Google Search for photos anddescription ) was hooked up to a large NOISY " compressor " that pumped air into aseperate water tank that was placed on table near my bed<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">that was filled with enough water to make a " mist " to keep my lungs clear and moist so I couldbreathe during the night.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I tested this MIST TENT for a week in the hospital. During which the doctors in the CF clinic also conducted daily BLOOD TESTS and SALIVA TESTS which I hated the worst !<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">They had a smallpiece of plastic that was put in your mouth I believe under the tongue and it had a small plastic tube attached to catch the saliva. To make me salivate, they put LEMON JUICE on the plastic piece which I HATED.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I was only about 6 or 7 years old at the time and to be alone in the hospital was a bit un-nerving. Everyone was always nice to me, but I HATED those blood tests !<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I got to the point sometimes when I saw the doctors coming with the needles, I would " HIDE " on them for awhile ! LOL<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">When I got home from the hospital, I recieved a MIST TENT for my own. My grandfather set it up in my bedroom next to my bed. He even designed a WOODEN PADDED BOX to keep the noise and " vibration " down from the compressor.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The hospital and CF Doctors eventually " discontinued " the use of the " MIST TENT " because some CF patients would catch " pneumonia " when they woke up " WET " in the morning .<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The " MIST " made by the compressor during the night would cause your hair, pillow and bed sheets to be WET from all the moisture .<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">At the age of 9, my mother remarried and I went to live with her and my step-father.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">My overall health was good for my adolescent and high school years but I was always " noticeably " UNDERWEIGHT due to the CF.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The only thing I DID NOT LIKE is that my step-father " SMOKED " around me both cigarettes and pipes.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I kind of resent my mother for letting him do this around me knowing I have CF.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">During my adolescent and high school years they finally developed digestive medication in the form of " capsules " which I usually took about 3 or 4 capsules of Pancreas then Cotazyme digestive medication before each meal and snack.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">Since I was always " UNDERWEIGHT " in school, my CF doctors would always encourage me to drink carnation instant breakfast drinks, milkshakes, etc to help gain weight.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">While growing up under the care of my mother and step-father , my step-father would always " PUSH " me to make sure I was like a " regular " kid and had me walk down the street a few blocks to buy groceries at local convenience stores, climb high stairs at parks or amusement parks, etc.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I never enjoyed sports in elementary, junior high or high school because I was small in stature and underweight so I never developed an interest or desire to play or watch any sports.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">At about the time of my high school years I felt that I was not gaining weight and felt that the digestive capsules were just a " waste of time and effort " so I STOPPED taking them altogether.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">After I stopped taking the capsules I noticed that " some foods " would just " go thru me " and cause " greasy stools " but I lived with that.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">In high school I worked 2 part time jobs in retail stores and even worked as a seafood cook at a local take out seafood store during the summer.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">My lifetime goal was to be a Professional Photographer but did not like the choices I had for college for Photography.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The colleges either made you take Art, Math, English courses in addittion to the Photography courses so I wasnt attracted to them.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">My parents wanted to pay for me to attend a Photography School that I looked into, but in the back of my mind ( being a very independent teenager ) I turned them down saying " Thanks but no thanks, If I go, " I " will pay for my own schooling . I don't ever want to hear " WE PUT YOU THRU SCHOOL " LOL<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">But I found my niche in Photography working as cashier for Caldor dept store for about a year and a half after high school graduation. I then took on job as Asst. Dept Manager of Camera Dept at a local K-Mart store as well.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I wasn't working in a " friendly " enviroment at Kmart so I took another job as Photo Lab Technician at a area Commercial Photofinishing Lab.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The photo chemical " odors " were a " little tough " on me but nothing really harmful ( that I know of LOL )<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I stayed there a couple years , gaining knowledge of all types of film, processing , etc which was a valuable lifetime assett.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">During this time I also became employed as a Freelance Photographer for a local weekly newspaper, school yearbook studio.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">After getting sick of devloping everyone else's photos I entered a new job field as a Security Officer at a local factory.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I worked 3rd shift doing security and then did more of my freelance photography during the days and weekends.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">After this, I switched to working on Armored Trucks as a Armored Truck Driver/Guard for Loomis Armored in Waterbury, CT in 1985-1987<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I was always intrigued by seeing these large " money trucks " drive around and me having previous security experience and a gun permit, I took on the interest in applying for the job p[artly as a DARE as a " I CAN DO THIS " attittude.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">When I first applied for the job, I was met with " discouragement " from Loomis Armored employees when they saw me filling out the application for the job.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I got comments like " You know, the coin is heavy and you can get hurt at this job ". " Not saying YOU WILL, just looking out for you ".<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I smiled ( in resentment ) and told the guys " Thats Ok, I'm tough " and laughed at them ! "<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">And I was able to pass the required DOT Physical as i only had " digestive " problems with CF and signed a " waiver " with the doctor who examined me.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">At this time I was about 5' 5 " and weighed about 100 lbs ( picture a short thin Barney Fife )<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I had to put up with a lot of teasing and non-help during my first year but I earned my keep.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I actually got a bit of an " ego" working on and driving the trucks . BIG TRUCK, LITTLE GUY LOL<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I eventually quit this job and went into more armed security, hotel and apartment house security.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I even went into Private Investigations for awhile for various state PI.'s doing still, video surveillance work.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">In 1999-2000 I went back to work on armored trucks for TRI-STATE ARMORED in Connecticut.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I was employed as an Armored Truck Driver/ATM Security Tech.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I drove armored trucks interstate replenishing ATM machines with money in CT, Ma, R.I., VT, NYC, L.I., N.J.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I was working 6 days a week 18-23 hr days and 80-90 hrs a week.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">As a truck driver I got into bad habot of NOT eating right and wore myself down.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">Due to working the excessive hours on the road, poor air conditioning maintenance on our armored trucks in the summer time, I decided enough was enough and quit and went back to unarmed security forthe rest of the year.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I started to feel a bit " weak " and developed " shortness of breath " which I NEVER HAD at all with my CF.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I took a medical leave of absence from my security job for awhile.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I then called my CF doctor at Yale New Haven Hospital fora appointment and they told me since I hadnt been to an appointment in about 5 YEARS ( I always felt good and figured If I felt good, why bother going to an appt ? LOL ) that I would have to wait a week. So, set up the appointment for a week later.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">During this week wait, I felt more " shortness of breath " and I decided the heck with waiting a week and went to my area hospital ER with " shortness of breath "<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">While there, at Bradley Memorial Hospital in Southington, CT they did routine blood tests as well.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">At that time the doctors told me I suffered " respiratory failure " and or pneumonia and admitted me to a room.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">While there they also told me " Your blood sugar is very HIGH " and I replied " Well I have been drinking nothing but soda and juices all weekend ".<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The Dr replied, " No, your blood sugar is HIGH ". I replied " Well, I have a digestive disease ( CF ) and thats probably the reason.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">Then came the bad news, the DR told me " Your BloodSugar Count is 732, YOUhave Type 2 Diabetes ".<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">I was shocked to hear that but had great doctors and they treated me for a week in the hospital for both the Diabetes and Pneumonia.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The ER staff was " surprised " that I wasnt in a COMA with that HIGH of a Blood Sugar Count "<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">As a result fo the Diabetes I learned to eat better and was prescribed newer digestive enzymes and insulin.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">While in the hospital, the doctors at Bradley Memorial Hospital tried contacting my CF doctors at Yale New Haven Hospital trying to get more info on me.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">Yale New Haven was not all that cooperative due to my not having gone to check ups in about 5 yrs.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">After I was released from Bradley Memorial Hospital and came home I called Hartford Hospital in CT and transferred to their CF clinic which I was treated by a more friendly and professional staff of doctors, therapists, social workers.<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">Since then I have gone on Social Security Disability for my CF and TYPE 2 Diabetes<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">ERIC STEINER Cystic Fibroisis Patient - AGE 52<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">P.S. I " OUTLIVED " all the CF doctors who told my parents I wouldn't see Elementary School Age " LOL<br>