Growing up, my parents did everything they possibly could to make me feel as normal as everyone else. In fact, I went 19 years without really knowing CF was classified as a disability. It was never, never treated or talked about as such. I know I had CF, but there was never a big deal made about any of the treatments or medications. Once I got the VEST machine, even my younger sister would get in on the act and shake herself every once in a while. Some things were even viewed as extraordinary, like the fact I was able to swallow 13 pills by the time I was 11, when there were some people in my class who couldn't swallow even one. They didn't treat my differences as "differences," per say, but more as just me.
Of course I had my down days, and they would let me have them. But between my parents and my best friend, they didn't let me stay down for too long. I'd have a heart to heart with my parents about how much life sucked, and they'd agree with me, they didn't try to convince me other people had it worse. But they'd also point out how lucky I was to have a family and friends that loved and accepted me for who I was, and that they looked up to me when it came to dealing with life. And then my best friend would come over and completely take my mind off everything but what game we were going to play.
It's difficult as a kid, to be different in some way from everyone else. But how my parents handled it was perfect. They never made a big deal about the CF differences, instead focusing on anything else that made me different, like my love of reading or how easily math came to me. I always felt loved and accepted, and that was the most important part to me.
I'm so sorry!!!