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Traveling through time: my Clinics & Doctors

My History: My Docs and  My Clinics!

When I was born, I was the luckiest baby ever! Or that is how I feel. You may think I'm joking since I was 10 weeks premature, life flighted to Peoria, and spent the first 4.5 months of my life in the hospital. But I do feel like lucky. Yes, I was born with gangrene in my intestines, and would later find out I had Cystic Fibrosis, a seizure disorder, Cerebral Palsy, and lots of allergies; However, I was given the best doctor in the world! Dr. Umesh Chatrath, seriously he was always positive, worked very hard to keep me healthy and truley loved us CFers!

I wasn't nervous, scared, or upset to go to Clinic. I loved Clinic! He never made me feel I had done anything wrong. I was just was having difficulties and would have to give even more effort. I had him until early 20s (he is a pediatrician). However, there at 3 times in my life I know without his expert opinion and continuous working to make me better I most likely wouldn't be here (esp: 2003).


side story:He used to buy pizza & chinese for CFers while in the hospital. And give us coins if our weight improved! That might not sound like much, but how many doctors do you know spend money out of their own pocket to help their patients do better. And he came to see me EVERYDAY in the hospital!

I was really upset when I had to switch to my other doctor. I wasn't fair to Dr. S, I started out not liking him. I judged him before I got to know him. I had Chatrath my whole life. Dr. S was a good doc. But in my eyes he didn't seem to care, not like Chatrath did. Dr. S would just say" ok, keep up the work" and if it was bad clinic "guess you need to work a little harder" and sometimes he'd tell me to up the number of meds. e didn't have many methods for inspring patients. And his lack of enthusiam or "Content Attitude",  really affected me. It really did.  If my doctor doesn't show much hope for the future, why would I. After I dropped to the 38% area of lung function (I can blame only myself for the lung % drop). I knew something had to change. A lady at church mentioned her daughter-in-law had CF and went to a Dr in Chicago who had a private practice for CF.

Meet Dr B: I started with Dr. B in May of 2011 (age of 26). Since Jan 2010 I have brought my lung function up to 58% and Dr. B keeps me pushing me to do better! I finally feel I have found another Doctor who TRUELY cares! But because he cares and pushes me, I push myself even harder. I always try to go up in numbers (weight and lung function both). I have been too, however, this clinic I have a feeling will be different.

With hairspray, my "mummy disease", work, and everything else, my weight has dropped. I have tried hard the last couple days to really get it back up to 107. its 102 still. With weight decrease, usually means lung function decrease. ugh. I don't want my numbers to go down. But until all these spots on my feet are gone, I can't jog (which has been a big motivator and help in my health).

All I can hope is we figure out the spot/joint problem; so I can move and start training again and get back on track! I also, hope since my weight and lung function aren't going to go up, maybe at least my Vitamin D level will. I had it checked for the 4th time this wednesday! We can't seem to get my body to absorb the Vitamin D! So maybe, I'll get lucky and one thing will go really well! fingers crossed for vitamin D!

I'm doing extra nebs tonight, tomorrow and Sat morning to help with my lung function numbers. Cf is a struggle, but that's okay. I'd get  bored easy, so CF gives me something to do :-) and overall, I love the improvements in my health I have made! Just got to see what Saturday brings!

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