Cheriz: My life with Cystic Fibrosis

Thank you first of all! Now a note from the Organizer of the Walk: Hollowayville Great Strides Saturday, June 1st Thank you for adding tomorrows and walking with us on Saturday! Please review this information! Location : United Church of Christ, 214 E Peru Street, Hollowayville, IL Registration starts at 8:30am (please be there by 9am, even if already registered, you must sign in). Walk kicks off at 10:00am Lunch will be served at 11:00am Be Prepared - Great Strides will take place RAIN or SHINE ! Please check the forecast before leaving home and dress appropriately. Emergency contact information: Amy Kozyra, (773) 507-2149 We need your help to reach our site goal of $8,000! Raised to date = $4,137   (our CF2 Team is $,2165 of that) You can reach your goal with these last minute fundraising tips! 1. Make a self donation. Your success starts with you! 2. Email your online letter out to all of your contacts – for one last fundraising push be...

I can keep it up: This past blog I discussed my fail at doing everything I needed to. I mentioned having a fever, well the Cipro is doing nothing. I'm not responding to it. I've probably built up a tolerance. So they are putting me on some steroids for the next four days and instead I'm supposed to focus on doing extra nebs A LOT and I'm supposed to do Cayston and Tobi, which usually I only do one a month, because they are nebulized antibiotics. But I will be doing both until after my surgery. And good news my temperature has been normal most of today and only went up to 99.5 for an hour ish. So if I do tons of meds, walk on the treadmill and get my lungs working better. All should be well with my surgery on Tuesday. But I need to actually do it! So I apologize in advance if I don't hang out or do much this week. I need to get healthy by Tues. I have ONE WEEK to do this and  I need this surgery. Without it work won't happen. Without work I get farther behind...

I should listen more, but I hate always been told what to do: Epic Fail: Everyone always thinks they know best for me and yes, sometimes they have good opinions. However, I don't always listen. Why? don't ask. I have no clue. on Tues: My doc told me to bump up my meds and work at getting my health optimal for surgery. But, basically this week I have failed at doing meds. Like some days did none at all.  I have to restart my promise of all my meds! I'm very thankful so many friends have joined the CF Walk, have fundraised or donated! It means a lot. I know that everyone who donates deserves to see me do all my meds and get healthy. I'm sorry to have failed at the promise. But I will restart and recount those days :-) This week I've had some friends with some issues, even a couple surgeries. So it was a busy week.  And I have been not doing so great medically, which is why I haven't done them. When I'm tired and don't feel good, I just don't d...

My CF Clinic was today: (its long, but has lots of info) I have driven it before, but never by myself. I'm super short and have trouble seeing the lanes to switch to and it is a 6 hour ride in a car in one day (when stuck in rush hours traffic or construction is happening). Otherwise, it takes 2.5 hours each way. So the day can start at 7am and I won't get home til 8-9pm if we eat somewhere slow or stop at stores. Dad & I had a great time in the car. Car rides alone with Dad = the most conversation from him ever! He gives me great advice on everything. I admire him soo much, my parents are the bombdiggity. Now to the actual Clinic part. As you know in July of last year I was 107 lbs and 61% lung function. Highest in 2 years!!!!  Each clinic since a little down. I'm now at 54% lung function and 92 lbs. So bummerz. I could tell Doc was disappointed. He didn't lecture, he's pretty cool. He gave me a pep talk and basically said I need to kick it up a notc...

Today: I had tons of different plans today. I was planning on getting donuts at Larry's and ended up going to the Big apple with my Family for breakfast. I worked then went to a Bridal Shower, then I originally had a date night planned, which failed so I planned a phone date with a friend of mine, which got rescheduled for tomorrow. :-) So then I had a nap and some work planned, cuz I was tired and need to get some stuff done. However, I thought it would be nice to help the family out with the planting the garden tonight. So skipped the nap and went to my parents. Love my family: Dad assigned the jobs... Mom's Job: Tells Dad Where to plant the veggies Ada's Job: Gets to water the plants unless she sprays it too much or gets dad wet. My Job: Pick up empty containers and hand dad tools. Dad's Job: Do all the physical and dirty work :-) Wow, I was useful. But really it was hilarious. Dad comes walking out of the Garage.. Ada: "There's Dad with the Ho(e...

Plans, Plans, Plans: I haven't been blogging much, sorry. Failure on my part. Now that school is done, I'm hoping to have more time to blog. This week my classes ended, however, I'm still studying Real Estate, since I'm taking the state exam in a couple weeks. After I pass that I can get a job doing real estate. I know it is purely commission based, so at first I won't make much. But, my plan is just to learn the ropes this summer working at an agency and then get hired at an agency located by where I'm going to school in the fall. I'm waiting to hear back from the 2 schools I applied to, but it may be a few more weeks. Fingers crossed. I want to get my Masters in Social Work and pay my way through school using real estate. Serving (even though I really enjoy it) won't work after I move. My muscle wall (in my stomach, etc) is pretty weak due to years of coughing and strain, so little holes develop and before I even realize it...yep, hernia. I...

Birthday : Today is my boyfriend's birthday!!!!! I hope it is a great day for him, he deserves it! I know a lot of times CFers discuss the problems CF can create in relationships. It can cause stress and take a lot of time away from the free time to go to the movies or out to eat (or whatever). In the past, I've had relationships where I tried to hide my CF or put in on the "back burner" I'd tend to lose weight and my lung function takes a hit too. In the last relationship I was in dropped really low in weight and my lung function dropped to the 30s. With Andrew this isn't the case, its actually quite the opposite! How Andrew can be consider the "ideal" boyfriend for someone with Cystic Fibrosis (basically a list of everything he does for me and things I'm thankful for!   The List:  He went to culinary school and cooks me yummy high calorie food  He makes my meds and stomach feeding for me at night if I'm tired or busy He calls us...

MAY 1st ! : First of all. MAY IS NATIONAL CYSTIC FIBROSIS AWARENESS MONTH! May 1st was bittersweet, the start of the CF Awareness month, but also a day where I always miss my Grammer (Grandma). Every May Day I would sneak up to her door and leave a May Day Basket with flowers or crackers or something. She'd hang them in the kitchen by the back door and leave the little paper cone shaped baskets hanging up for months... She loved them, even though they were horribly crafted and tacky as all get out. Other Memories I love with my Grammer: - I told her I liked the Cherry flavored Larabar that I tried one day.. She knew I needed to gain weight; her and Grandpa showed up with Cherry Larabars in bulk. (seriously, tons!!) -Beanie Bear Hunting (we would drive an hour away to get in line at 5am to get exclusive bears, she owned them all) -Bingo. We played Bingo at our Family Get Togethers. - And last but not least... most people for their 21st birthday get drunk. I told mom I ...