Cheriz: My life with Cystic Fibrosis

I'm a hugging type person. In fact, I have a couple friends that aren't big on hugs or any kind of public displays of affection. However, they usually bring the bubble barrier (as I call it) down to hug me good bye. I'm also super extroverted and LOVE to hang out with friends.... Therefore, not being able to see my friends (with CF) in person drive me nuts. A lot of people (in society) don't realize that people with CF cannot be around each other. This is due to the bacteria we colonize in our lungs. It doesn't affect non-CF individuals. But, as we come in close proximity with other people with CF those bugs spread and continue to damage our lungs faster. We fight off the bacteria with antibiotics, but when I was younger we didn't have many options for antibiotics (especially nebulized). This meant we could not eradicate the bacteria and were stuck with it in our lungs for the rest of our life. The more bacteria we culture, the faster our lungs are damaged, t...

My husband, Andrew, is currently at Wartburg Theological Seminary and is starting his first week of his second year there. Every year he lives on campus for one week. He enjoys starting each semester on campus where he can build friendships with other students and professors. It's the only time he is on campus. Usually he does long-distance learning, online, from home. It was the only way we could manage him doing a four year Master degree program while working. This week is the hardest for us. However, we have something on Thursday and Friday this week, so Andrew will only be gone 3 days instead of the typical full five. So that will make this week a bit easier than the other semesters. It's hard for Andrew to be away, although I know he is having a blast. We send random pictures back and forth like a book he may be reading or a game I may be playing with our kiddo. It is hard for the kid(s) to not see Andrew every day. We are foster parents and stability is a BIG issue for ...