Does it get any easier?

Those of you who have been following my story know that being compliant with breathing treatments has been a huge struggle for me. Breathing treatments were a source of bitterness and frustration beginning in high school that has continued through my young adulthood. When I got the opportunity to go off to college and gain my independence, I chose to use that freedom to skip out on most of my breathing treatments. If you haven't read about the consequences of those decisions, you can do so here.

After the wake-up call that was the lung transplant scare, I decided that it was time to turn my life and my health care around. I had every intention to do so, but I still struggled with staying compliant with my treatments. My lung function has fluctuated since that 59% in 2010. I have made the goal to be 100% compliant multiple times now, and I wish I could say they were extremely successful. The problem is that I stick to it for a little while, and I always fizzle after awhile.

I vowed that 2014 would be different, and so far, it has been! My new year's resolution was to be 100% compliant this year. It has now officially been my longest stretch of compliance since high school! I'm on day 118, and I am so proud of myself. Going back to the title of this post, it really does get easier. I have gotten into the habit of doing my treatments. I even throw in extra treatments when I'm not feeling well which is a huge deal when it comes to me. There was a time when I would have never even considered doing an extra treatment voluntarily!

Even though it is getting easier to stick to my treatment compliance, I still dream of the day when those of us fighting cystic fibrosis don't have to deal with breathing treatments and other medications daily. Help me make that dream a reality and add tomorrows for cystic fibrosis patients! Just click on the link, and make a contribution. I cannot stress enough that there is no amount that is too small! Every little bit adds up! Please help!

I have a lot of work to do before I reach my goal of $8,000. I can only do it if you help! Thank you all for your continued love and support!

My New Role

Today was our Great Strides 101 meeting where we just met and talked about fundraising ideas to get ready for the walk. I love hearing how other people in Knoxville are working so hard to help fund a cure for their children. Also, during the meeting, I had some really deep thoughts about what my role in the CF community is now that I am a 26 year old adult living with cystic fibrosis.

I have already realized how important it is for me to stay compliant for not only myself, but for my husband. I owe it to him to stick around as long as I can and to stay the healthiest I can, and I owe it to myself to make my quality of life as good as possible. I don't want to be sick all the time and not be able to enjoy my life. With all of that being said, I have another role that I never really thought about. At the meeting, were parents of kids who are much younger than me and are battling cystic fibrosis. I owe it to those kids to set a good example. I have been telling my story so that others might see but also for myself. It's been a great way to get my feelings out in writing, but I think it is so important for kids living with CF to see my story so that they won't make the same mistakes I made. I wasted so much of my life by pretending I didn't have this horrible, challenging disease, and if I can keep just one person from doing that same thing, then I have done my job.

It sounds like I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself, but I think that keeping those kids in mind, will make it easier for me to keep up with my breathing treatments and will help drive all of my other health decisions that I make. I'm 26 years old now, and it is past time for me to step it up and help others in the CF community. I know I am up for the challenge! :)

My other role is to raise money and awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. So, if you haven't already made a contribution to my Great Strides team, please consider doing so. There is no such thing as too little, because every little bit adds up. There is so much hope for my future, but the hope is even greater for the future of all the children who are fighting cystic fibrosis. There is a very real chance that they won't have to go through some of the things I have gone through, and that is a beautiful thing! Please make that hope a reality for all of us fighting CF! It's so very easy to do. Just click on the link below and click "Donate to me."

Thank you all for your continued love and support! I appreciate it more than you could possibly know!

http://cffh.convio.net/goto/kaylaskrusaders