CFRD

As most of you know, I have been waiting to figure things out about my new possible diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes (CFRD). Well, I finally had my first appointment with the endocrinologist on Wednesday this week, and I went into it incredibly nervous and not know what to expect. The doctor and nurse practitioner were very kind and knowledgeable about CFRD. They asked me background questions and went over all of my blood work and came to the conclusion that for now, my body is still producing insulin. It just can't keep up when I drink straight sugar like in the glucose tolerance test.

They decided that I need to start monitoring my blood sugar just to keep track of what it is doing. So, for now, I just have to check it once a week unless I am sick. If I happen to get sick, I will have to check it once a day. I go back in 3 months for another check up. If nothing has changed, we will continue with the same plan, and I will get to go 6 months in between visits.

Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers! I think this is the best news I could have hoped for, and I'm hoping that we are able to stick with this game plan for awhile.

Test Results

I apologize to those of you who have been waiting on news from my clinic appointment last week. Life got in the way of me writing this post... Teaching has been crazy busy, and I have had things going on pretty much every night.

On the day of my appointment, I woke up to a deep, wet cough, so I went into it knowing that my lung function would not be what I had been hoping for. I was right... my lung function dropped from 47% to 45%. The doctor was not at all concerned though since my weight was still the same, and he said that he saw that drop as very minimal. We also talked about started antibiotics then, but he didn't feel like it was necessary yet because he didn't want to over react if it was just a little thing. Unfortunately, I started feeling pretty terrible this week, so they called in some antibiotics for me. I'm hoping that it will get rid of the junk I've got going on in my lungs right now.

The other big question for this clinic appointment was about CF related diabetes. I had to do the fasted two hour glucose tolerance test for the second time this year due to my May test resulting in the number being too high. Unfortunately, I had almost the exact same numbers this time, so they have sent my information to an endocrinologist who is supposed to call me to set up an appointment. I really don't know much about CFRD other than it is not Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It is more closely related to type 1 though. My doctor also mentioned that many times, to begin with, you just have to monitor blood sugar for a while assuming that it's not too far progressed. Right now, it's just a waiting game until I see the endocrinologist and learn more.

So all in all, my clinic appointment was not at all what I was hoping for. It is what it is though... I will just take my new obstacles and keep going. My next clinic appointment is set for November 30, so as usual, I have my sights set high for my lung function. I'm going to continue doing everything I can to stay healthy once I get rid of this little cold thing I'm battling right now.

Nerves...

Nerves... That would be the best one word description of what is going on with me this week. I go back to CF clinic on Wednesday, and I am more nervous than usual. Why? Not only will I be doing my quarterly pulmonary function tests, but I will be doing the second two hour fasting glucose tolerance test of this year. This test is normally a yearly thing that goes along with clinic, but in May, my numbers were too high which made my doctors believe that I now have cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). Needless to say, I do not want bad news, but I will figure out how to handle it if that is what happens.

Nerves are really something that comes along with the territory with cystic fibrosis though. There have been countless times that I have been worried or nervous about one thing or another with my health whether it be lung function numbers, lung pain, getting sick, or whatever else may cross my path. It can be difficult to deal with these things, and I think that is one of the big reasons that I try not to think to much about the negative possibilities with this disease. I choose to live for today and try to be the best version of me possible. I use that in every aspect of my life as well, and that is why I tend to go with the flow in everything. I don't freak out and stress when something changes at work. I try not to let little things get me flustered because, in the end, it's just not worth it. There are so many other things to deal with without sweating the small stuff.

Anyways, even though I'm not stressing about small stuff, I am definitely nervous about Wednesday. All I can do is hope for the best though. I have done everything in my power to stay healthy, and right now, there is nothing else to do. All the same, positive thoughts are welcome. :)