What An Honor

Thank you so much everyone for sharing this article, for all of your comments, messages, and your love and support. I think it's safe to say I am still in shock and still so blown away.

Never in a million years did I think I would be featured in Cosmopolitan and now ELLE too, let alone be on a list of this caliber... I am truly humbled. These 12 beautiful, courageous, strong, women are amazing and I am beyond honored to be on this list with them. 

I am so grateful to Cosmopolitan and ELLE for bringing awareness to Cystic Fibrosis and to all these other diseases as well. I hope that a cure is close for all of these battles and so many more. 

To the 12 amazing women I share this list with and all those that can relate to one of us... keep fighting, stay strong and continue to do amazing things. You are my heroes and you inspire me everyday. Together we will continue to fight and defy the odds! 

Breathe out Love! Xo❤️ 

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/g5902/inspiring-women-chronic-illnesses/?src=socialflowTW

CF Awareness Month

Sometimes we often hear "But you don't look sick"... If only people had X-ray vision.... May is Cystic Fibrosis awareness month and it just happens to be my Birthday month...coincidence?! I think not!! 😉 

So please join me this month and let's make everyone aware... CF needs a cure! 

What is CF?! Well, CF is a genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and the digestive system. It causes our bodies to produce a thick sticky mucus. The mucus builds up in the lungs and can lead to life threatening lung infections. 

This is my actual lung X-ray, I call these my pearly whites. The white is irreversible scarring from the thick sticky mucus and the many lung infections I have had. Both the mucus and the lung infections have resulted in loss of lung function over time, my lung function currently hovers around 27-28%. I literally think about every breath I take. 

A CFers day consists of hours of breathing treatments, airway clearance, exercise, and handful of pills, and that is just the regular maintenance for when we are healthy. We work so hard day in and day out. 

CF is inconvenient, CF is exhausting, and CF will never be easy. However, I believe CF has made me stronger, it makes me fight harder, love more, and truly appreciate life one breath at a time... CF is a blessing in an ugly disguise, it's my reality and its made me who I am today, for that I am grateful. 

I will continue to fight and do my part until that one day CF stands for CURE FOUND!!  Breathe out love! Xo ❤

We All Have Fears...

"It's better to live one year as a tiger, than 100 years as a sheep"-Madonna  

Its easy to be a sheep when faced with fear. Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat... CF is fear. 

I try to live my life as a tiger. This is not always easy, especially since you never know when CF will strike. Living with fear lurking over you can be daunting at times. However, I try not to let fear decide my fate.... If you can become fearless, your life can be limitless.

We all have fears, our fears help develop our courage... It might not feel like it but our fears make us stronger. The trick is learning how to rise up and be bigger than your fears and show them you are brave and strong. It's important to remember courage doesn't always have to roar. At the end of the day courage can be that quiet voice that says, 'it's ok we can try this again tomorrow.' The important thing is that you keep trying and you never give up. 

You have this one life... so keep living it. Make yourself proud by stepping out of your comfort zone and conquering your fears one day at a time. Breathe deep, and live your life like a tiger! 

Breathe out Love! Xo❤️

Life Is Colorful

I'm grateful for my struggles and without them I wouldn't have found my strengths... We all have struggles no ones struggle is less important or more important than anyone else's. We are dealt what we can handle, so remember to always trust your story. 

Having a disability doesn't give you a free pass to be mean, lazy, or rude. In fact it should make you more humble, sincere and more compassionate. It should give you a understanding and a drive to BE more and to DO more, and of course LOVE more. Life is colorful.... so no matter what is thrown your way always remember to keep coloring!!! 

Breathe out Love! Xo❤️

You Have To At Least Try

Today marks 11 weeks on the full dose of Orkambi (update coming soon). I was reminded of this post I wrote exactly one year ago today. Re reading this post has even more meaning today as it did one year ago. My thoughts are still very much the same. We are not obligated to do anything we don't want to do, but why would we not try to better ourselves or others around us simply because we can? I'm grateful for my struggles without them I wouldn't have found my strengths... Trust your story. 

Jan. 21 2015

I scrolled by a quote yesterday, I have read it over and over again... For some reason it really resonated with me and at the same time it really rubbed me the wrong way. The quote is... 

"You are not obligated to do everything a healthy person does. You are not obligated to be an inspiration. You are not obligated to hide your illness in order to make other people comfortable. You are allowed to know your limits. You are allowed to have bad days. You are allowed to stay in bed if you can't get up to do anything but go to the bathroom. It is not your fault if other people leave you for your illness. It is not your fault you are sick. You don't have to apologize for something that is out of your control."-Unknown                                            

Everything about this quote is true... I have even had some of these thoughts and for a split second I will think about it, but I wouldn't give them any more thought than that. I am sure I will have some of these thoughts in the future, and maybe even one today. I will not hide my illness but I will always tell you I am fine, this is not to make others comfortable but to make myself comfortable.... Why dwell on bad thoughts or negative energy when I can guarantee you it could always be worse. I know I was given this life because I am strong enough to live it. 

So yes I AM obligated to TRY and do everything a healthy person does. I WANT to be an inspiration. I do know my limits and I FIGHT to surpass them every day. Everyone has limits everyone should try and learn and grow and become stronger from them. Of course I'm allowed to have bad days and believe me I do. In fact everyone is allowed to have bad days, I promise you tho on your worst day there will always, always, be good. 

Having a disability doesn't give you a free pass to be mean, lazy, or rude. In fact it should make you more humble, sincere and more compassionate, it gives you a understanding and a drive to BE and to DO and of course LOVE more. I will never apologize for my CF it's made me who I am and for that I am so very grateful. If someone has a issue with your disability it is clearly just that, their issue. 

So today I will BE me and I will DO my very best. I will LOVE more and I will hold my head up high, smile, and fight.... I will continue to be strong and I will sing!!! I will sing so loud, and maybe even do a lil dance and you better believe it will be to a Madonna song!!! Breathe out Love! Xo

Positivity

+{be  P O S I T I V E}+ 

Let go of the negative and positive things will happen! 

Breathe out Love! 

Xo❤