The Joys of having CF

The Joys of having CF

Friday, November 13, 2015

21st Birthday Trip

For my birthday my present was another trip to Beverly Hills. My favorite place. It's such a calming place and I turn my phone on vibrate and just rejuvenate. Don't get me wrong, I do that on other trips, but Beverly Hills is one of my happy places. 
Some have asked why I spent my 21st birthday with my parents. Honestly, why wouldn't I want to spend my birthday with the two people who've done so much for me. Been there through everything. It's kind of a Thank You for everything they've done. 
Then to be able to have our two best friends with as well. I couldn't have imagined a better way to ring in 21...here's to many many more. 
Here's a link to some photos of my trip. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10206962887422130.1073741829.1577120958&type=1&l=69996fbbdc

~God Bless 

Thursday, November 12, 2015

21 Days...Day 21

I can't believe today's my 21st birthday. It seems like just yesterday I started the countdown. There's so many things in life is like to share, and I probably will eventually share on here, but I just wanted to narrow down a few important things I've learned in the past 21 years. Now to say I'm 21 is a huge blessing in itself because as you know I was told I'd never live to be 16 lite lone 21. 
Today I feel blessed. 
My last and final lesson(for now); don't ever take your life for granted. It's as simple as that. I'm not a perfect person and never will be, but remember to cherish every moment. 

Remember, "life may be a climb, but the view sure is great." 

~God Bless 


21 Days...Day 20

1 day left...this is getting posted on the 12, but it's from the 11th...anyways; 
My lesson today...CF is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've written about it before, but I'm very thankful God blessed me with CF. He knew I'd be strong enough to handle it, he knew I wouldn't believe in the odds and beat them. 
Having CF has made me a much stronger person, it's made me look at life in a different light, it's made me grow up faster.  I've gone through more in 21 years than some people do in a lifetime. I have many scars from the years...and I wear them proud. The biggest thing CF has done for me is its taught me to have a relationship with God, and accept him. Lastly, it's truly taught me to cherish my life, because tomorrow is never promised. I try not to take anything for granted. 
Having CF can be hard, don't get me wrong, but it makes me different, unique, and I can't imagine my life any differently, and frankly, I wouldn't choose to have it any other way. 

~God Bless 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

21 Days...Day 17-19

It has been a couple days since I wrote. It wasn't my plan to skip, but a couple nights flew by and the more I thought about it, these next few life lessons kind of blend right in together. Let's get started. 
My life lessons for days 17-19 are: 
-your mother will become your best friend 
-your father is always right 
-yes it's true what they say; the older you get the more you realize your parents are always right(even when you don't want to admit it). 
Let me explain. 

My mom and I have a,ways been close, I mean let's face it she's been with me through EVERY hospital stay and NEVER once did she leave me alone, and to this day even at almost 21, she still comes to every appointment and stays with me. Per my request. She is the one person who knows exactly what's wrong when I'm sick. I don't even have to say it. She just knows, which is nice because if for some reason I'm having a hard time, she can communicate to doctors. 
Now I'm not saying we have a perfect relationship. It's actually far from it. We disagree A LOT, we get into big disagreements, we get on each other's nerves a lot, we have the same personality, which sometimes clashes, but at the end of the day she is one person I tell everything to. We disagree hard, and love hard. I call or text her first when I have bad news, or good news. I bounce ideas off of her. We may or may not share the same love for coffee. 
I've always heard the old saying; "a daughters just a girl who grows up to be your friend". Well she will always be my mom first and foremost. And yes, I do have other friends, but at the end of the day my mom is one of my best friends, and I can't imagine, and wouldn't want it any other way. 

I really have no explanation for it, but somehow my dads always right. He is the smartest man I know. I always bounce ideas, problems, and questions off of him, and I always ask him for advice, and I still can't figure it out but 99.99% of the time he is ALWAYS right. I'm so thankful for always having him around. I know I can always count on him. 

You know the saying that when your growing up your parents know nothing, and are never right. Well yes, I had those same thoughts, but the older I get the more i realize(and sometimes don't like to admit it) but in more and more life situations I've come to learn to listen when you ask for advice, and it's usually best to take their advice because most of the time...their right. 

I can't believe my birthdays 2 days away. I am so excited. I'm also very thankful for everything my parents have done and taught me the last 21 years and that's why I've dedicated this post to them. 


Till tomorrow 
~God Bless 


Saturday, November 7, 2015

21 Days...Day 16

Hospitals will become family. 

Being diagnosed with CF at 4 months old and spending almost my whole childhood in the hospital, early on I learned respect for everyone involved in my health. From doctors, to nurses, to phlebotomists, X-Ray technicians, social workers, child life volunteers...you name them I learned respect for them. It made me grow up faster. Made me really realize what life was/is and to not take it for granted. It taught me that family is important...and during sometimes I would see those wonderful people in the hospital more than my family, and they became my family. 
To me, family just isn't who you're related to by blood. It's those who are there for you, care for you when others are far away, or can't. 
Having CF I've learned to cherish my family, and cherish every moment with them, because years ago it wasn't always the case...and in those instances the hospital then became my family, and it's blended well, I have so many people who have/do care for me. I have one BIG family, that I love dearly. 
Thank you CF for my extra family, and the extra life lessons along the way. 

~God Bless 

21 Days...Day 15

Day 15 is a little late; but my life lesson today is: 

Make Memories

I know I talk about it on my blog a lot, but it's true. I think that's part of the reason I love to travel, which I have my parents to thank for that. My dads famous saying has always been, "you will never remember that item or toy you once wanted, but you will remember the trips we took, and you'll always have that memory". And you know what...he's 110% right(more on that in the next few days as well". Now I'm not saying take big extravagant trips, it may just be a little day trip, or a road trip, but if memories were made...it priceless. 

3 of my favorite pictures from 2 favorite memories. 

~God Bless


Thursday, November 5, 2015

21 Days...Day 14


One week till I'm 21. In one week I will have beaten all the odds I was faced with, because I was told this moment wasn't even possible...which means now it's time to make new goals to hit and surpass. 

Onto my life lesson for today...music and quotes will speak to your soul. 

I've always loved music, I could listen to it all day...there are just some songs that speak so loud it's like they were made for you. Spending a lot of time in the hospital, and not always wanting to watch tv, I've done lots of listening to music, and also reading. Which leads me to my love for quotes. I fully believe there is a quote for everything in life. For me, a good song or a good quote can lift me up from any situation. 

If you've followed my blog for sometime you probably know my love for Rascal Flatts. I love country music, and 80's rock(specifically Bon Jovi and his song It's My Life, kind of my motto song), and if there's any time I'm having a bad day, I can immedietly turn on any rascal flatts song and my mood will change instantly. My Wish is one of my favorite songs.  

With having CF, you learn that you sometimes make your life into a "fight". A fight against beating odds...a fight that will make you stronger...a fight for your life, and you will do ANYTHING to win that fight, just like Rachel Platten says in her song, "Fight Song".  

My point being, there is a song for every situation.

Lastly, I'll end with my favorite quote that comes from a George Strait song, a quote I use often, and I try to live my life the best I can to this quote: "life's not the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away". 

~God Bless 

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

21 Days...Day 13

As day 21 quickly approaches I'm going to leave this post short and sweet. Today's life lesson is very simple. 

Hang out with likeminded people and it'll become contagious. 

Case in point. If you hang out with someone with negative attitude long enough, you may just start developing a negative attitude. 
If you hang out with someone who is positive, you may just start to develop a positive attitude. 
It sounds hard, but it really is simple. One of my favorite quotes goes; "if you hang out with dogs, youll get fleas". 
*just a little food for thought*

Till tomorrow...
~God Bless  

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

21 Days...Day 12

This next life lesson I've learned has kind of taken me a while to be able to admit...and to be honest it's probably the one that I will forever have to keep working on. 

It's okay to be wrong...and admit it. 

Lets face it, nobody likes to be wrong, litelone admit it. So far I've learned , after many years of being stubborn, that it's better to just admit when you're wrong, because in the end it can save a lot of disagreements, and quite frankly a lot of time. 

Nobody is perfect, we will always be sinners, and we will always be wrong about something at some point or another, it's inevitable, but in the end when we're in a situation where we're wrong...just admit it. Trust me, it will suprisinly make your life much easier. 

~God Bless 

Monday, November 2, 2015

21 Days...Day 11

Today is Day 11. I want to put a little different spin on tonight's post. I want to talk about the biggest hero in my life...and why it's one of my biggest life lessons. 

What does a hero mean to you? To me a hero is someone who I look up to, teaches life lessons, and someone I want to follow in their footsteps. 

Who are my heroes? My number one hero is God. My parents are also my heroes. But my biggest hero is a man who has many names, he goes by dad to some, husband, uncle, to some he's called "pops", but to me he is best known as Grandpa. 

My dads father is my biggest hero. I've done posts about him before, this one is from his 90th birthday
 http://thejoysofhavingcf.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-grandpa.html he is now 92. In the last 2 years he's had lots of health issues, and he is now in a nursing home. He is a selfless man. A man of his word. A man who when you talk to him, if you've never met him, you feel like you've known him forever. He has lived through the Great Depression, multiple world wars. Him and my grandma had 5 kids. They now have 12 grandkids and 1 great grand kid. They were farmers their whole life. My grandpa has told me that he became a farmer so he didn't go to war.
In his life he has been through it all. My grandpa has taught me so much. He has taught me what it's like to be selfless, to work hard. I've never met anyone whose worked as hard as him. When we were little he was the one who let us have late night snacks after helping with chores on the farm. 
He taught me to braid by showing me on bailor twine.
He is the kind of person I want to be. Will I ever be as great as him? Probably not. But I can sure try. 
Now, I do have great guidance to become like him. My dad is the apitamy of my grandpa. 
My goal in life is to make my grandpa proud. I truly believes he's proud of his whole family. 
The legacy he has created. I truly believe that he is proud of the life he's created. I can not imagine my life without him. He really is my best friend...and Bo's. I am proud to be his granddaughter and I will forever make it known. 
Now, why is this my life lesson? My parents have taught me from early on that family is forever, and one of the most important things in life, and I'm forever thankful for that. 

My grandpa...my hero.



~God Bless 


Sunday, November 1, 2015

21 Days...Day 10

I can't believe my birthday is next w keep...only 11 days left. 
As it gets closer, it has me really thinking of some important life lessons that I haven't mentioned yet.

The next lesson I've learned is: a good book will get you far in life.

I've always loved reading, I can knock out a good book in a day, thick or not. I love informational book, relationship books, & leadership books. I shared yesterday one of my favorite books, "Do YouThink I'm Beautiful".
 I've read so many books I love I can't choose just one, but ive learned that if you read the right books, it will take you very far in life...and you will always continue to learn. 

~God Bless 

21 Days...Day 9

Wow, I can't believe the countdown is almost all way done. 

The one lesson I learned a long time ago and I still try to abide by it today is: it's okay to be yourself. 

Everything about you is perfect in your own special way. Sometimes the hardest thing is learning to accept ourselves. The one thing I always remind myself when sometimes I start thinking about things to much, as a lot of us do; God created each of us special in our own way, let's not disappoint him and be someone were not. Be the best YOU! 
One of my favorite books I read often that reminds me that being myself is wonderful, is a book called Do You Think I'm Beautiful. I highly suggest you pick it up. 

~God Bless