Learning To Live

Today I saw on Facebook that my friend Meranda posted this as her status: My Attending said he thinks a CF patient will figure out the disease before a researcher after he and I had a long conversation. I just wish that person could be me. I'm tired of suffering and watching my friends suffer. We have to put on a smile and try to get through each day without complaining, while we're suffering--and expected to handle it like a champ. It's almost like people expect CFers to be tough and be unrealistically positive, keeping up the pace with the outside world, and exercising until our legs fall off. Why is this? Most people are laid out with the flu and yet we have to be superhuman without enough oxygen or lung function to get across the room. And I replied to her: Meranda - thanks for these words. I feel that we really get life and most others don't. We know not to take the ability to climb a flight of stairs for granted. We know to treasure each and every one

I'm dedicating this post to PTSD triggers - and the fact that they exist and I still am learning how to deal with them.  I'm working on being able to talk about what happened to me and working on certain triggers, but there are some that I have been advised to stay away from completely.  Curling up in a ball and sobbing just isn't something on my list of "fun things to do." From the About.com article on PTSD triggers: "PTSD triggers may be all around you." "Because certain thoughts, feelings, or situations can bring up uncomfortable PTSD symptoms, such as memories of a traumatic event or feelings of being on edge and anxious, one way of coping with these symptoms is by increasing your awareness of these triggers." "Triggers can fall into two categories: Internal Triggers and External Triggers . Internal triggers are things that you feel or experience inside your body. Internal triggers include thoughts or memories, emotions, an