Breathing Deeply: My Life With Cystic Fibrosis

And now for something completely different. --Monty Python

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to look on something with a positive attitude when you're not stuck in the middle of it? Seeing as how I've been having a good run of health lately, I thought I'd share with you a little song that I have written about just a few of the "pleasantries" that are part of life with CF. Please feel free to sing along--the tune is the same as "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music". For added amusement, sing it while you're doing your vest treatment! Chances are it will make you laugh just hard enough to really cough up some great gunk.

And now, without further ado, I present:

"My CF-y Things"

Asthma inhalers and steroids so bitter;
dodging pneumonia in the dead of winter;
waking up coughing when I'd rather sleep;
These are a few of my CF-y things!

Enzymes to help with my lousy digestion;
lists for my doctors with all kinds of questions;
Antibiotics, ADEKs and TOBI.
These are a few of my CF-y things.

Psuedomonas, B. Cepacia,
when I start to wheeze--
I simply remember my meds and PT,
and then I can fin'lly breathe.

High fats, high protein, the saltier the better,
guzzling down water in hot icky weather,
eating all meals with lots of calories,
these are a few of my CF-needs.

Regular checkups each month at the clinic,
Who says that CF just makes us all cynics?
Coughing out sputum just so I can breathe,
these are a few of my CF-y things!

When a tune up is what's needed,
when I'm losing weight.
I simply remember that I'm not alone,
and then I feel almost great!!