Breathing Deeply: My Life With Cystic Fibrosis

What's the good of a home, if you are never in it?



Hello everyone!

I got to come home on Friday night already! The whole ordeal spanned three long, sometimes worryisome weeks, but that's behind me now.

The doctors tapered my TPN dosage throughout the day and by dinner time I was already able to eat soft foods with out any problems of the gastro-intestinal variety. My appetite is still a bit small though after so many days without "real food."

My lungs still have a ways to go to be fully functioning at baseline, but my doc is convinced that I made enough progress on the IV antibiotics to be able to reach that point soon at home. Home. What a great word. It's so awesome to be home and not dealing with all of the home infusion hubbub. No home healthcare nurses or pharmaceutical deliveries at odd hours, no portacath dressing changes...just me, Brad, some comfy pajamas and a cozy warm bed.

The first thing I did was soak in a hot bath while attempting to scrub the adhesive residue off my arms, neck and face. Why is that stuff so persistent? Why does the gunk that accumulates first around the edges take so long to go away? I shall forever be perplexed by this phenomenon.

This entire experience has, again, stretched my faith to its limits. Still I know that God is mighty. Without a doubt he has used this particular incident to make me stronger again than I ever thought possible. I came through things I never dreamed I'd need to face. I dodged surgery, endured one of my longest hospital stays on record, and even came through a code blue. Each of those things took its toll. No matter what lingering effects I may have, what matters is that I'm THROUGH them. God is faithful; God is mighty.

Thank you to anyone out there who has held me in their thoughts and prayers over the last few weeks. I am truly blessed by the outpouring of support and encouragement that I've received.

In His Steadfast Grip,

Lauren