Just Breathe!

Hi all! Im Crystal, a 28 year old with cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestines. Long term issues of cf include difficulty breathing and a build up of mucus which leads to frequent lung infections. Other symptoms typically seen in cystic fibrosis patients include sinus infections, poor growth, fatty stools, clubbing of the fingers and toes and infertility in males. Cf affects about 70,000 people worldwide. Thanks to huge medical advancements, the average life expectancy for cf patients today is around 40 years!! I was diagnosed at the age of 3 after multiple bouts of pneumonia and poor growth. My childhood thru my early teenage years were pretty healthy but as time went on, I started requiring 1-3 long hospital stays per year. Being a stubborn teenager who just wanted to hang out with friends and not worry about treatments and such, my health took a decline. After a couple of years, I finally realized how important all my pills, treatments and different therapies were. Today I spend a few hours a day doing breathing treatments, I take over 50 pills a day, and I use a vest that helps loosen up the build up of mucus that cf causes in my lungs. I still require IV antibiotics 1-2 times a year. I'm fortunate enough to have the G551D mutation that is required to take the new drug Kalydeco. Its the first drug that can correct the faulty gene in cf patients. Although its affects vary from patient to patient, I haven't experienced quite the benefit as others but I have been able to maintain my lung function for a few years now, which is great!! I have developed cf-related arthritis and osteoporosis, struggle with fatigue, and Iget frequent kidney stones. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your support!!