May is CF Awareness Month!
"I have essentially lived my life in reverse. I started my story in an unhealthy body and have worked hard during my teens and 20s to try and keep up with my friends and family who have lived their lives on opposite timelines." -Bridget
Bridget's Story 1
Bridget lived a "normal", happy, and carefree childhood, but when she turned in her early teens, she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Due to her conditions, her life has changed completely. She dealt with a significant number of hospitalizations since the age of 28 (over 40 hospital stays that were over 2 weeks long). In the age of 23, she completed a lung function test which showed that her lung function was equivalent to that of an 84-year-old person. While batting CF, her quality of life also changed. She had to miss out on time with family & friends, as well as schools, events, and travel opportunities. She also had constant fear and stress, as it requires careful monitoring and management of symptoms.
Starting TRIKAFTA®
After starting TRIKAFTA®, Bridget stated "I started to feel a brand-new definition of healthy" and "gained so much energy to live the day-to-day with intention and purpose." 1 She noticed improvement of symptoms such as: 1
Decrease CF exacerbations
Decrease hospitalization
Wakes up with energy
Laugh without coughing
Learn More:
Testing for CF: 2
Newborn screening
Sweat chloride test
Genetic or carrier test of the parents
Getting Started with Treatment Options: 2
Talk to CF healthcare providers to manage symptoms and improve quality of life (i.e, medication options, breathing exercises, breathing treatments, physical therapy, etc.)
Visit this site for additional info., finding CF care center, and connect with a community:
References
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (2020, October 14). Hitting the Reset Button on My Life Because of Trikafta. https://www.cff.org/Community-Blog/Posts/2020/10/Hitting-the-Reset-Button-on-My-Life-Because-of-Trikafta/
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (n.d.). Introduction to cystic fibrosis. Retrieved May 5, 2023, from https://www.cff.org/intro-cf#testing-and-genetics