22 Days of Thankfulness Day 3 -This one is special to me!

I am thankful for every precious day with my sister Casey Jo.

 

 

I always try to keep the people in my life semi private. I try to never say their names.  My sister is an exception. She is one of the strongest people I know, and I want every one to hear her story.  My sister was born with a genetic terminal illness called Cystic Fibrosis.  She was diagnosed as a baby.  She has struggled with this disease every day of her life.

Here is a little video that helps explain Cystic Fibrosis:

 

In high school, I had a very good friend named Sarina.  Sarina and her younger brother both had CF.  Her brother Joshua passed away, and not to long after Sarina did too.  I hate this disease with a passion.  My beautiful sister looks like a normal "healthy" person on the outside.  But on the inside she struggles to breathe daily. (Ex:Try breathing through a coffee straw...every second of every day.) Her health keeps slowly declining.  Since her little body is burning so many calories just trying to breathe, she can't put on weight.  No matter how much she eats, she keeps losing weight. It has gotten so bad her doctors have put in a feeding tube.

 

This is called a Mic-key button.

 

The tubing for her feeding tube connects to her feeding tube and that is how she gets her nutrients.

 

There will definitely be more posts to come on CF. 

I try to spread awareness any chance I get.

 

Do you know anyone one with CF? If so share your story too! :)