Day 1

Welcome Friends and Family,

Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Kristen, I am 28 yrs. old. I am a wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend. I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis about two weeks after I was born. I feel the need to start this blog to keep myself accountable with the experiment I am about to begin. As of now, this blog is for 30 consecutive days, after that, we will see.

So what is this experiment about? Well, read the title! I will begin 30 days of CF Compliance. Now, you may ask, "What does this mean?" This means I will do all of my treatments, take all my medications properly, and will exercise for 30 days. I know, now you may be thinking "Shouldn't you already be doing that?" BINGO!!!! Yes, I should! BUT...No, I don't!

So...Let's BEGIN! (starting up the old vest as I type)

My ideal morning should look like this, Wake up as Adam gets ready for work at 5:00 am, make a nutritionally balanced breakfast, take all my medications, begin my breathing treatments by 5:45 am, and then hit up my treadmill. I will then have all the energy to shower and begin chasing around my active two year old, Taylor. Oh man, I am chuckling as I type this. Now, let me tell you what today has looked like so far. The complete opposite of what I just said!!!! So now I need to find a compromise and that is what these 30 Days are all about. I am a mom and wife who has a lot of stuff to do, but I won't get to do those things much longer if I don't take care of myself.

So...why now? Well, this year has been interesting. I have had many wake up calls recently. The first being the need to begin consulting and being seen by the Lung Transplant team at Univ. of Virginia. Thankfully, I am "too healthy" for a transplant at this time. The second being the birth of my nephew, Cordell. He was born with Cystic Fibrosis 30 days ago. What kind of example am I setting if I don't stay healthy and do what I am supposed to be doing. The third reason is my family needs me. Adam needs his wife and Taylor needs her Mom.

I am hoping in the next 30 days that I begin to have more energy, see a difference in the ease of walking up stairs or chasing after Taylor, hoping my numbers increase just a little, and I feel more confident in doing the right thing.

Day 1 of Compliance begins and looks like this...and sadly begins at 12:30pm :(
30 minutes of vest
Albuterol
Hypertonic Saline neb
Pulmozyme neb
Cayston neb
Advair
All morning meds completed which is about 12 pills taken depending on the day of the week
Next is a 1 mile walk on the treadmill which hopefully I survive. I haven't done any exercising in quite a while.