Wow! Never thought I would see 48 years old! Especially with this disease!! Cystic Fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease that attacks the lungs and other organs. It is most comonly known for the lungs and problems digesting food, vitamins and nutrients. When I was a child there was not as many advances as there are today. CF was known as the #1 child killing disease. It was said that when a baby kiss tastes like salt that was the curse of death for children. So yes! 48 years with this disease is INCREDIBLE!!! 

If not for my donor Carressa Houchins, I would not be here to be writing this today. As of June 3, 2018 I was in advanced lung failure without really realizing that I was or what it really meant. My biggest fear has always been dying or death. Being afraid of leaving my loved ones behind and hurting. But when I was in lung failure I didn’t realize it was that bad actually cause you just don’t want to think about that and leaving, so I ignored it or just did what I could do to get by. I fully believe that if I had not received Carressa’s gift of life I would not have finished the year 2018. I am really sorry for her passing, but I am grateful for her gift of life.

I am able to take care of all of our dogs and even run with them, take them for walks (seldomly), play with the horses. Whether it is just sitting with them or saddling up. Couldn’t do that 3 years ago! Having a lung transplant is not an easy surgery to overcome, but so worth it. It was a lot of learning to do new things again. Like breathing. Yes, I said that. Just cause the lungs are there you have to teach them to breath again. And coughing…should be an art for me right? Did it for 45 years! Still trying to teach myself how to cough. I haven’t mastered that still after 2 1/2 years. I am able to go to football games and most importantly wake up and get out of bed without being so worn out from coughing that I just refuse to get up. 

Okay, I am rambling, but I really am so excited to have made it to 48 years old with this incurrable disease. I plan to live many more years from here. They say the first year after transplant is difficult to get through without rejection (which can danger the lungs given and the whole body). I am glad to say I am about 2 1/2 years out and no signs of rejection! Knock on wood we are working hard to continue that. I stay in for the most part. I may not be good at wearing my mask at all times, but if I leave my home town for anything I definitely use it. I don’t want to hurt these breathers for several reasons. First, I owe it to Carressa to keep them healthy as long as possible. Second, I don’t want to get sick and spend any time in the hospital. It has been 2 years since I was in there at all for any IV treatment. And third, I don’t want to lose lung function.

Thank you all for all the donations to COTA in my honor over the years! It is grately appreciated. the donations are still used for transplant-related expenses, such as medical co pays and traveling when I have to travel to St Louis for my yearly check up on these breathers. thank you for any donations to COTA in honor of Carrie’s Breath of Fresh Air.