In the last 30 years I’m proud of/grateful for: my self-sufficiency and independence.
I have to give a lot of credit for this to my parents, who raised me to be in charge of and responsible for my CF care since I was a child. I began swallowing my own enzymes at 4 years old, then preparing my mealtime medication on my own in first grade. I started preparing and cleaning all my nebulizers when I was probably about 10 or 12 and also began ordering refills for all my medicine. I began going to CF clinic on my own when I learned to drive in high school (not always by myself, but when my mom was working during the school year).
Maybe this was too young for some of these big responsibilities, but the dynamics of my family dictated that I should be a little more independent (my little brother was born when I was 11). I embraced the responsibilities and did quite well with them. My parents introducing and encouraging me to take care of myself at an early age really helped my transition to adulthood in college. There are many new social and emotional experiences in college and I’m glad I didn’t have to add learning to manage my disease on my own for the first time to that mix.
Perhaps because of my skills taking care of my CF, I became a very independent and self-sufficient adult. After graduation from college, I had a plan for grad school which involved me getting off my parents’ (poor) insurance and setting off on my own, fully equipped to take care of myself and my disease sans financial assistance from my parents (though they were/are always willing to help).
Lots of my friends and family members (brother, close cousins) were all getting married at this point in life and how convenient it might have been to bring a spouse and their income into the mix of supporting me and my disease. But that was not in the cards for me at that point in my life, so I was glad I had the resources and skills to do it all on my own.
Grad school was a great idea for me because it allowed me the scheduling flexibility of still being in school with a modest income to support myself living on my own, and my own (amazing) medical insurance to take care of my health. It was a great step in my process of becoming an adult.
So here I am at almost 30 years old. I’m exceedingly pleased at where life has led me with regards to giving my the skills and opportunities to live as an independent and self-sufficient adult. Having a husband now with whom to share the load is really just the icing on the cake.
How I celebrated: in the usual way, by doing all the grown-up things and CF things that need to be done each day in my life. I’m exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to be able to these things and proud of my ability to adapt and become adept at doing them.
