Cystic Fibrosis
By cheermom07
@cheermom07 (2)
United States
January 1, 2007 11:55am CST
I have a son that was diagnosed very late in life with Cystic Fibrosis. He was 14 years old and it took our Pediatrician's Physician's Assistant to help us diagnose his condition. My son is now 18 years and his health is only deteriorating. I think it is very hard for a young man to be diagnosed late in life and then be expected to start all the very rigiorous therapies and taking all the necessary medications. He has been working part time since he was 16years old and loves to work. He is now being Cyber Schooled and looks forward to receiving his high school diploma in the spring. He looks forward to working but often has had to resign from some of his parttime jobs due to health reasons. He is still seeing a specialist from Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, however, he may be looking to start seeing an Adult Cystic Fibrosis doctor. We love the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis doctor he is currently seeing now, but we notice that with Pediatrics, their hospital stays are 3-4weeks long as opposed to adult hospitalizations. At age 18, it is hard to tell him it would be in his best health's interest to avoid second hand smoke because alot of his friends are smokers. Second hand smoke is the worst for anyone, let alone a person born with a degenerative lung disease. If anyone else is going through the same things, please let me know. It's nice to know you're not alone when experiencing life's curveballs.
2 people like this
2 responses
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
29 Aug 08
This is a old discussion, but I was wondering how your son is doing now? I have a three year old niece who has severe CF(cystic Fibrosis) and she is in the hospital more times then not. She just recently spent over a month in the Cincinnati Children Hospital. My sister has had to move to Ohio so she could Be closer to the hospitals. She is being currently transferred to the Columbus Childrens hospital since they do lung transplant in case she needs one, because one of her lungs is not doing to good and only working on a 50%capacity. She has struggled most her life to breath. She was diagnosed at a very early age like when she was just a few months old, so she got lucky because if they hadn't she would likely be in heaven right now. I do hope that your sons treatments is doing fine and I wish they would find a cure for CF soon. Did your son have a weight problem? A eating problem and have to wear a feeding tube? My niece has a feeding tube and she is little over 3 and weighs 23 pounds. This is Katelyn now. When she was having a good month my sister entered her into a pageant and she won alot of stuff and won 1st place. This is a photo that was taken the next day after the pageant. Her crown is not in the picture because it was being re-sized. I just wish she had more good months so she can live to have a half normal childhood.
@cyberfluf (4996)
• Netherlands
28 Aug 08
One of my friends had cystic fibrosis, she found out earlier but she also had a very short life. It can be such an awfull dissease, luckily there is more and more research and better ways to help this people have a better quality and longer life.
It can be hard because you can do so little having bad lungs and if his friends are true friends they will not smoke when he is around. They have the age they understand how bad this dissease is.
