Yesterday was hard.
It started great. I was up at 6:30 with a cup of coffee and a slice of banana bread, watching CBS This Morning.
Then a coughing fit started, one that had me leaning over the sink. It wasn’t pretty.
It’s been a long time since I coughed like that.
It’s hard to explain the toll that takes on my body. My chest hurt, my stomach was sore, and my back ached. But mostly I was just exhausted. Completely drained.
A couple hours later I managed to pull myself off the couch and walk to yoga. I knew that even if it was hard, I’d be glad I went.
The rest of the day I struggled to stay present. It’s a lot easier to be positive and hopeful when I’m feeling good. But when I have days like these – when CF is hard to ignore – my mind wanders. Back to the what ifs. To other CF patients. To my biggest fears.
And then I saw this video. And I realized it was just ONE day. It doesn’t define me or my CF or my future. It’s just ONE bad day.
So I took a nap. Made a healthy dinner. Did my meds. Went to bed early. Slept in.
And this morning I woke up feeling much better.
CF may give me some bad days, but it doesn’t have to hold me back.
* * *
One of the things that helps get me through my bad days is my support system. I have an amazing group of friends and family who have my back every day.
Steve Beck (a different Steve than in the video above) is one of them. Aside from being a good friend, he’s a phenomenal runner (seriously, he’s freaky fast). And he’s running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon this May to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It’s not often I ask for donations on this blog, but I want to help Steve reach – and even EXCEED – his goal. Any amount will help make a difference… and bring us that much closer to a cure.
Thank you.
From A to Pink | A Blog by Katharine Scrivener 
This is wonderful, Kath – made me cry. I talked to you yesterday, but it must have been before this…or was it? I hate that you have to go through this, and you are such a survivor – your attitude is incredible. I haven’t watched this yet, but I will. You ARE my hero.
P.S. How do I “Share” this on Facebook?
mama
Katharine – You are so amazingly strong and you inspire me to keep up the fight for a cure every day! I’ve been glued to every blog post and I encouraged the whole office to start following it, too. I love the video, too. I actually saw it posted on the Greater New York chapter’s page yesterday and had to share it on ours. I had no idea he was a friend of yours. Keep up the fight girl! You have so many people in your life that love you and are behind you all the way! 🙂
Amy
Amy, thank you so much for your sweet comment! (And for passing my blog along to the office.) I should have been more clear – my friend Steve is different than the one in the video. Both inspiring in different ways! xo
Thanks for the shout out Katharine!
You are an inspiration. I donated in tribute to you. I wish I could give more.