Testimony Video

What an amazing week it has been. I had a fun filled weekend with my hubby and several of our family and friends. Sunday at church, my video testimony of surrendering my Cystic Fibrosis to God was shared. The responses of how the story has inspired others and brought them hope about things they are struggling with have been awesome. Thank you Eric and Adam for staying up all through the night to piece the video together. It turned out great and I believe it helped give glory to God. Thank you too Tim for encouraging me to share my story and thank you everyone for your support and prayers. They mean a lot! I really hope others decide that their story is significant and will share theirs as well.
If you haven’t seen the video and are interested, there is a link on this page under the “Links That Jen Likes” section or just click here: Jen's Video Testimony. Also, if you want to follow my blog but not want to have to remember to check it all the time, you may enter your email address on the side bar and “subscribe”. Don’t worry, I don’t know if you do it or not so no pressure. : ) Have a great day!

Doctor Visit

Great report yesterday from the doctors! Praise the Lord! My FEV1 levels were 90% (which is REMARKABLE for my age and gene mutations), Oxygen level was 99%, blood pressure was really good and weight was steady too.  I’m determined to get my FEV1 levels higher over the next few months.  To get started on improving the FEV1 levels, I went on a walk/jog (wog) with Luke and I could feel oxygen reaching the empty parts of my lungs.  Because of all that air movement, I woke up coughing at 2AM for about an hour and had to move to the couch, but if it’s clearing stuff out, that’s fine with me!

After the wog, we enjoyed a beautiful motorcycle ride around town and grabbed dinner at Subway. Nothing like fine dining. Almost as good as taking yourself down to a Waffle House! (Right Cricket County peeps?) 

I had a thought yesterday that I wanted to share. I encourage you to take a moment and think of all the tiny details in life that had to happen in order to make things turn out the way they did.  I was reminded yesterday of the many details that (for me) God is in the middle of. Also, for those of you who pray for something specific to happen, sometimes it will happen at the least expected moment. If you know you are making the right choices, don’t give up hope.  Just look back and review the details and you should see progress.

Good News for CF!

Recently I was sent information from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org) about a clinical trial they are conducting that is related to the two CF  genes I have (Delta F508). Currently, scientists are in Phase 2 of their study on the drugs Kalydeco and Vx-809.  So far it is showing promising Interim results!  The drug combo is demonstrating a significant improvement in lung function in people with the two copies of the gene.  Praise God!  This is such a huge thing.  It literally makes me all teary eyed when I think about it! 

I just wanted to share that with you all because it’s a really big deal for people with CF, especially the people with the F508 genes!  Monday is my doctor appointment so I will find out how my lungs are functioning and probably my vitamin levels too.  I hope the results are good.  : )

Getting Back on Track

I just finished my 10 day round of Cipro antibiotics and now my body is working on functioning like normal again. You know how antibiotics can mess other things up...gotta love side effects.  I still am coughing and my voice isn't all back, but it's getting there.  I'm planning on singing Sunday at church (thanks Joyce for trading me weeks!).  My lungs still ache when I take a deep breath.  I suppose it's from coughing so much.  I go to my doctor in St. Louis on May 14 for a check-up.  Hopefully I'll be all better by then and will receive good results.

I'm trying to get on a better schedule for exercising and taking my vitamins.  I recently made a check list to help keep track of it all!  I'm taking 2 different multi vitamins, Vit C, Vit D3, Mega Red (Krill Oil), Garlic, and a couple other things that I can't spell...haha.  Plus my regular Enzymes with food and lately Robitussin or Mucinex to help keep thin the mucus (what a gross sounding word).  I've also been doing my Pulmozyme nebulizer treatments, Vest machine (a vest I Velcro on like a shirt and it then "beats" me using air compression to loosen up the stuff in my lungs), and walking on the treadmill all at the same time. That my friends, is sometimes quite a work out! Now if only I could get out of bed without pressing the snooze 3-4 times.  Then I could get it done before the day gets going!

Thanks again to everyone that has been checking on me and even just thinking of me.  It all is appreciated.

The Word is on the Street

At this point, I’m slowly referring people to my blog and I’m so thankful for all the support that has been sent my way.  I’ve been sick for 9 days now so I’m hoping the end of this sickness round is over soon!  It started with a headache, moved to my sinuses (then they exploded), and now it’s settling in my lungs and covering my voice!  I need my voice back so I can sing Sunday.  It’s my week! 

I’ve been doing my breathing treatments and am on an antibiotic in case it isn’t a viral infection.  Just so thankful to be sleeping through the night again.  I went 7 days with not much sleep.  Amazingly, I wasn’t too grumpy.  HAHA.  Last weekend I came home at 1:15 from work Friday and stayed home on the couch ALL weekend.  It was really boring since we don’t have TV channels, but I managed to find things around the house to entertain me.  My mom came up Sunday and brought me food to get me through a few more days of avoiding the grocery store (Thanks Mom).  I’m so glad to have my energy back, but the side effects of the antibiotic are starting to kick in which they usually do on day 4 or 5 so that’s fun. : ) 

Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time to call, stop by, email, and post on this blog.  I am very grateful for the prayers as well.  My awesome pastor Tim at Cross Church has asked me to share my story of surrender and release on a future Sunday.  I plan on doing this and I'm honored he asked, but I must get my voice back first!  I hope that my real life story will touch others and encourage them to know that God is always in the details of life and that He really is alive in our church family.  Have a great day everyone and enjoy the sunshine!