The number one word that comes to my mind again and again is “Thankful”.

Then, “Blessed”, “Grateful”, and “Thankful” again.

Having employment is grand.

I have enough part-time positions, per diem, hours, money coming in, the ability to come in not to worry.

Sheila is employed. How blessed.

As the positions were rolling out, and things were coming together, the stress rolled onto the floor.

2012 was a big one; I had that feeling as I wrote in January 2012. Other years have been big ones as well.

This year I feel some very good things to come.

As the positions came into play, I noticed over this last month I have been coughing less. Coughing still, of course; but the frequency is less.

The cycle of CF: Mucus obstructions – infection – inflammation – scarring – eventually end stage lung disease.

This goes in a circle. You can start anywhere in this circle and it leads to the next. Lovely right. Any point in time, I am trying to destroy this cycle. It is very hard.

I am very thankful.

I realized something – I am 35 and the average lifespan of a CFer is 37. Okay. The average female lifespan is around 81 (“Time Magazine”, and other comparable resources).

Do the math: 37/81 = .45 (1.45 x 35) = 50.8 years old. I don’t think I am about 51 years old, but I am older than my age. My body has aged faster.

Leave that there.

This pill could actually reverse the aging process for CFers – if you think about it. It slows, reverses in some instances the disease process, the aging, destruction of the disease process.

It is so cool.

I was sifting through my medical records the other day, and tears started falling down my cheeks. I don’t know if I will ever see those lung scores again.

I asked Sheila the most ridiculous question if she thought I would ever see those lung scores again?

Through a little discussion, we concluded that I may not – yet I am still very healthy in the light of day.

And honestly, part of it has to do with age. If the exact situation would have happened ten years ago, when other extreme stressful situations occurred, I bounced back. I probably would have bounced back a bit faster, the elasticity of youth.

With ALL that being said – I am still so very thankful for today.

My body has this amazing mechanism to heal, to want to heal, and come together to create health.

Each day, with each step, that is what I am here to create: health; the state of being free from illness or injury; soundness, well-being.

Soundness, what a grounding word. The word almost hugs you.

“I am sound, are you?”