Day 6

Day 6 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day



As much as it sucks living with a chronic disease, I am very comfortable in this role. There aren't too many people that I would actually trade places with, if it were possible. However, one person I definitely would like to trade with is my older sister Christine. Not only has Christine been my role model since I was a little girl, she is an amazing sister and one of my bestest friends. My sister Christine is amazing. She deals with such a full plate, and still always has a smile on her face and she always seems to put everyone else's needs before her own. She has been like the energizer bunny ever since I can remember. Even now, as a wife and mother of two little boys, she holds down not only one full-time job, but she teaches lectures to PA students and she is taking classes online to further her degree.
Her drive and commitment have always inspired me. I'd like to see what it was actually like to juggle everything she has going on. I also would like to see what it was like to be a PA (Physician Assistant). I am in the medical field, so seeing a different side of the medical model would definitely be interesting.
I would also LOVE to be around my nephews for more than just a few hours. I am not sure that I will ever have children, so being in her shoes for a little while would be amazing. My niece and nephews mean the world to me.

Day 5

Day 5 - A Picture of your Favorite Memory



I have always loved holidays. Mainly, because it gets everyone together, I also happen to enjoy the yummy food that usually accompanies the festivities! Christmas was always my favorite. My older sisters, Terrianne and Jeanine were out of the house by the time I was born, so it was just me, Tricia and Christine on Christmas Eve. My mother always dressed us in matching pajamas and we all slept cuddled in one bed. We tried to stay up as late as we possibly could so that we might hear Santa's sleigh or something else miraculous. We sometimes siked ourselves out and really believed that we heard rustling on our rooftop (mind you, we have NO chimney! so I don't know how Santa would get down!).
The next morning we couldn't get our parents up fast enough. Then the dreaded wait at the top of the stairs, waiting for my parents to get the video camera set up JUST RIGHT. Every year, the same thing and every year it felt like a MILLION hours passed by before they finally said "Okay girls, time to come down".
After the rush and craziness of opening all of our presents, we went down the block. My Aunt, Uncle and cousin live two houses away from us. Every year we would make Christmas breakfast and eat as a large, extended family. Around 2-3 in the afternoon my older sisters came over, and it was like Christmas all over again.
Growing up now, seeing that Christmas is not the awe inspiring holiday it used to be is kind of depressing. I still love Christmas but it's just not the same. I can't wait to have my own kids one day, because I think then it will start to be exciting again. I love watching my niece and nephews open gifts and talk about Santa Claus. Holidays were so amazing and magical when you were little and just believed!

Fevers .. again

Okay so I have been running a fever again. Yesterday the highest it hit was 101.7, and even though I have had fevers as high as 108! (yes, that's right) in the past - with an implanted port they always worry that there is an infection. So they did blood cultures yesterday and it will be a few days before we get the results. They started me on the medication that worked for the last two port infections I had just to be proactive incase it is in fact a port infection (which i hope to god it isn't!).
I have strict instructions that if my fever goes above 101.5 again that I have to go straight to the ER. They are worried about my oxygenation status, dehydration etc. I just really don't want to go back there! My doctor even said, Right now between the 6 antibiotics, the anti-fungal, the fluids and solu-medrol I'm pretty much covered for EVERYTHING. So WHYYYYY am I not getting better?

Day 4

Day 4 - A Picture of Your Night



Okay well my night is not so much fun. So here's a picture of me doing my first IV med of the night. My total night schedule takes a little of 4.5 hours. So yea that is all I will be doing! My boyfriend is working so he will stop by when he is done.
I have had quite a productive day however. Last night when my sister was accessing my port we weren't getting a blood return. We were both extremely confident that it was in the right place. I have also have issues with clots before so I was kind of freaking out. Not to mention this is already my THIRD port since July 2008! She called her friend over who is a pediatric home care nurse and also accesses ports to give it a try, also no luck. So today I went into the city to have a port study. They just accessed my port under fluoroscopy to make sure it was in the right place and checked to see what was causing the blockage. At the end of the catheter a tiny clot, a "fibrin sheath" in the medical world was starting to form. They were able to give me a clot busting medication called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) which ran through my port for a little over an hour and cleared the blockage, HOORAY!

Day 3

Day 3 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show



Let me first preface this by saying that I have many favorite shows! I love nurse Jackie because it is funny and yet at the same time deals with real issues. I absolutely love the young nurse Chloe and Dr. Coop, who when he gets nervous grabs boobs.
The rest of my top fave shows: Say Yes to the Dress, Teen Mom 2, 90210, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, NCIS, and pretty much ANYTHING on HGTV. I love seeing people redoing their houses, or buying new places!

Day 2

Day 2 - A Picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.






I believe this section needs a few pictures. There are my sisters, who have been there for me and my bestest friends since I was born. There is also my cousin, who happens to be a year and a half younger than me but one of my closest confidants. We grew up living two houses away from each other, so we were more like sisters than anything else. Then there are the non-family related friendships. That prize of longevity goes to Sara.







Sara and I met in nursery school at the wee age of four and still remain close to this day (In the picture I am Little Red Riding Hood and she is a Ballerina). We went to school together all the way up until college, where I decided to go away to school and she stayed home. I'd like to say we stayed as close during that time, but college is a busy time for everyone. We still kept in contact although we didn't see each other as much.
Fast forward to today. We are still friends. We have been through rocky times. Her and I both have made mistakes in our friendship but as adults we realize that sometimes it's better to forgive and move on. Good friends don't come around often, so when you realize someone is really truly your friend, you better hold on tight and do everything to keep that friendship alive!

Day 1

Day 1 - A picture of yourself with 15 Facts



1. I like pretty much ANYTHING with cheese on it.

2. Growing up with CF has really impacted my career choice in becoming a nurse. I've always had amazing nurses and I always wanted to be just like them. Now that I work with premature babies and their scared parents - I feel I am giving back somehow.

3. Speaking of work, I LOVE to work. I hate being sick and stuck at home. If I can I will work until my doctor literally tells me I can't anymore. Some people like to think that it puts a strain on me, etc. Work is my escape. I am taking care of someone else who is even sicker than myself and I can stop thinking about my own health while I am there.

4. I LOVE massages.

5. Getting my puppy Chloe was an extremely spontaneous adventure after a lovely dinner and glass or two of pinot grigio, but I would be lost without her!

6. I am 27 and unfortunately, am just learning the very hard lesson of who my true friends are and who is just out for themselves.

7. PINK is my favorite color.

8. I love shopping for make-up, bags and shoes.

9. My family and I are extremely CLOSE. I have four sisters and they are all my best friends.

10. I'm kind of terrified of the ocean, and I can't really swim too well. Although I WISH that I could swim and didn't fear the water because I would one day like to try surfing.

11. I'm kind of a nerd. I love to read books. I was class president in high school and senior class president in nursing school. One day I would actually like to teach future nurses!

12. I have been dating the most amazing guy since April 2008 and he is my absolute rock.

13. On a good day, when my lungs aren't hurting - I like to drive around and sing at the top of my lungs.

14. I'm not yet engaged, but I'm pretty sure I know my exact wedding dress AND my bridesmaid dresses! (a girl can dream!).

15. I sometimes have somewhat of a potty mouth - which surprises some people because they think I'm this sweet, innocent girl, but that's not really me. I'm quite complex.