Junkin'

Junkin' 

One of my very favorite things to do is to go "junking."  What is that you ask?  It's just another way to say "antiquing."  Some people think of it as junk, antiques, or old rubbish, but  I think they're all treasures in their own way.  I love to go into a shop filled from wall to wall with "treasures."  Each item has a story to tell, a history just waiting to be revealed.  Look around yourself, what stories are being told?



My Story
My lungs have a story to tell all their own.  They are filled with the history of each breath I have taken: the laughter, the conversations had, the air of cities traveled, the tears cried, and the scars of infection caused by CF.






The Scars
With every lung infection, scarring and damage to the lungs occur.  Scarred tissue in the lungs makes it more difficult for the lungs to function properly. The thickened mucus caused by CF coupled with the continued scarring and damage to the lungs is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection.   X-Rays and CT Scans are done in order to chart the progress of scarring and damage to the lungs: they help tell the story.  They can also show mucus plugging, bleeding issues, and the presence of a pneumothorax.

A Pneumothorax is a collapsed lung. This happens when air leaks into the space between your lungs and chest wall.  The size of Pneumothorax can vary.  A small incident will be closely monitored and hopefully heal on its own, but a larger incident requires a tube or needle to be inserted between the ribs to remove any excess air.  This past summer I had a Pnuemothorax.  My CF Team monitored me closely and it healed on its own.  The chances of another increase greatly once one has occurred and deterioration of the lungs continues to progress.

Stories waiting to be told.

Yet to be written...
My lungs may be filled with the scars left by CF, but they are just part of my story. Each breath I have taken is filled with beautiful memories, relationships, and stories. Each breath I exhale reveals the story living within me, and gives hope to my story yet to be written.  Thanks to you all for being such "treasures" in my life.  Love to you all.





What "treasures" fill your life?