A Little History

So before I dive into everyday life, I thought I'd give a little backround.  I have Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and CF related diabetes.  CF is a genetic lung disease, and in some cases isn't severe at all.  In other cases it can be fatal.  I'm kind of inbetween those two extremes.  My CF wasn't bad really until about 4 years ago, when I got diagnosed with ABPA -- which basically means there's fungus in my lungs (gross, I know) and I'm allergic to it.  I got a port put into my chest -- which is a permanent IV -- because I needed IV treatments so frequently, and still do.  What a blessing!  I don't have to stay in the hospital and because of that little port -- I can do the IVs right at home, school, even at work.  Anyway so my CF has gotten significantly worse over these past 4 years.  I'm coughing more than most of the time, and usually out of breath, but I still have breath and that's what matters.  Ok so flash forward to now.  I'm going to Ohio for a surgery next week.  It's going to try and remove a ball in my lung.  The ball is from the ABPA (I think) and yes, as incredibly gross as it is, it is a fungus ball.  It's right in my airway, and the last attempt to remove it didn't exactly go smoothly so this is kind of risky.  But... God's still got me.  Today my lungs hurt when I woke up and I was breathing pretty heavily, and coughing a lot.  It felt like my lungs were swollen or something.  So I did my therapy bla bla bla, went to work!  It's so nice how God let's me work.  And now I'm just relaxing.  And may I add that I'm not choking right now, and my lungs aren't hurting like they did this morning, thanks to Jesus.  I'm really excited to see how the surgery is going to go.  We aren't sure if taking out the ball will improve my lung function, but it needs to come out regardless.  So I figure it's a win win.  If it helps me breathe better, that's a plus.  And if it turns out that this is, in fact, just the disease progressing, then I'm going to the bahamas. hahah :P  But seriously, everything that's happening, and that will happen, all has to be approved by God before it can get to me.  I mean, look at Job. Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job 1:8 -- that's so awesome!  Terrible things happened to Job, but he was up for the challenge, and endured.  Anything that's happening is filtered through Jesus' scarred hands before it ever reaches us.  And when bad things come along, I take it as a challenge against Satan.  Believers, put the armor on and get ready for battle!  The joy of the Lord is our stength!

I am geared for battle because God is love.