DREW'S VIEWS

May 31, 1988: The day I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Ironically, on this same exact day, one of my cousins was in the hospital having a portion of her liver removed due to cancer. What a coincidence that the two of us were simultaneously fighting similar, yet completely different, battles. Unfortunately, my cousin’s battle with cancer ended shortly after my diagnosis.
This story is symbolic of my life with cystic fibrosis. As my parents were learning this critical news about their two-year-old daughter, they knew my cousin was fighting a tougher battle. Therefore, from the moment I was diagnosed, self-pity was not a dominant theme in our lives. Rather than letting CF be a decision-maker, we decided to fight CF.
There are two ways of living with a chronic illness like CF – 1) allow the illness to define who you are, or 2) define yourself as a person, while CF is simply an attribute. Thankfully, I chose the second option and let my own life goals take precedence over the fact that I have CF. If CF were my primary driver, it would be tough to accomplish as much as I have.
It’s very easy to use CF as an excuse to develop a defeatist mindset, but that’s not going to get us anywhere. Yes, CF can be a comfortable and “legitimate” reason to forego great opportunities. However, do you want to spend your entire life waiting in the wings because you have a good excuse to be cautious?
Sometimes we’d rather dwell on the illness than live our life. We’ve all probably been there at some point, but the mental fight is just as important as the physical battle. Here is a quotation by Mary Kay Ash that I love: “Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.”
If you’re reading this, you’re obviously not as unaware as the bumble bee. However, I’m sure we could all benefit from the bumble bee’s perspective on life. Buzzzz!
Until Next Time,
Drew
drewdotson@gmail.com

Drew’s Views

My name is Drew and I’m 22 years old with cystic fibrosis. Although I have CF, CF doesn’t have me. If for some reason my picture is not self-explanatory, I am a girl with a boy’s name.
I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when I was two years old after my cousin, Bess, was born and diagnosed. My parents had taken me to doctors to try to figure out what was wrong, but the doctors said I would “grow out of it.” I’m still waiting…
Aside from having CF, I lead a relatively normal life. Like most people, I put hot sauce on everything, refuse to lick envelopes and set my alarm to wake up on a :22 or :44. This constitutes as normal, right?!
Growing up, I was very involved in soccer, swimming and dance. I was a very active child and this has greatly contributed to my good health. My parents never acted as though I was any different than my brother and sister (who don’t have CF). I have never felt like CF has made me less capable than anyone else.
I attended Georgia State University in Atlanta on an academic scholarship. I had two majors – Speech/Communications and Journalism – and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. If anybody was wondering, yes, I am patting myself on the back right now. J I have been working in Marketing for over two years.
In my (limited) free time, I like to go to the gym, go to Braves games and go out with friends. I also enjoy writing, reading, doing puzzles and participating in other nerd-like activities.
Back to life with CF…From 1996 to 2002, I attended a week-long summer camp for people with cystic fibrosis. That’s where I met some of the best people I have ever known. The CF community shares an incredible bond that cannot be understood by many. Although life with CF has had its ups and downs, I am happy to be part of such an amazing network of people.
By writing for the Reaching Out Foundation, I hope that I can inspire someone, somewhere. While I can ramble on and on about topics that interest me, I’m extremely open to questions or suggestions. If you have any ideas, email me at
drewdotson@gmail.com
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