CF Lifestyle

If you have Cystic Fibrosis like I do then you are bound to take a lot of medicine. Here is a list of medicine and other things that I take daily:

• Pulmozyne - every evening before bed with a nebuliser pump
• Cephalexin - antibiotic that reduces lung infections - I am usually on antibiotics of sorts
  
• Augmentin Duoforte - another antibiotic that I alternate with others
  
• Creon Forte - pancreatic enzyme I take with meals
• Cotazym-S Forte - pancreatic enzyme I take with small snacks
• Ventolin Inhaler - twice a day a couple of puffs
• Seretide - a long term broncho dilator (steroidal)
  
• Fluimicil - a mucolytic I have to get from overseas which I take prior to doing exercise (no subsidies for this at all!)
• Kefir - a yogurt kind bacteria I culture myself and drink which effectively stops my stomach from aching.
• Hypertonic Saline - every morning with a nebuliser pump to do my lung clearance techniques with
  
• Lantus injections - every night to keep my sugar levels low
  
• ABDeck Vitamins - specialised prescribed vitamin supplement or CF
  
• Injecting pen - for the insulin
  
• Pen Needles - every night a new needle of course
  
• Colloidal Silver - an alternative medicine that helps me - prior to 1938, colloidal silver was widely used by physicians as a mainstream antibiotic.
• Vitamin Supplements - a draw full of various supplements to help with metabolism, breathing, immune function, bone health (people with CF typically have osteoporosis as well). - none are subsidised
• Ensure hospital strength - a protein meal supplement I mix in with my kefir (not subsidised either)
  
• FOOD - I have to eat lots of healthy food. People with CF have double the appetite and double the need for good nutrition. This is not a cheap diet.
• SPORT - Anything to do with sport is expensive. I must do sport regularly and fot this I need gear. Without the right gear you get injuries and do not enjoy it (making it harder to convince myself to go out and do it!).

Living my life does revolve around staying healthy and taking the right medicine at the right time. None of this is easy as you understand, but certainly very doable. Everything comes naturally, I know what I need when I need it. Something you get with experience!

Here is a list of sports items I own and regularly use to get me to go out and exercise my lungs. I can do one or two days at most per week without decent exercise or else my lungs congest. Most of my equipment is of minimum amateur standard, nothing is extravagant. I use a basic heart rate monitor when I run to encourage me to stay above 120 beats per minute, I run on good running shoes, I have a great bicycle so I can ride and change gears smoothly and easily, stop when I need to and be safe on the road with. I have a bike computer to encourage me to ride at a minimum of 20 km/hr (if I am fit and well). I have a kayak and paddles, a car with a roof rack... I have all the toys. All comes at a cost, and all are slowly accumulated. I have a mobile phone in case of emergency. I own a good back back, hiking tent, sleeping bag and related gear. I have a great collection of sports wear to hike, run and cycle in.

When Katherine comes home from work she will ask me what I did for work today, meaning which sport I did for an hour or more. My job is to stay healthy, which means I must eat lots and exercise lots! This is an expensive lifestyle that many would consider a luxury. I must say I do enjoy it and feel privileged to HAVE TO DO IT. But this costs money... Participating in fun-runs or other events costs money, running in the Hash House Harriers costs money... everything costs money. Volunteering for things in the community, Lions Club, Lillico Penguins, Bushcare,... it all requires transport to and from and often other related costs - like needing a second car to begin with (and which we have!).