I grew up in Manjimup and went to school there until Year Ten. I live in Perth now and I’m 20 years old studying Biomedicine at ECU. When I finish my degree I would like to do a post graduate diploma in Radiology, as I would like to work as a radiologist. I also want to do lots of travelling, around America, Europe and Scotland. I have family in Europe and Scotland who I would like to visit. I also work part time as a bar man and I am planning on working a bit more next year so I can save for an up and coming trip I will be doing where I will be an exchange student at the University of Maine in Oregon, USA for six months.
I am sick of having CF and I am sick of doing my treatment. What can I do to feel better about things?
I felt this way all the time in high school. I used my treatments as an excuse in primary and high school as the reasons for why I wasn’t doing well at school and I used my school work as a way to get out of doing my treatments at home.
From Year Two onwards I had to be more independent taking my enzymes and I struggled with that. I was trying to hide that I had CF and it was too hard to take the enzymes without other people noticing. I got sick and it wasn’t good and also when the teachers found out that I wasn’t taking my enzymes they were on my back to take them.
I’d definitely had enough of CF by the time I was 14. I was not doing my treatment properly and I wasn’t taking my enzymes at school. Only my teachers knew that I had CF and three of my closest friends, so I thought since no one knew I had CF they wouldn’t notice that I wasn’t taking my medication.
I didn’t have a problem doing my physio or doing exercise as I am a very hyperactive person and I have always got up at 5 am. I just didn’t like doing my nebs or taking my enzymes. When I was in high school my nebs would make me feel tired, so I told mum I didn’t have time to take them because I was doing homework. I still find it hard to fit in the nebs when I have exams at university, but I am going to get back onto it now, so I can feel much better, as I can feel it in my chest that I need to do them.
I use the acapella physio device and I have appreciated just how beneficial it is to me, compared to just playing sports and not doing it. It gets into the nitty gritty bits and I feel like it helps clear me out much more than exercising alone. I have always been active with sports but now I go to the gym six days a week too and I go for walks every day as I live close to the beach.
When I was younger I used CF as an excuse for not being able to do things. It was around Year Ten that I realised my life was not going anywhere with me blaming CF for everything. I was failing school and they didn’t think I was capable of studying some of the more academic subjects. I saw that my closest friends were planning to go to university and have successful futures. Seeing their successes inspired me to change my attitude – as I am very competitive.
My dad quit his job in Manjimup and we moved to my uncle’s house in Bunbury so I could attend a high school there. This high school saw potential in me and with encouragement my grades picked up. I was a small fish in a big pond so it was a big learning curve for me. I matured and became more independent.
As a result of my improved grades I was able to get into Biomedicine at ECU. My Dad and I also developed a much closer bond because of the experience.
I’ve recently become more comfortable talking to other people about having CF, I think because I have matured and I understand that it’s not such a big deal. I’ve realised it doesn’t change the way people see me, they don’t treat me any differently.
It’s still a burden having CF but it makes life easier telling people, especially my room mates. It’s also good to have goals as that’s what makes you do your treatment so you can achieve your goals. CF doesn’t stop me from doing the things I want to do in my life.
Interview from Rozee 2016.