Help Advocate For Cystic Fibrosis Research

You may remember my friend Emily (pictured above with me at the Great Strides walk last year), who I have mentioned before in my blog. You may also remember that she lives with Cystic Fibrosis. Well, you and anyone you know can help to advocate for continued CF research. Here's what the CF website says...

"Cystic Fibrosis Caucus Co-Chairs Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) will soon introduce a bill to help more people with CF participate in clinical trials.

Right now, because of eligibility rules regarding compensation for clinical trial participation, many people with CF are forced to choose between taking part in important clinical trials and keeping their health care coverage.

To help promising drugs move swiftly from the research and testing phase to the people who need them, more people with cystic fibrosis are needed to participate in clinical trials. This important legislation will remove that barrier to allow more people to participate in clinical trials."

By going to this website , you can fill in your information and add a message to a pre-written letter which will be sent to your Congressman. The letter urges the Congressman to take action and to support the new measures that are coming up in Congress which relate to CF research. By taking just a few minutes and filling in your information and pressing "send", you are being a voice for CF and a voice that is saying that clinical trials for CF and other diseases need to be more easy to participate in. It will only take a few minutes, and by being a voice you may help to enable research to be done more easily and in the long run, you may help to save people's lives.

So please, just take a minute and do this. They're so close to a cure for CF. If you go to Nate's blog, you can read his view on this legislation and read his wife's story about living with CF. There are people all around the world who are waiting for a cure, and it's so close to coming. They just need to test the medicines...

So, please help!

-Jenn

Random Thoughts...

So it's funny how quickly things can change. It can be a matter of moments, and things turn around - whether for the good or the bad. I've been noticing this a lot lately. It's reminded me of how unpredictable life is, how only God knows the plans for our lives, and how in just a split second our lives can either change dramatically or be over completely.

I know this may sound like a rather depressing/dreary post. But I don't mean it to be. I've just been reminded of it lately. For example, three weeks ago my little fourteen year old cousin was rushed to the hospital one Sunday morning. Later that day she was life flighted to a better hospital, where doctors found several problems. The doctors said things didn't look very hopeful for her. We were on our knees praying for her, praying that God would save her life. Almost three weeks later and three surgeries later, things are looking better for her. She's still in the hospital, but when you look at her situation - she defied the doctors' predictions and lived. She's still alive today and that can only be credited to God. I thank God that He healed her. But that incident just reminded me of how quickly life could change and how only the Lord knows the plans for our lives.

Another incident that made me think on these things was what I mentioned in my last post, with my friend Emily. She planned to have the week off from school, a free week between two student teaching placements, but ended up in the hospital for her CF instead. It just goes to show how quickly our plans change, and again how only God knows the plans he has for our lives.

I'm glad that God knows the plans for our lives. If he didn't, at times I would be hopeless. There's too many times where things seem so complicated and there seems to be no purpose for what is happening and no hope, but yet God turns those times around and works them for the good. It's wonderful to serve a God who cares about us and who plans each and every step of our entire lives.
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On a completely different topic, I'm going in today for a HIDA scan on my gallbladder. I've been experiencing gallbladder pains on and off for almost a year now. I went in for an ultrasound of my gallbladder last month and everything came back normal. Even though everything appeared normal on the ultrasound, there can still be problems with my gallbladder that can't be seen in an ultrasound. Because of this the doctor ordered this HIDA scan. From what I've read about this scan online, it doesn't sound like a very fun procedure. I'm really nervous about it and praying that it brings results. So, if you think about it, pray that things go well for me today and that we get some answers from this scan.
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It has been absolutely beautiful outside the past few days. Today is actually supposed to be around 70 degrees. I really and truly love this weather and am so looking forward to spring! The only thing that makes me sad is that it's supposed to be cool and rainy tomorrow. The weather around here changes so quickly and you never know what's coming. Got to love March weather around here. Oh well, spring will soon be here...
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In less than a week I'll be 23 years old. I remember as a kid I thought 23 was "so much older" and that by the time I was 23 I'd be done college, working, married, and have at least one kid - with another on the way. Kind of funny what you think when you're younger. The only thing I have out of that list is the married part (which I am EXTREMELY thankful for). Otherwise, I'm still in college, I'm only working part time on and off, and I have no kids and none in the foreseeable future. I guess in the eyes of a child 23 is pretty old. In my eyes now though, 23 is pretty young... I've got a whole life ahead of me still...
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Well, I guess that's enough random thoughts for today. God bless you! I'm off to get my scan soon, then I'll be visiting Emily in the hospital, and then enjoying the spring weather with my lovely husband! Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine (if you have it where you are)!

-Jenn

Please Pray

If you think of it and have a chance, please pray for one of my best friends- Emily. Emily has Cystic Fibrosis, a condition you could read more about on her blog at http://livingliketheresnotomorrow.blogspot.com/. Anyways, she's being admitted to the hospital this week after having what she thought was just a cold. She'll be having IV treatments all week and then will be sent home with a PICC line to continue the treatments. Please keep her in your prayers, as this hospital stay comes in the middle of a very busy semester of student teaching for her. Please pray that the doctors have wisdom and that whatever this problem is she'll be healed of it. Thanks, I know she'll appreciate your prayers!

-Jenn