I posted this on bloggy boyfriend Ronnie's site, and wonder what you all think about CF and raising a teenager. Here is my take on my teen years and CF:
I credit my parents for putting me in charge of my health care routine very early, by age 11 or 12, so that when the really bad adolescent stuff hit in high school, CF was not another power player in our teen issues. I was already doing my meds, calling in my prescriptions, having them delivered, cleaning my nebs, etc. I remember, at the time, that a lot of my friends and friends' parents thought it was crazy how much responsibility my parents gave me, but i know now that it was a great decision because it kept the CF responsibilities separate from the teen angst and car-key arguments, for example :0) My parents never used my health as a qualifier for other decisions (i.e. "you can't go out, I heard you coughing," and they never used my life as a comment on my health ("you must be sick because you stayed out late.") - these issues were separate in my house, and I think that was a good way to go.
My mom gave me control over my meds too. I don't remember when but I was young. Unlike you I didn't take control, I pretended to do them. To this day I think I would be so much healthier if I actually DID treatments when I was growing up. Alas you can not change the past.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank Maureen, "You can't control the disease by controlling the child." :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Those are the words of our much loved nurse Maureen Garvey. (Using her real name as only lovely things would be said by me or sister). Parents will get nowhere with their kid if they use CF care as a chore and attach other privileges. It has to be something that is as normal as brushing teeth. You would never say, "You can't go out tonight, I didn't see you brush your teeth. I know you told me you did, but I checked the toothpaste and I don't believe you brushed." The child would quickly say, "Look, they're my teeth, and I'm going out anyway! Stay out of my mouth!" Hee hee.
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