Our Little Pianist

Thankful Thursday: Thanksgiving & Thankfulness

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving food. Just thinking about all the things that I get to eat today makes me mouth water. I cannot wait to stuff my belly full of holiday goodness!!

I'm thankful for family. I'm am so blessed to have such a wonderful family! I am excited for the family I get to see today, and excited for the holiday season with my parents back in AZ!!

I'm thankful for being thankful. I'm thankful that Ronnie and I take time every week to assess what we're thankful for. Some people do it the whole month of November, but why not all year round? I'm thankful we stop and smell the roses and count our blessings 12 months a year...it makes like sweeter!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for a nice winter lawn. It's been a while since we've had a backyard full of grass (long story). Today was the day that the lawn was able to be cut for the first time since over-seeding (a couple of times) and I must say, it looks beautiful! I don't think it could get anymore green and it looks and feels super lush. Now if only we could have as much success with our summer lawn!

I'm thankful for ground turkey. Before I started making healthier food choices, I never really gave ground turkey a thought. Now, I eat it almost every day. Wether it's a turkey taco, a turkey burger or a turkey frittata  - I love me some turkey. If you've never tried a turkey taco, give it a whirl! Just add some taco seasoning and cut up onions and green chilies while the meat is cooking. Put the cooked meat on a whole wheat/grain tortilla, top with salsa, and chow down!!!

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving!! I'm pretty much thankful for any day that I get to hang out with family, and Thanksgiving Day is certainly no exception. There will be about 35-40 of us inhaling turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn...and I'm sure about 10 desserts. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!

So, what are you thankful for today?

Last Chance to Register for Outrun CF's Gobble Wobble

TODAY is the last day to register for the Outrun CF virtual race!! The Gobble Wobble will happen tomorrow and we want YOU to join us!!! This is your chance to virtually run, walk, jump, crawl or skip with hundreds of people across the world all in the name of Outrunning CF. Sound like fun? 

Here's the skinny (if you registered before November 1st, your skinny is here) -

Step 1 - Click here to register for the virtual race and to get more facts about the event. (You can also check out this blog to get another cyster's perspective on the event)

Step 2 - Spread the word! Share your commitment to the event with family and friends. Encourage them to sign-up and join you on race day.

Step 3 - You have one day to train for the tomorrow's virtual race, so you better start now!! (this can include, but not limited too - walking, jogging, skipping, crawling, eating better, jumping or doing nothing)

Step 4 - Get on CysticLife.org and share with the community what you plan to do for the virtual race and encourage others to join. Share your training tips with CL and of course update your profile picture featuring your groovy new shirt!

Step 5 - On race day, tomorrow, November 22nd, walk, run, jog or skip your selected distance at your selected location. Take LOTS of pictures and post them on the Outrun CF Facebook Fan page (be sure to become a fan if you're not already) and you can also feel free to tag me in them (I love seeing the pics!).

Step 6 - Give yourself a pat on the back and a big bowl of ice cream for a job well done...after your Thanksgiving feast of course!!

I'd like to personally invite all of you to take part in this season's Outrun CF virtual race! Remember, this is a virtual event that ANYONE can participate in no matter WHERE you are! How cool is that?!?!

**The money raised by this event is evenly split between the Rock CF Foundation and CysticLife Foundation. We both use the money to support our programs that support the CF community**

REGISTER TODAY!!!

The Ineffective Vest Treatment

inCourage System by RespirTech

If there's one thing I'm guilty of, it's not getting the most out of my Vest each and every time I strap it on.

Here's what an ineffective Vest treatment looks like:

I sit down at my computer desk and load my nebulizer cups with whatever medicine is due. After loading the cups up I place them on my desk in the order of which I take them. After my inhaled medications are all set to go, I reach over the back of my office chair and grab my Vest jacket (For those that are wondering, I happen to use the inCourage system by RespirTech). After my Vest jacket has been buckled on and the tubes coming from the machine are attached, I'm ready to rock!

The next order of business is to decide which pre-programmed set I will use. Depending on how long that particular session will be, between 30 minutes and 1 hour, I select program 1, 2, or 3. There is also a "quick start" option, but I tend not to use that very often. After selecting the program, I start shaking and then stick a neb into my mouth.

This is where the ineffective Vest treatment begins...

As soon as the Vest starts shaking and the neb starts puffing, I immediately get on to the tasks of the day. Whether it's e-mail, bills, social media, CysticLife, surfing the web, or more e-mail -  the one thing I'm usually not as engaged in is my treatment.

My breaths tend to be shallow in nature. I barely cough the entire time that I'm shaking. I never inflate my lungs fully. I allow the Vest to continue whether or not I feel that it's effective. Then, after 30 minutes or an hour, my Vest will stop shaking and I will move on to the rest of my day.

As I alluded to earlier, there are many times that I do not cough once in a Vest session. Now, the question has to be - is that the Vest's fault or my fault? If you know me at all you know how I will answer that question.

Ineffective Vest sessions are my fault. If and when I start doing engaged Vest treatments every time I put the thing on and then continue to receive an ineffective treatment, we can talk about what role the Vest can play in not making me cough.

Until then, I need to change the way I approach a Vest treatment if I would like a different outcome.

Hers's where you come in. Have any tip or tricks that you use for a more effective Vest treatment?