Mary Rankin

I have Cystic Fibrosis.  This past year alone I have been in the hospital followed by IV antibiotics 3 separate times each being 2-3 weeks in length.  The last time my lungs were only working at 32% capacity when I needed to start antibiotics.  The medications have been working well for about a month after completion and then symptoms begin coming back.  This scares me because I know that CF continually attacks the body daily until I will need a lung or liver transplant or my lungs will give out.  It gets harder and harder each year to breathe, to stay out of the hospital and to live a normal life.

Cystic Fibrosis causes my body to produce extra sticky mucus that prevents my liver from digesting food and causes repeated lung infections eventually resulting in lung failure.  I have been hospitalized 14 times (at least) trying to eradicate infections and restore my health.  I had a port put in recently in order to be able to take my IV medications because my arms can't handle any more picc lines. 

I take multiple pills daily to digest food, prevent nausea and prevent liver problems.  I inhale 4 different medications to open my airways and improve lung function.  I also use an airway clearance lung machine to move the extra mucus out of my body and to help me breathe.  I need to use this two to three times daily, sometimes more, and even with this, it is hard to maintain adequate lung function. 

I try to stay healthy as much as possible because a simple cold can cause a breeding place for infection and in turn the need for a hospital stay.  As I get older the bacteria affecting me is becoming more resistant to antibiotics.  A few years ago I spent 3 months of round the clock IV medications followed by 9 months of very hard to tolerate inhaled and oral antibiotics, on top of my normal CF daily regimen.  Upon completion, my new baseline for lung function was only 65% of what normal lungs function at.  So despite, working hard for a year to eradicate a CF superbug, I still could not restore lung function. 

I am asking you to donate to the CF Foundation. (yellow button!)  They fund research and all of my therapies.  Trikafta came out a few years ago that helps to stop the disease from progressing in the lungs.  Although I am ineligible for this medication due to specific genetic mutations, I am hopeful to benefit from some of the newer therapies coming out.  

Watch the older video with my brothers talking at the end (2016) by clicking the yellow arrow next to my picture.

The Great Strides walk is May 18th at Suwanee Town Center Park. Our family is going to participate virtually. Please donate to help find a cure! You can donate here by clicking on the donate button above or send a check made out to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to us….The Rankins, 1480 Land O Lakes Dr. Roswell, GA 30075 and we will turn it in for you.

Thank you from all of us!
MARY, Bryan, Kim, Andy, David and John Rankin