Mary Rankin Team

I have Cystic Fibrosis.  This past year alone I have been in the hospital followed by IV antibiotics 4 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 appear to work 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.  I have found that 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, I found that 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.  This is a hard truth to face.

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.  

Go to this you tube site to see an older video of how CF has affected my family:  https://youtu.be/BC25SUBDa0Y

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