Cystic Fibrosis - Steff's Story
My name is Stephanie Dundas, I'm 17 years of age, currently doing year 12 at Alexandra Secondary College. I was diagnosed at birth with a life threatening disability called cystic fibrosis.
My health has hugely impacted on my life, wit h many trips in And out of hospital, major operations and many days not being able to attend school. Throughout my primary school years I kept reasonable health taking minimum medication and had very few hospital visits, I was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 11, and two hernias removed.
As a teenager things changed dramatically with numerous hospital admissions. I was diagnosed with liver disease in 2003 and had constant chest infections which meant tune-ups and minimum hospital stays for two weeks.
* On the 15 of July 2004, I was admitted for a Splenectomy, which became a major operation lasting for five hours ending up in ICU for 48 hours. My spleen weighed 1kg, the size of a football. I didn't attend school for six months after my spleen due to nausea, stomach problems and huge weight loss.
* June 2005 I was admitted for a tune-up, to then find out I had diabetes, spent three weeks in hospital.
* July saw me back in hospital for what was to be a minor operation, came home with fever and headaches, then readmitted for numerous scans, x-rays, CT scans, MRI, blood tests, Urine tests and diagnosed with CMV virus and a unknown infection. Finally home August the 20th, had 10 admissions the year of 2005.
* 2006 was a great year as far as minimum hospital visits, only admittance was one tune-up and tonsillectomy in September.
* 2007, year 11 NO hospital admissions, only 3 monthly checkups, but had trouble throughout the year with stomach bloating and pains.
* Early 2008 school holidays, admitted for a flush of the stomach.
My life revolves around physio to help clear my chest, medication which can amount from 20 tablets a day - up to 50 tablets, depending on my health. I play lots of sport and when possible there is always something extra to be done, to make my life bearable.
CF doesn't change who I am, it only makes me stronger.
It makes me who I am today and I wouldn't change the person I have become today, because I think it has made me a caring, loving, and happy person.
Stephanie Dundas
