Coping with CF and having a baby

My name is Sammie and I am 26, I have a little boy who is 5 and I am really well with my CF.  I was 13 before I needed my first lot of iv’s and to say I hated my local hospital was a understatement, at 15 I transferred to Papworth Hospital and finally started to trust the care that I was receiving!

By the time I was 18 I had a full time job, mortgage, and long-term partner Robert.  The hospital had spoken to the both of us about considering having children, while my lungs were well enough. That conversation I suppose planted the seed in our heads.

We talked about having children and the only thing that worried me was being looked upon by others, as a young single Mum!  And I wouldn’t contemplate having a child unless we were married.  CF to me was never an issue I really wasn’t aware of the consequences.  So that is what we did got married, at this stage not much info was given to me about what it would be like having a baby and CF, and trust me times can be hard!

The ball was set in motion Robert was genetically tested, as I didn’t want the risk of having a baby born with CF.  I became pregnant quite quickly after getting married and my pregnancy was fine, no sickness or swollen feet!!  But lots of iv’s and NG feeding because I was losing weight instead of putting it on.  I spent a good part of my nine months in hospital but it was all well worth it.

So in October 2000 Bradley was born I was pleased that he was ok and that I was able to have a natural birth, which had been quick and relevantly pain free.  I was back putting on weight in no time and coping well with being a Mum.  The following year flew by with only a couple of doses of iv’s at home and the routine of eating and sleeping with a child was actually paying of.

Then Bradley became mobile and he wore me out. I was tired and that was when having him started to show, I became chestier and needed more hospital treatment.

By the time he was three I had spent a third of that year in hospital it wasn’t easy not being allowed to see him every day as they wanted me to rest.

I had already decided that one child was enough and had taken the choice of being sterilised so no mistakes would occur.  I can seriously say that I had no idea of the strains having a child would put on life and my relationship.

The cracks had started to appear and by 2003 my marriage was over.  I couldn’t cope with the whole situation and I felt that I had done the wrong thing by having Bradley.

Don’t get me wrong I love him to bits and every day I feel is a new adventure for both of us, I just feel that if I was given more information then maybe I would not have rushed into the whole situation.

September was my proudest moment when Bradley started school, I knew I had to enjoy every minute of him fully and that I had made the right decision not to have any more children and to enjoy him.

I am now back at work, training to become a accountant, my health is good and life is for living so here is to a healthy few more years ahead and lots more memorable moments.