Always in our hearts!

Amy Elizabeth

You will forever be in our hearts! 
Our memories of you are many and precious!

We love you and anxiously await the day
we are reunited with you in heaven! 

Amy wrote this when she was applying for a college scholarship.

As a person with Cystic Fibrosis I never stop. Whether it is clinic visits, hospital stays, doing treatments, taking medicine, or time out to cough, there IS always something demanding my time. It could be easy to get worn out and irritated with the reality of daily routine. Yet, as I look at my life, I realize that I have tried to make those times the best. Having C.F. has made me a positive thinker, given me a heart of compassion for others, and made me want to live life to its fullest.

Cystic Fibrosis can easily drag me down, but I have tried to make it a positive in my life. I think about what it would be like if I could not see, hear, or walk. This allows me to realize that I have a lot to be thankful for, even if that sometimes means being thankful that I only have one lung infection instead of two. I also have fun proving doctors, family, and friends wrong. I show them that I can have a lead role in a three hour stage production, play softball, leave the country for ten days and still deal with C.F. Another positive aspect is that through my many hospital stays and attendance at C.F. camps I have made lifelong friends. When I focus on the good, it helps the bad not seem so bad after all. I feed off of the encouragement I receive from others. So, when I wear a smile on my face, I wear it in my heart as well. I am always going to have those down days, but I try to look ahead and focus on all the good. Being able to think in a positive way has not only helped me overcome struggles in my life, but has also helped me to be there for others in their time of need.

Helping people is something I cannot get away from. I am drawn to people in need. Part of this may be that I know what it is like to be different. This can affect the way people look at you, which in turn affects the way you live. I have learned to be happy with who I am and how I was made. Once I learned to love myself, I worried less about me and could focus on others. I want people to feel happy and loved. They need to know they have a purpose in life. I often find that the best the thing I can do is be a listening ear. Doing that also makes me feel needed. I consider it a blessing to have a heart of compassion. I believe that it has made me a better friend and someday will make me a better wife and mom. No one deserves to live a painful or lonely life, and knowing that my life brought hope into someone else's gives me great encouragement.

Having a life-threatening disease has caused me to live life to its fullest. I want each moment to matter and each day to be a day of accomplishments. I do not ever want to take life or the joys it brings for granted. I often enjoy the simple things that not everyone takes time to notice. The times spent with family and friends are treasured in my heart. I do not want to miss out any life-changing experience, or any adventures it holds for me. Life is a wonderful thing, and when you know that it may not be as long as others, you do not want anything to take away the joy of living it to its fullest.

The trials of dealing with Cystic Fibrosis have helped make me a better person.

God has helped me find hope in each day and turn my sorrows into joy. And as I find this hope, I am able to see more clearly the purpose for which I was created.