Featured Blogger: Bloggymom of "Not Enough Oxygen"

Keep an eye on the CF Blogroll over the next few months! On the first and third Tuesday of every month, we will be featuring a different blogger from our blogroll. Because May is Cystic Fibrosis awareness month, we will kick of our Featured Blogger series with a new feature every Tuesday during the month of May!

If you'd like to be a Featured Blogger, leave a comment or e-mail beingcindybaldwin AT gmail DOT com, and we'd love to feature you! Don't forget to include your e-mail address so that I can send you a list of interview questions. (Currently, I am posting the interviews in the order that I receive them, so don't be worried if it takes a few weeks for your interview to go up.)

Today's Featured Blogger is "Bloggymom" from Not Enough Oxygen. (She prefers not to share her real name or pictures on the Internet.) Bloggymom is a fun, quirky CF blogger whose blog is a treasure trove of great posts about gardening, decorating, and other fun projects. She also homeschools her son, "Kiddo." Check out her blog for some great ideas!

First, tell me a little bit about yourself! (How old are you, are you married, do you have any kids, do you work, etc.)

I am married with one kid. I don't work outside the home.... I homeschool the Kiddo, keep up with the housework, quilt, embroider, knit and anything creative I can get my hands on.

How old were you when you were diagnosed with CF? What led to your diagnosis?

I was 15 when I was diagnosed. I went in to an ENT and he found polyps and suspected Cystic Fibrosis. He was right. A few week later we got the results of the sweat test---CF.

What kind of effect has CF had on your life?

CF has had a pretty huge impact on my life. I have gotten pretty sick a few times for it to keep me from having a "normal" life. I try to be "normal" but it is hard. CF makes me really tired and I don't do well when I am tired. I have lots of lung bugs and it seems like I catch everything that is floating around. I am a bit dark and bit quirky because of living with a life threatening illness (maybe I was dark and quirky before my diagnosis as well). Living in a hospital for weeks at a time, having all kind of medical procedures has cause me to see life differently than I think I would if I were healthy.

When did you start blogging? What led you to start blogging?

I have been blogging off and on for about 8 years. My sister got me started. I like blogging because I don't get out of the house much due to my CF and I can at least chat with people via blogs. My current blog seems to be my best fit. It is a glimpse into the "real" me. I tried blogging like other "moms" but it didn't feel real (actually it felt fake). I don't have a fancy house or cook fancy meals like lots of blogs out there. I am creative, a quirky, I have CF and there is no use in hiding it. My husband said one days that I act the way I do and like the things I like because I just don't always have enough oxygen getting to my brain. That is what gave me the idea for the blog name.

What is your favorite post you've ever written?

Favorite post ever written... I don't think I have one of those yet. I did a post a long time ago (on an old blog that I used to write) about a day in the life of CFer at clinic. I was fun to take pictures at clinic and then post them and see people's reactions. I might have to do that at rehab some time.... or at clinic again.

What are a few of YOUR favorite CF blogs? (They don't have to be on the blogroll.)

Favorite CF Blogs..... Tricia and Nate's blog is my most favorite-- Confessions of a CF Husband. They are so honest with their experience. I also like Run Sickboy Run. I wish I could exercise like he does. I also appreciate his honesty.

What would be your #1 piece of advice to others with CF?

#1 piece of advice: Take it one day at a time and pray. Prayer is the one thing that gets me through the rough days and rough weeks.