A Letter To My Husband

Tyson, my rock, my love, my man;

  I know these past three years have been hell on you and so much stress that no one should have to go through. Only as humans do we chose to put ourselves in stressful situations all for love.

You are so much more to me than my husband, my friend, or my rock. Tyson, you are so strong, smart, creative, and loving. Most of all you are here for me when I need you to be, when others would go running for the hills you have stayed by my side. Now that is not to say you are always going to be happy throughout the whole thing. I know you can't stand the medical field and how it works and the run around before anything medical is started, done, and finished. It is never an easy fix like we would all like it to be. I thank you for that! I thank you for loosing your cool when doctors change their minds and you show me that you are human and you care for me and me alone!

I know when I am hospitalized you are now handed a double job of going to work and maintaining the house as well as taking care of our furbabies wants and needs. Plus the added weight of am I ok or when am I going to be coming home to end the chaos and try to set things back to normal.

I want to thank you for taking my hand in the silly life of mine. A life that doesn't promise a tomorrow, or even a later tonight. Knowing at the drop of a hat I can be at my lowest of lows without sign or warning. You are there for me to cry, scream, vent, laugh, and sigh when relief finally comes.

I owe you so much more than a silly letter, and when I get home, I would like to treat you to a special "Husbands Day" to where I can shower you, pamper you, and celebrate you for all that you do for me and not just me but my family as well.

Being in love with a sick person is not really the ideal relationship but once you find the person who doesn't care what happens as long as they are by your side is the most important thing in the world. The best feeling anyone could ever ask for.

This life. The life of a Cystic, isn't for everyone. Some men would run and hide never to be found again when faced with the problems we have had as a couple. Not you, you stay right beside me bickering back and forth and only really looking out for one another.

I love you so much Tyson and I just want you to know how much I appreciate, love, and cherish every thing that you are, say, and do!

Thank you for you! Thank you for your craziness, your worry, your OCD, your sweet side, you thoughtful side, you hard side, the part of you so dedicated in taking care of me, and your hard working side. Thank you for ALL of you! Most of all, thank you for being here putting up with me through it all!

Your loving, appreciated, and lucky wife,
  Mrs. Tyson Dick

Hospital Food

Being hospitalized for days and even weeks on end the food is terrible! Being that we need extra calories, eating in the hospital is normally hard and practically hell and ordering out can get EXPENSIVE. However, there are ways to get around the crappy food well ok not really "get around it" but make it better and less flavorless.

Mind you, some hospitals are lucky enough to have a Subway, McDonalds, and even convenient stores in them. Which is really nice I went to a hospital in San Diego that had both and a Starbucks and it was heaven.

For those of us stuck in a regular hospital with regular hospital food here are a few things to help you make more promising meals. Keep in mind for this to work you must be on a CF Diet that includes extra portions and ordering as often and as much as you want. Let's just go off of my menu here at WVU Hospital and some things I have put together.

Breakfast - The most important meal of the day or so they say! After a while the cereal, rubber pancakes, and eggs just get to be redundant. You need to think outside of the menu and make yourself a better meal.

★Cheerios, strawberry yogurt, and sliced bananas make for a yummy and unique breakfast that you would never think to put together while sitting in your hospital bed. Simply ask the nurse for an 8oz drinking cup, which you most likely already have with a water pitcher. Cut up the bananas, then layer the yogurt and cheerios and you have a simple parfait!

★Make your own breakfast sandwich on either a biscuit or toast by ordering scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and a slice of cheese. Put it together and you are good to go without even doing much.

★Grapes, cream cheese, and gram crackers make for a yummy and simple snack that almost every hospital caf has.

Who doesn't love the comfort food of tomato soup and grilled cheese? I know I do, however, not every day all day. So get creative with the food options that you do have.

★Cottage cheese and peaches (fruit in general) can be a great start to any lunch or brunch and is very easy to throw together.

★Ordering individually get chicken tenders, a dinner roll, swiss cheese, and a slice of ham and make yourself mini Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches. Something that seems so complicated is actually just as easy as ordering the ingredients and putting it all together.

★Grilled chicken with no bun, just the chicken. Provolone cheese, pasta sauce, Parmesan cheese, and a little salt and you have yourself a Chicken Pareman Dinner.

★For a fun little fatty snack order some fries, shredded cheese, bacon, and sour cream and make loaded cheese fries. So yummy and so easy. You can do the same thing with a baked potato.

★Take pretzels and break them into an ice cream cup and have a sweet and salty dessert that is effortless.

Now the list can go on and on however, I think you get the gist of what I am getting at. Don't make the hospitals bland and boring food make your long stay and worse. Just think about what you want and what the individual ingredients are and then order them. Yes, normally the person who is taking your order will get confused if you start ordering random things but oh well!

Eating yummy,
  Sandi

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