I love Facebook. I love being able to stay in contact with friends and family from a far. I love being able to stay up to date with everyone. Facebook, along with Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites, are places where you can be what you want to be or what you want others to think you are. I find it funny when people post things that describe themselves but are directing it towards others. So many people live behind the computer screen and portray themselves in a light that is not truth. They then have to try and keep that image up in real life. That is not a life if you ask me.

On another note, Facebook is a great way for me to talk to other people with CF. It is a great way for us to be able to talk to others all over the world that are dealing with the same thing we are. I have made many CF friends on Facebook. The internet has helped grow and unite the CF community. Before the internet it was harder to meet new people in the CF community.

The CF Foundation has put out some more strict infection control and contact guidelines when it comes to people with CF being around one another. The foundation has the right to regulate people at their events and the things that go along with their events. (You can read more about the infection control here: http://www.cff.org/aboutCFFoundation/InfectionPreventionControlPolicy/) They put the following restriction on their indoor events: “Only one person with CF may be present at any CF Foundation-sponsored indoor event, meeting or office, including gatherings such as Foundation chapter committee meetings. This person will be invited by the event/meeting organizers or volunteer leaders. The Foundation is working to find new ways to include others in these meetings, including videoconferencing.” They also put more strict restrictions on their outdoor events: “People with CF need to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other at any Foundation-sponsored outdoor event or gathering. Medical experts agree that this is the most effective distance for reducing the spread of germs.” There used to be the “3 foot rule,” I guess now there is the “6 foot rule.” I grew up going to CF camp and being around my friends with CF therefore I will not change my ways. I have survived this long, why change things now. I use common sense and if someone is sick we don’t go around one another, that is just common sense. I try to avoid anyone who is sick, CF or not. I don’t need any extra germs. So the bottom line, my bottom line, about the CFF infection control guidelines is that I use common sense and I will continue to be around my CF friends. I will respect others wishes if they would not like to be around other CFers. I Know that it has helped me be who I am because I have been able to talk to others who are going through the same thing and that means the world to me and I wouldn’t change that for anything!

Man, I went out on a tangent there. Let me reel it back in…
Social Media is a great way to stay in contact and to get to know people. It is also a place where people can not be themselves/act like someone else, where people can say things they wouldn’t say if they weren’t behind a computer screen and where people can bully others. There are positives and negatives. I choose to look at the positives. I have many great friendships because of social media. All is good here!

Until next time…