The article is a little over-the-top dramatically, but makes a good point about working through your problems towards your goals, especially if those problems and goals are physical.

I have Cystic Fibrosis and am a runner. I've done two marathons and am looking at doing on in spring of 2011. This kid is doing exactly what he should be doing.

However, I am concerned that that this "I can't breathe" thing isn't being addressed directly. Even runners with CF should be able to breathe OK during a run and shouldn't HAVE to collapse at the end. If that's what happening, his O2 levels may be going too low. Hopefully, they've done the 12-minute treadmill test on him and investigated. If one's O2 levels go too low, there's cell damage. During exercise, this can be remediated by slowing down, taking walk breaks, or using supplemental oxygen, or a combination of those things. I take walk breaks, though I admit that with better training, those could be shorter. :)

Well, I hope this kid can get a grasp on his new life and make it work for him. Sounds like he's in the activist phase; you know, the "nobody proselytizes harder than the converted" kind of thing.

DNRTFA, just wanted to say right on, as long as he is taking care of himself.

xlbrooklyn: However, I am concerned that that this "I can't breathe" thing isn't being addressed directly. Even runners with CF should be able to breathe OK during a run and shouldn't HAVE to collapse at the end.

Butbutbut! What about a little thing called BUILDING CHARACTER?

"It is certain that Merlin did not think that Zabulun would do what he did now. He changed himself into a hound. Running among the ten that were there he sniffed at them."

- 'The Boy Apprenticed to an Enchanter' by Padraic Colum (1920)

Bagelox-99: Butbutbut! What about a little thing called BUILDING CHARACTER?



/approves.

I told you he was hardcore.

show-off.

I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

I managed to carry the laundry basket today without getting winded.

StrangeQ: Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

I pray you become a better writer, my son.

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

If believing in God helped motivate the physical strengthening that saved his life, I'd call it a plus.

Good on the kid. No sense in letting the whole not being able to breathe thing slow you down.

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

No, no , no. ITS A MIRACUL FROM JEEBUS!!!! Just like all those folks who miraculously grew back amputated limbs!!

I ran XC in high school. I dealt with the pain of running by not running any more.

/found that cycling is just as good exercise and doesn't hurt nearly as much

xlbrooklyn: The article is a little over-the-top dramatically, but makes a good point about working through your problems towards your goals, especially if those problems and goals are physical.

I have Cystic Fibrosis and am a runner. I've done two marathons and am looking at doing on in spring of 2011. This kid is doing exactly what he should be doing.

However, I am concerned that that this "I can't breathe" thing isn't being addressed directly. Even runners with CF should be able to breathe OK during a run and shouldn't HAVE to collapse at the end. If that's what happening, his O2 levels may be going too low. Hopefully, they've done the 12-minute treadmill test on him and investigated. If one's O2 levels go too low, there's cell damage. During exercise, this can be remediated by slowing down, taking walk breaks, or using supplemental oxygen, or a combination of those things. I take walk breaks, though I admit that with better training, those could be shorter. :)

Well, I hope this kid can get a grasp on his new life and make it work for him. Sounds like he's in the activist phase; you know, the "nobody proselytizes harder than the converted" kind of thing.

Was wondering if you'd chime in here--awesome on the marathons. :-)

Why is it that so many threads have assholes who will try to turn anything into a religious flame war? I'm expecting it to go that way, which is why I'm out of here.

/dicks

Dafatone: If believing in God helped motivate the physical strengthening that saved his life, I'd call it a plus.

Hopefully he'll eventually discover that faith and a mixture of Black Rhino horn, dried Panda penis, and the blood of albinos are far more effective than faith alone.

Dafatone: StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

If believing in God helped motivate the physical strengthening that saved his life, I'd call it a plus.

What Dafatone said.

/agnostic
//married to an atheist
///I'm also a carrier of CF

I Like Bread: I managed to carry the laundry basket today without getting winded.

Not me, my fat ass was winded getting out of bed.

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

The difference between his family and you is they don't force their beliefs on you whereas you aren't being so generous.

towatchoverme: StrangeQ: Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

I pray you become a better writer, my son.

*sigh* DISEASE, a physically debilitating DISEASE

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

Does his faith somehow directly affect you? No? Then STFU. If it provides him and his family with some sort of comfort and doesn't hurt you, then why the hell do you care? Try not being a dick for a day--you might be surprised at how much nicer life is.

Was his name Forrest?

/drtfa

bigdogap: Was his name Forrest?

/drtfa

I do not think that acronym means what you think it means.

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

So you're the one everyone's been looking for. You know, the one with all the right answers about everything. You just stay right there, I'll spread the word so the rest can stop looking.

oneodd1: The difference between his family and you is they don't force their beliefs on you whereas you aren't being so generous.

I have my reasons. The sooner religion is abolished from the human psyche, the better. You don't need a god to motivate yourself; it's an intellectual stop-gap and a sign of mental weakness.

man, i had a hot (female) friend who died from CF. It's bullshiat.

StrangeQ:
Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

While it seems overly negative to say it, I agree. He's alive because of his own actions and he deserves to be credited for them.
I'm biased though, I read a story about someone going through 20-hour surgery with 10 doctors working the entire time and the one they thank is god.

The Rest Are Bait: StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

So you're the one everyone's been looking for. You know, the one with all the right answers about everything. You just stay right there, I'll spread the word so the rest can stop looking.

/Passes the TF

HellfireSE: man, i had a hot (female) friend who died from CF. It's bullshiat.

Did you ever get to hit it?

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

Wow, that's a lot of anger.

God-is-a-Taco: I read a story about someone going through 20-hour surgery with 10 doctors working the entire time and the one they thank is god.

*chuckle*

They probably mean it as "Thank God for giving the doctors the skill and desire to do what they did and for having our lives intersect when they did."

Most religions believe that everything happens for a reason. YMMV.

TsarTom: I do not think that acronym means what you think it means.

DRTFA: Didn't Read The Farking Article. See also, DNRTFA: Did Not Read The Farking Article.

Seems to fit if you ask me.

Entity79, she was too christian and i was too young and awkward. We made out a few times though, and she actually liked me, which at the time was quite the unusual occurence. I was crushed when she broke things off for some made-up reason that was probably more related to her condition than anything else.

/sad times
//but she was hot

FTFA
But one day after he learned that most people with CF die in their late 30s ...

Hey at least life expectancy is increasing. Back when I was in college people with cystic fibrosis didn't make it past their 20s.

When I was a student worker, I had a coworker who had CF. Nice girl who coughed all the time. One time, I witnessed a middle aged woman run up to her and practically shove a bottle of cough syrup in her face. Really, really pissed me off. Hey if somebody coughs all the time, Robitussin is probably not gonna help, beeyotch.

and that girl is very probably dead now ...

\reason #623 to not believe in a caring, powerful personal deity or deities

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

Whoa.
When did he mention god?

I love it when people decide fark it, they're going to do something whether or not it's supposed to work. Sometimes it's good to have a crazy dream.

/and luck, too

StrangeQ: I was all ready to support this kid until I hit this part:

Three crosses adorn the Livelys' kitchen wall and an angel statue kneels on their hearth. The family knows why it told Lively to keep running.

"The doctor said I should be in critical condition or possibly dead," Lively said. "That's when it hit me: I'm alive for a reason."

Now I just want to tell him and his family to stfu. You are not God's little holy marathon runner. A "god" did not have anything to do with your condition. You are alive because you fought a physically debilitating with physical strengthening and it has been able to hold it back so far.

He didn't say anything about god. The "journalist" did. The Journalist just took things and applied context to them to make it look like god did something.

Shame this kid and his family likely feel the need to thank some sort of god for what is in reality simply his amazing determination. He did this, he deserves the farking credit. Not some bullshiat deity. That is what I have against religion.

StrangeQ: oneodd1: The difference between his family and you is they don't force their beliefs on you whereas you aren't being so generous.

I have my reasons. The sooner religion is abolished from the human psyche, the better. You don't need a god to motivate yourself; it's an intellectual stop-gap and a sign of mental weakness.

Yeah, but my point still stands by your admission: you are going to (try to) force your views on others where it's not presented that he or his family was doing the same thing.

I Like Bread: I managed to carry the laundry basket today without getting winded.

Did you fold the laundry or leave it in the basket to wrinkle? We are waiting....

aspAddict: ...
TsarTom: I do not think that acronym means what you think it means.

DRTFA: Didn't Read The Farking Article. See also, DNRTFA: Did Not Read The Farking Article.

Seems to fit if you ask me.

Would you care to clear up this whole flammable/inflammable kerfuffle while we're all here?

/hides hot tears of shame behind tiny trembling fist.

I ran XC in high school. I dealt with the pain by puffing on chronic.

oneodd1: StrangeQ: oneodd1: The difference between his family and you is they don't force their beliefs on you whereas you aren't being so generous.

I have my reasons. The sooner religion is abolished from the human psyche, the better. You don't need a god to motivate yourself; it's an intellectual stop-gap and a sign of mental weakness.

Yeah, but my point still stands by your admission: you are going to (try to) force your views on others where it's not presented that he or his family was doing the same thing.

How do you know if the dad isn't a fark independent? We are assuming facts not in evidence.

SoothinglyDeranged: Shame this kid and his family likely feel the need to thank some sort of god for what is in reality simply his amazing determination. He did this, he deserves the farking credit. Not some bullshiat deity. That is what I have against religion.

Feh on "shame." If thanking some imaginary guy in the sky keeps the kid running and alive, so be it. As long as I don't have to believe in their imaginary guy in the sky or be held to the limitations of that belief, I'm just dandy about it. They have the right to their belief system - I have the right to eschew it.

Personally, I can't wait for humanity to replace religion with rationality, but we're nowhere near ready. So, feh.

TsarTom: Would you care to clear up this whole flammable/inflammable kerfuffle while we're all here?

in⋅flam⋅ma⋅ble
1. capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable
[Middle English, liable to inflammation, from Medieval Latin īnflammābilis, from Latin īnflammāre, to inflame; see inflame.]

flam⋅ma⋅ble
1. easily set on fire; combustible; inflammable.
[From Latin flammāre, to set fire to, from flamma, flame; see bhel-1 in Indo-European roots.]

They mean the same thing, although modern English tends to make one think that "inflammable" is the antonym of "flammable." This is incorrect. Proper antonyms would include noncombustible or incombustible.

Better? ;)

/You asked...

StrangeQ: You don't need a god to motivate yourself; it's an intellectual stop-gap and a sign of mental weakness.

[citation needed]

Difficulty: "Because I said so" is not a valid reason.

TsarTom: bigdogap: Was his name Forrest?

/drtfa

I do not think that acronym means what you think it means.

I didn't read the farking article, if that helps clear it up for you, mother.

aspAddict: TsarTom: Would you care to clear up this whole flammable/inflammable kerfuffle while we're all here?

in⋅flam⋅ma⋅ble
1. capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable
[Middle English, liable to inflammation, from Medieval Latin īnflammābilis, from Latin īnflammāre, to inflame; see inflame.]

flam⋅ma⋅ble
1. easily set on fire; combustible; inflammable.
[From Latin flammāre, to set fire to, from flamma, flame; see bhel-1 in Indo-European roots.]

They mean the same thing, although modern English tends to make one think that "inflammable" is the antonym of "flammable." This is incorrect. Proper antonyms would include noncombustible or incombustible.

Better? ;)

/You asked...

Yes. Yes I did do that.
You'd think I would've known gooder.

TsarTom: You'd think I would've known gooder bester.

Sorry. Pet peave. ;)

bigdogap: TsarTom: bigdogap: Was his name Forrest?

/drtfa

I do not think that acronym means what you think it means.

I didn't read the farking article, if that helps clear it up for you, mother.

I zigged when I shoulda zagged. You wins!