@blm1007blm1007 Deep down, I know that you are right. I wish I was more comfortable to set up something like a Go Fund Me for myself in terms of the financial problem. I know this is going to sound juvenile, but I find so much embarrassment when thinking about setting something like that up for myself. However, I do know that I need to go to NJH at some point because there has still not been a single doctor that has been able to definitively tell me WHY I have this condition, just that I DO. I know this is very common for the non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis community, but given that I am so young, it is frustrating that they cannot even attribute it to wear and tear on my lungs as a result of aging, or some other common cause. I do know that I carry a variant of the cystic fibrosis gene (so I am a carrier, but do not have it), and I wonder if that could be a reason as to why I have presented so many respiratory problems, but even in getting those results back, they still told me it was such a rare variant and was not connected to any disease causing symptoms, that this was unlikely.

I have had several conversations with the staff at my school and they have been very accommodating and are aware of my situation. I actually did go home to see my Pulmonologist on Thursday and got a new chest CT and was assessed by him. Whatever I had must have been viral because after finishing an antibiotic and still experiencing symptoms, my chest CT did not show any abnormal bacterial growth (aside from the normal excess mucus expected in the chest CT of a bronchiectasis patient). I am getting a referral to the pulmonology center here at Northwestern so I have a more convenient place to get looked at while I am living here.

I am still taking my Brinsupri daily, and my pulmonologist does not seem to think that my sudden health disparities are necessarily correlated to the medicine, but are just happening coincidentally. I am on a steroid now for my excessive wheezing and am hoping to see a difference made in that regard soon (has anyone experienced increased or new wheezing after taking Brinsupri)? Aside from this recent illness, I have not noticed any other severe side effects (aside from occasional nausea and shakiness if I take it without food), but can not say for sure if I have noticed a positive difference either. I will continue to update this forum as my journey continues and would love to continue hearing how the medication is affecting the rest of you.

Hearing positive things about the medication is keeping me hopeful. Thank you for your, and everyone else’s, kind words. I am very happy and feel very fortunate to have found this group.