Tanner in 1998

Learn more about me and cystic fibrosis

Meet Tanner

I was born on March 19,1996 to Wendy and Gary Stainbrook.
On May 27,1996,at eight weeks old, I was diagnosed with a disease called cystic fibrisis(cf).
Cf is the #1 genetically transmitted disease in children and young adults.
There are approx. 30,000 children and young adults in the USA with this disease today.
As of today there is no known cure for cf.
But I am hopeful that someday soon I will be part of a medical miracle..
THE CURE.
In the past 3 years I have been in the hospital 6 different times totaling 52 days.
I have already had sinus surgery and had a medi-port put in so I could do IV therapy at home,
the less time I have to spend in the hospital the better. If I do go into the hospital I get whats called a "clean out". I get pumped full of antibiotics and get lots
of breathing treatments to get my lungs and body strong enough to fight off infection and stay healthy.
Fortuantely, I am a very healthy boy,
I have had only one bout with pneumonia.When I was 9 months old,
I spent 10 day in the hospital, thats when I realized
thatI had the best doctors in the world.They took such good care of me,and
so did the rest of the hospital staff.Since I am a frequent visitor they all know me by name,they have become
part of my family.

My new Medicines and Therapies

I have been very lucky,I have been able to try lots of new things.
Right now I am getting the ABI Vest.
The vest is going to help with postural drainage(PD)
so I can keep my lungs clear from sticky mucus.
People with cf grow a bacteria in their lungs, mucus that causes pneumonia,
thats why the vest is going to be a big help,
My mom says" I don't sit still enough to get a good enough pounding with her hands"
And you know what I don't.
There are to many fun things I want to do.
But the treatments keep me healthy so I know I need them .
I am also using a new aerosol called TOBI.
I use it in my aerosol machine, It is an antibiotic .
Hopefully, all this new stuff will keep me a very healthy & active kid.
If your interested in the vest,here is the site where you can learn more about it .
http://www.abivest.com
I am also on all different kinds of oral medicines and enzymes. Since my body doesn't absorb foods very well
I need to take a supplemental enzyme to help my body
absorb all the good things my body needs to be healthy.
I don't mind them, I have been taking daily medicine for so long now,that it has become part of my everyday routine, just like my treatments have..
as long as it keeps me healthy
I'll do it, even if I don't want to.