A mile in Rima's shoes...

When Rima and I began writing this blog we discussed some cool/captivating post ideas. A few that came up and kept coming back up were ones of me doing things her way. In other words trying out living life as Rima does/has to. What does that mean you might be thinking. Well, over this month since it's Cystic Fibrosis awareness month I'll be trying to "walk a mile in Rima's shoes". That expression has been around for years and years. We all have said it at least once or twice. We may have even thought about what it's like living like others but then got pulled back into our own lives by something trivial. It's hard to step outside of your own comfort zone and see what it's like being another human in this world that we usually only see through our own eyes. 

A social experiment if you will. What is it like being my sister? I see her every day or have since I've moved here. I make almost all her meals, horrified at her small portions. I run errands with her. I watch her walk around stores with an oxygen machine. I watch her struggle walking up stairs. I wait for her at the end of the aisle as she catches up slowly. I see people give her side glances as to why a young person is parking in a handicap spot. I watch people shun away from her when cough attacks inevitably take hold of her small frame. I watch the struggle bus take hold as she inches up the stairs. I've watched this beautiful soul waltz through the last 26 years of her life more gracefully that I would have if I had CF. Honestly that's the truth, she is one of the happiest people I've ever met in my life. She's frustratingly positive and loves life. By life I mean animals and living things. Never will I meet a girl again who gets excited about an octopus and has it as her home screen and believe me it's an ugly octopus but she thinks its gorgeous....its name is Gloria....someone help her please...!

So, over the next 28 days I'll be conducting the mile in Rima's shoes social experiment.

• For 3-5 day's (or longer...if I last) I'll be eating the same portion sizes as Rima and only when she eats. This is going to be very hard for me. I don't do diets...Emily can attest to that. The minute I'm told I can't have something I want it and I go and have it. I eat very healthy so I wont eat the calories Rima does just the portion sizes. One taco at dinner.....one taco at dinner....I may go mad!!!
• I'll be going out in public wearing her oxygen machine. Next week Rima will be in the hospital so it will be the perfect time to do this, since she wont need her travel pack. 
• For a few days I'll follow her routine of walking and moving. When she rests, I rest when she walks I walk and at the same pace. Unless she needs something and then I'll break out of character and grab it for her. We will see how antsy I get, probably super antsy!!! 
• I'll be also breathing through a straw and having my nose closed for a couple hours a few times a week. To see what it's like breathing like her. Now this wont be very accurate but as close as I can get. Maybe I'lI also covered the straw with a thick blanket then it will be closer to what Rima deals with....
• The swallowing pill thing is going to be tricky. She has to swallow around 40 pills a day....How to simulate that process without taking the same ones she does is still racking our brains. Currently we think beans may be the solutions...beans for beanzy!!!!
• Her vest and nebulizers are also going to be a bit tricky. I may just have to sit and hold something to my mouth for the same time she does her nebs and the same time. As for her vest once she is done with it I'll try it out...eeek!
• She does not sleep well at all and wakes up multiple times through the night. For a few night's I'll be setting alarms ever hour or so. I'm not looking forward to this at all, probably less than the eating part. I apologize for any grumpy behavior in advance. 

All in all the next 28 days should prove to be challenging, eye opening and if not pretty frustrating. But that's the whole point of this "mile in Rima's shoes". To experience in some way all the bull sh*t she has to go through on a daily basis just to survive. 

Here goes nothing....