Sophomore at Staunton River Combats Her Cystic Fibrosis Through Her Love of Sports

As per her routine, Lynsey has to take over 60 pills a day in order to remain as healthy as possible. She cannot eat without properly preparing first, having to take eight pancreatic enzyme supplements before consuming food is possible. Ball likes to eat, and it is necessary for her athletic performance, so these enzymes are crucial; they heighten the level of absorption of vital ingredients within the food. 

If most people had to take pills before they ate every day, they might go a bit crazy, or flat-out not do it. However, again, this frustration does not bother Ball in the least. She joked that even though the supplements are absolutely huge, at around the width of a quarter each, she has a special talent of being able to swallow not one, but four, at a time. She explains that after 16 years of taking something, you get pretty used to it.

Another daily necessity for Ball is her breathing treatments. They are required to take place twice per day, once in the morning and once at night, before going to sleep.

Ball must also use a feeding tube, as sometimes normal eating by itself cannot reap enough nutrients to achieve a necessary weight that is able to keep lungs functioning properly, even if it seems healthy and sufficient.

Ball comments on the necessity of the apparatus, "I got the feeding tube eight years ago … when I was in fourth or fifth grade I only weighed 50 pounds. Two years later, I gained about 10 or 15 pounds. It really helped a lot.”

Not all of Ball's health necessities are all that cumbersome though; she even joked that eating a lot of fat and junk food are her "doctor's orders." While needing a feeding tube might not be too much fun, being able to eat whatever you want and have your doctor's support might make up for it!