Fighting with Crib Gloves

by Richard Keane

Cystic Fibrosis wasn't going to let go of this child, and the young pediatrician knew this. As Dr. Miller hung the boxing gloves on the corner of the crib, even he couldn't imagine the depth of the battle this young boy would face. Strength, faith, an insatiable will to live, and those gloves, will be called on for survival. Cystic Fibrosis, this fatal lung disease, doesn't let go. How does one respond when told that without a lung transplant, your lungs will fail within just a few months? In Fighting with Crib Gloves, Richard Keane invites us on his journey from childhood, when first told Cystic Fibrosis is the reason he coughs and gasps for breath, to the present day. Now 57 years old, it has been seven years since he received his new lungs. Though lesser strains of the disease exist, CF has no cure and yields a life expectancy of 36 years. Throughout his memoirs, Richard displays the sense of humor that has served him well as he dealt with many physical hardships. Fighting with Crib Gloves is a work by an author who urges his readers to recognize that despite personal challenges, brutally difficult as some may be, perseverance, with hope and laughter in your heart and soul, must prevail.

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2014

Reviews

[Philippe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tremendous progress has been made in developing therapies and medicines for people suffering from cystic fibrosis. Only a few decades ago average life expectancy didn't stretch beyond adolescence. Today many adults are living with the disease. Richard Keane was 55 when he wrote this book, still an extraordinaly high age for someone suffering from cystic fibrosis. His well-written, sober and lighthearted account helps us understand the travails and joys of a disease-ridden life. Multimorbidities are typical for adults with cystic fibrosis so as they age people find themselves battling an increasing number of afflictions. For the relatively healthy amongst us it is humbling to witness the daily courage that sufferers from chronic, life-shortening diseases and their families have to bring to bear.