Local family learns to live with cystic fibrosis

GRUNDY CENTER — “You read about this, but you never think it’s going to happen to you or your family,” Nick Betts said of hearing the news that his son, Austin, has cystic fibrosis (CF). “It was like getting punched in the gut.”
    Nick and his wife Sarah, went into the local emergency room when their five-year-old son, Austin, had a complication commonly associated with CF. The Betts had no idea this ER visit would change their lives forever.
    “The doctor asked if there was a family history of CF,” Sarah said. “We just looked at each other.”
    Sarah had learned she was a carrier after a routine screening during her first pregnancy. Nick was also tested and found to be a carrier.
    “We had no family history, so we didn’t give it another thought,” Sarah said.
    The Betts were at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines to see a CF specialist just a few days after their ER visit.
    “I’ll never forget that day. We were sitting in the cafeteria waiting to hear the results of Austin’s tests and Austin smiled at us and said, ‘This is the best day of my life,’” Nick said.
 
For more of this story see the April 9 Grundy Register.