Like the scientists promised, Trikafta quite literally gave me a brand new body. Over the next few months or so after my body had been successfully purged of mucus, I discovered I could do all sorts of things I'd never been able to do before. My sense of smell had returned, after I'd been almost completely nose-blind for years. I first noticed it just as the first scents of spring wafted through the air. For the first time in God-knows-how-long, I could smell the sweet scent of neighborhood flowers as I walked past their beds and bushes. I especially loved the earthy yet sweet scent of the ponderosa pine trees (it's still one of my favorite scents), and the subtle scent of fresh water rising up from the melting snow on warmer days. 

I was also gaining weight like never before, even though my appetite wasn't nearly as impressive as it was prior to Trikafta. Because my body could digest food way easier, I required less medication with every meal, and my diet was no longer restricted to lean foods. I could finally eat spicy tacos, drink whole milk, and enjoy birthday cake without suffering a gastric exorcism hours later. Food also tasted way better now that I had a much better sense of smell. Within just a few short months, I'd gained over ten pounds, much of that being in muscle.

Of course, my energy levels were through the roof, which is how I gained so much muscle in such little time. For the first time in my life, I was no longer embarrassed by my skeletal body, for I no longer looked like I starved myself. I had an easier time regulating my body temperature too. Cold air didn't seem to bother me so much, and neither did dust or pollen in the wind. I also found out, a little later on, that Pseudomonas no longer posed a dire threat to my health like it used to, which meant I could safely go swimming and fishing in fresh water again.