( CNN ) -- Breathe in . Breathe out . Simple , right ? The first thing anyone does in this world is take a breath of air -- it should be effortless . For me , and nearly 70,000 people across the world like me , it 's not so easy . I have cystic fibrosis ( CF ) and I have never been able to take a full breath of air . Every day for 23 years , it has been a struggle to breathe . I often get asked what CF is , or what it is like to live with CF . There is no one true answer . The best I can come up with is , imagine living every single day with something like bronchitis , or , a little more simply put , imagine having to breathe through a straw all day , every day . The mucus that fills my lungs and traps some of the most deadly bacteria imaginable as a result of my genetic defect has always been inside me . So , how do I live with it ? I never feel bad for myself . When it comes to living with a chronic illness , self-pity , in my opinion , is the root cause of failure . I was dealt a certain hand of cards at birth and I am making the very best of it . It 's not anyone 's fault I have CF . It is n't a curse . It is n't bad luck . It just happened . I have every reason in the world to stay in bed all day and feel sorry for myself , but I do n't . I get up and carry out my day like most people . I graduated college in four years , have a job and take care of all of my responsibilities . I do n't hold anything back . Between all the inhaled treatments , mucus clearing therapies and the 80 pills or so that I ingest every day , the amount of time I spend taking care of myself is the equivalent of a full time job ... and that 's only when I am healthy . The physical treatments themselves may only take about two to three hours total , but every single decision I make throughout the day has some impact on my health , one way or another . Am I going out with my friends on a Friday night ? Is it OK to skip a treatment because I am too tired ? Can I go away for the weekend , or am I starting to feel sick ? Questions like these constantly go through my head . As far as I am concerned , this is all just a part of my life . I do n't know any other way . When it comes down to it , I do n't have any complaints ; I think I live a great life . I have the best friends I could ever ask for . I have an amazing sister . I had the best four years of my life at Boston College . I am able to work a few jobs and I was an athlete growing up . ( I might still consider myself an athlete , but the jury is still out on that decision ! ) There is a difference between being alive , and truly living . In 70 years , when I am 93 years old , I want to be able to look back on my life and know that I have an enormous collection of unforgettable experiences . I think the experiences and memories we create for ourselves are what define our personalities . I want people to say , `` Wow . That guy Gunnar Esiason has lived a great life . '' I realize I am still pretty young , but I like to think that I have a pretty good understanding about the value of life and how fragile it can be . I could be having the greatest day of my life one day , but the next I could be hunched over coughing up blood . It is just the reality of the disease I live with . Every day , good or bad , has shaped who I am . The bottom line , though , is that cystic fibrosis has taught me how to be resilient . I do n't take no for an answer and I know I can be whatever I want to be . I was sort of born into a unique situation . Because my dad 's a national figure and my parents ' were willing to take on CF in a public way , I have been given the chance to make a difference . Some may call me the poster boy for cystic fibrosis , but I do n't think anyone should have that title . We 're all in this together . Every family that has to carry the CF burden is in this fight . All I want to do is give CF patients a voice , so that one day we are n't dealing with the pain that comes along with the disease . One day , it will be behind us . Breathe in . Breathe out . Earn the air .
2 people worldwide have cystic fibrosis . Disease causes mucus to clog the lungs , making it very difficult to breathe . CF was diagnosed with Gunnar Esiason when he was An estimated 70,000 . Now 2 , he says the disease has taught him to be resilient .