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Let’s talk for a minute about how beautiful it is here now…sigh…bring on the parks, and picnics, and windows open, and, and, and for the next 7 months…ahhh, we made it!

I feel like there has been a lot of cf stuff happening around here lately, so I thought I would jot some things down.

WEIGHT – First, because it is the freshest on my mind – we had Asher’s 3 year check up today at his pediatrician.  I was shocked when I saw Asher weigh in at 30 lbs exactly.  I knew going into the appt that his weight was probably going to be down, because he just looks skinner to me.  But, when you have an active boy, I think you always chalk it up to all the running.  His pediatrician and I talked and he said that he weighed 30 lbs at his 2 year appointment, and when we were just in 2 months ago he weighed 34 lbs.  Ugh.  He’s lost 4 lbs in 2 months.  Keeping weight on can be really challenging for cfers.  Jeremy and I have seen a few signs in his trips to the bathroom (trying to be discrete!) that we’ve been concerned about, but his nurse said that he is maxed out right now on his enzymes and prevacid.  So…I don’t know what that means.  We’re going to crank up the fat content in this house until his 3 year appt next week with his cf care team at PCH, and see what they say.  Seems like we need a new plan for our little man.

LUNGS – Well since we finished the Hypertonic Saline clinical study, we got approved to put Asher on the REAL Hypertonic Saline.  Oh my gosh, we LOVE this stuff!!!  We were definitely on the placebo, because the first time we put his mask on with this new med he started coughing like crazy.  We like coughing.  Coughing means something is being moved out of his lungs.  It’s an expensive med (for some reason our insurance doesn’t cover it, even though it’s basically just a jazzed up saline solution – but I’m not bitter, ha!) but it is totally worth every penny!  Asher has been sick this last week so we’ve had to put him on an antibiotic and up his treatments.  I really believe this Hypertonic is helping to move this cold out of his lungs quicker.  Can’t recommend it enough if you have a little cfer!

PILLS – In the morning, Asher has 3 enzymes (Creon 12’s, they are just shy of a horse pill), 1 Culturelle, and 1 Prevaid pill to take.  Just a couple of weeks ago he grabbed all 5 pills, shoved them in his mouth, took a swig of his drink, and started chowing down his breakfast!  I just stood there with wide eyes and my mouth open not sure what to say.  And then it just hit me that taking pills for this kiddo is no big deal.  I shouldn’t make a big deal about it, because he certainly isn’t.  So, now he takes all 5 pills at once.  I’m so thankful for how easy it is to get him to take his meds.  This liquid antibiotic that he’s on tastes disgusting.  The first time I put it in his mouth he swallowed it, shivered, and looked at me and said, “what’s that?!”  I told him it’s medicine to help with his cough.  The next day I thought we were going to have some troubles because he knew how bad it tasted.  I dumped it in his mouth, he again shivered, took a drink, and said, “help my cough.”  Sigh…Asher you’re such a strong boy.

AZ’S FINEST – Every year the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation selects about 15-20 people to spotlight as Arizona’s most influential trendsetters, honoring their professional and charitable accomplishments. Those selected exemplify leadership qualities, are active in volunteer roles and have excelled in the Arizona business community.  We love the AZ’s Finest people, because they rake in A LOT of money for the Foundation every year.  Well at the dinner to congratulate the new members, guess who’s video was shown :).  This is the second video Jeremy made for our Silent Auction.  So proud of both my boys!!!

PCH FAMILY DAY – I was able to speak at the PCH Family Day last month and just shared a bit about our greatest challenge in raising a toddler with cf, the one thing I wished someone would have told me about raising a cfer when we got Asher’s diagnosis, and any tips I had for other parents.  If you know me, speaking is not. my. thing.  I get sweaty and really nervous.  But it ended up going just fine, and I was so thankful to have met more mommies with kids with cf.  I’m so thankful for blogs, and facebook, and to be able to connect with other parents who are walking this same path with us….

…speaking of that!  I got to finally meet, Emily, one of my favorite cf mommy friends this last week, and oh how I wish we lived closer together!!!  Her best friend since Kindergarten, Shannon, introduced us when Emily’s little girl was first diagnosed.  We started talking soon after that, and one day when there is a cure for cf we’ll still be great friends.  Love you, Em!

BREATH OF LIFE GALA – Jeremy and I had the privilege of being invited to attend this Gala at the Ritz Carlton a few weeks ago.  Talk about fan-cy!  It definitely was the fanciest event Jeremy and I had ever been to.  It was so funny standing out front of the hotel waiting with everyone else for the valet people to bring us our cars.  BMW’s, Porsche’s, some other fancy car I didn’t know, and then here comes our Toyota Rav4, ha!  It was hysterical!  We got invited to go because the Foundation uses Asher’s video all the time when they are meeting with people.  So much so that the director told me she runs through the office frantically saying, “where’s my Asher video?!” whenever she has to leave :).  And, now the last few times I’ve been around her she’s introduced me as “Asher’s mommy”, ha!

3RD ANNUAL SILENT AUCTION!  I can’t believe it’s year 3 already!  I’m not going to give too many details away right now because we’re going to be launching something new this year, but I did want to put a save the date plea out.   Can you put a big circle around SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND FROM 4:00-6:00p pretty pleeeeeaaaaaase with sugar on top :).