There was never a doubt.

A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 33rd birthday. Like all other birthdays that I've had, I made much less of a stink about it then some of those around me.

I got many kind phone calls, texts, emails and Facebook comments that I appreciated and certainly lit up my day. It was also some of those comments that inspired this blog:

"Every birthday for us is a good one"
"Wow, 33!! Bet you never saw that coming!"
"Cherish all of your birthdays because none of them are guaranteed"

and on, and on and on....

Now, let me be clear. The people that left/said these obviously meant nothing negative nor do I think they were doing a bad thing. Many of us have been trained over the years to throw-out CF specific phrases at such a time (none of the above would have been said if I didn't have CF). I get it. And, I still very much appreciate them thinking of me on my "special day". It's just that if I'm being honest, those type of comments don't sit well with me, not because they're bad, but because they are so counter to the way I think and the way I was raised to think.

I never had a doubt that I would see 33. Neither did my mom. It was never talked about like some "pie in the sky" idea that I would grow old, graduate from college, have a career and raise a family. At least it was never talked about as a hopefully or if kind of a thing from my parents. It was always talked about in the context of when.

My mom made it clear. I would celebrate a lot of birthdays. Not because I was special. Not because she was so good at parenting. Not because my CF wasn't going to be tough. No, it was because CF was  tough and a tough disease requires a tougher reaction to it. She taught me that my reaction would be one of self-confidence through a belief in treatments, a life of exercise/activity and a faith in God.

She knew it wouldn't be easy. She knew I would make mistakes. She knew CF would never take a day off. However, the thing she said to me more than anything else was that she knew I would be okay.

That confidence came through nothing else but knowing she had done a great job in instilling the values that are still with me today: Personal responsibility, never quit attitude, embrace my failures to propel me to successes, do for others and family first.

And so I ask myself, what if my life hadn't turned out the way it has so far? Would I blame my mom for having such a will do or can do outlook? I certainly don't think so. I've also spoken to many others about this and they feel the same way. In fact, the peeps that I talk to who have an issue with their parents are the ones who had parents raise them in the opposite manner. The parents who held them back. The parents who insisted on raising a 25 year-old child because "they knew better". The parents who didn't make treatments and health a priority. The parents who told their kids about all of the things Cystic Fibrosis would stop them from doing.

I know I've talked about my mom a lot on this little old blog, but that's because she played such a pivotal role in who I am today. I think about life the way she raised me to think about life. My attitude towards CF is her attitude towards CF. She helped make me into the man that my wife fell in love with. She's given me some of the tools that I hope will assist me in being a great father. It's because of her that I've not only seen 33, but that I've lived the last 33 years and will live another 33 more.

I'm here because of the people who love me. Not in spite of Cystic Fibrosis.

Tantrums and Giggles

Mckenna is creeping up on the terrible twos. Over the last couple months she has started in on the tantrums and being opinionated. I am not naive enough to assume this is the worst it will get, so that is why I say we are just creeping up on the terrible twos. I will say, as of now, she does a good job recovering from a tantrum. She has learned pretty fast that when she throws herself to the ground, she gets ignored, and then she just feels a little silly. Occasionally I can even give her a little glance like she's being totally silly, and she will start to laugh. So thankfully her tantrums come and go quickly.

The one blessing about the tantrums starting is that it's just another sign that she's becoming her own person, with her own likes and dislikes. That may be a strange way to look at tantrums, but it's true. It goes along with her increased personality, her goofiness, her verbal skills (this girls talks as much as her momma, which if you know me...that's A LOT). So I'll take the tantrums if it means I get to see more of my little girl coming out. The top tantrum causing events:

- End of bath time - I don't really blame her. If you've ever gotten out of a bath, shower, or pool in AZ, you know it's COLD. She usually throws a bit of a fit, until she's dry and snuggled in her daddy's arms to go get her PJs on.

- Anything to do with her car seat - Sometimes she doesn't want to get in her car seat, sometimes she doesn't want to get out. Most the time she throws a total fit while in her car seat. I'm hoping that when she is no longer rear-facing she will like her car seat better, but who knows. If one of us holds her hand she's usually content, but obviously we can't exactly hold her hands the whole ride, every ride.

- Time to come inside - Mckenna LOVES to play outside. She isn't thrilled when the dog goes out to go potty and she can't go. Or when she's been playing outside and it's time to come inside. She usually melts into a puddle next to the door until she realizes she's not going to get to go outside as a result of her fit and moves on to something else.

- Diaper time - As we have mentioned, Mckenna in mid-potty training, so her diaper comes off quite a bit. She's still too small for pull ups, so it has to come all the way off and then get put back on. Well she is not a fan of the process. She will occasionally very sweetly sit down when you tell her to sit down so she can get her diaper on, but usually you watch her little naked tushy go running, usually with a huge smile on her face. But all fun and games are over (in her mind) when you wrestle her to the ground and force her to stay there until her diaper is on.

So anyways, at least all those little tantrums just mean she's growing up and becoming a little lady with her own little personality. And one thing I love about her little personality is that she is happy, playful, and goofy. I love playing with her and being goofy and playful with her. So I'll take the tantrums if it means I get to experience her personality. Here's my favorite part of our days together...me being silly and making a fool of myself for a laugh:

It's Got You!!!

Thankful Thursday: Sunny Days & Snow

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for my brother-in-law's birthday and first week in a new job. Ronnie's brother, Andrew, had a big week this week - a birthday and a new job. Ronnie has the best brothers and I couldn't be more thankful for Andrew being another year older and to have found a fabulous job!! 

I'm thankful for a good night's sleep. Mckenna is back into her normal sleeping habits after a 2 week blip of random wakings and being sick. I am thankful that I am able to sleep again, but I am even more thankful that she's getting good sleep. I always know when she's well rested and I know she likes feeling well rested!

I'm thankful for sunny days. We had some warm days over the weekend and beginning of the week, and it was fabulous. We were able to play outside for hours each day this weekend and it was fun for the whole family. Mckenna totally loves playing outside, and it makes for a fun-filled day for all of us. We had a picnic, played with water, played with bubbles, you name it!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for cereal. I've been super into cereal lately and I'm not exactly sure why. I don't even eat it for breakfast (that's usually eggs and granola over yogurt) but have had it for lunch and/or dinner more than a few times over the past couple of weeks. My favorite cereal right now? Raisin Bran!

I'm thankful for snow. As many of you know (because it was national news), it snowed yesterday here in Phoenix. I wasn't able to witness it first-hand as it didn't snow in my area, but I thought it was cool to see all of the pictures and videos that friends posted. I also saw some snow falling off of cars heading down the freeway!

I'm thankful for my snuggle bunny (my little one). Mckenna has been super snuggly lately and I can't get enough of it. She's also been a big time Daddy's girl which I must admit, feels pretty nice. I can't imagine it lasting much longer :)

So, what are you thankful for today?

Happy Birthday Andrew!!

One of my little brothers, Andrew, is turning 23 today!! I am so proud of him for so many reasons, but here are some that come to mind...

He's always feared God.
He's always been extremely loyal as a brother, son and friend.
He's always worked very hard in school since the day he started.
He always played the game he loved (basketball) with passion.
He's always willing to lend out a helping hand.
He's a great brother-in-law to Mandi.
He's putting in time with Mckenna every week to try to win the title of "favorite uncle" ;)
He graduated from U of A in 3 years.
He obtained his Master's degree in Family and Marriage Therapy by the age of 22.
He continues to do what's right over what's convenient.

Anyway, I love you and I'm proud of you Andrew.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Precautions for MRSA

I had a clinic appointment yesterday in which I found out that in my last sputum sample, I cultured MRSA. This was a HUGE blow as MRSA in one of my biggest fears. I've also gone almost a year without a hospitalization (normally I'm doing at least twice a year visits) because I've been extremely compliant and my PFTs had been steadily increasing, so it was kind of a shock to hear that I got it, but not from the hospital. I did a quick CL search on MRSA and came across a question you responded to, and noticed that you have cultured MRSA yourself. Reading that was very calming, as it tells me that you can be healthy even if you have it.

I was hoping that you could answer a few questions based on your experience. You've mentioned before that your doctors said you didn't have to worry about avoiding babies or older individuals- is that true for brand newborns? Did you have to (or choose to) take any extra precautions when Mckenna was born? This is a major worry of mine because my cousins are all having babies that I would like to be able to hold and play with. I also hope to be able to try having children in the somewhat near future, and, although the situation is a tad different considering I would be the one carrying the pregnancy, it would be comforting to hear from a CF parent with MRSA about their experience. Another major concern that I have is that my brother Brian, who also has CF, doesn't have MRSA. I asked my doctor about precautions, as I will be seeing him at Christmas, and he said that we should avoid hugging, but that mask wearing isn't as crucial. Do you have any suggestions there? As much as it's difficult for me to accept that I can't hug my brother the few times I get to see him, I plan to do follow his suggestion, and I have considered wearing a mask anyway, just to be safe.

_____

Culturing anything new is never what we want to hear, but as you've seen me say already - not the end of the world. Of course everyone reacts differently to various bacterias, but I've been told that many US doctors don't believe that MRSA is a huge deal nor has a major impact on the lungs. They feel differently in Europe, but that's neither here nor there.

My lung function started to decline before I contracted MRSA due to "being responsible for my own health" and making poor decisions. I've had MRSA for about 10 years now, but through better adherence and an increase in treatments and exercise, I've been able to increase my lung function back to where it was 10 years ago. It's hard to know if MRSA has had any impact whether it be on lung function or "recovery time".

To answer your questions....
1. I asked as many doctors as I could and they all said the same thing - I did not have to worry about being around my newborn daughter. They said the only people that I would have to take precaution around would be those with no immune system (ie, chemo patients).
2. We did not take any special precautions with Mckenna.
3. A mask would only be useful if you are actively coughing. Otherwise, no contact and not coughing/talking in his direction should be enough.

I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it. Just continue kicking butt by taking care of yourself and discuss with your brother what would make him the most comfortable.

Another Successful Half Marathon

Happy Monday, Y'all! Where did this week go? It seems to have flown by.

Alright, enough water cooler chatter, here's my week rundown on my workouts. I'm happy to announce that I feel like I nailed it this week. Monday through Thursday I did exactly what I hoped. I did some sort of strength training and some sort of cardio each day! Then Friday and Saturday I didn't do much because I could still feel muscles from earlier in the week and I didn't want to go into Sunday's race with sore muscles. So I was really happy with the week.

The race was an hour away. So my mom and I got up and each left the house by 4:45am. From the parking location, it was a 25 minute bus ride to the start. Holy moly, I can tell you it plays with your mind a bit riding that long on a bus, knowing that you were just driven from the finish line to the starting line...and that you'd be running back!

That race started at 7:30am, so we waited a bit at the start line because it was go time. When the race started we both felt a bit stiff. Man oh man was I happy I rested Friday and Saturday (beyond just running around outside with Mckenna) because I was not feeling too great at the start. My joints ached because it was chilly and my muscles all felt tight. We started out pretty strong. Despite questioning our pace at the beginning because people seemed to be going WAY faster than us, we were doing a 9 minute mile pace, so we knew we could pay attention to how fast it felt others were going. This time we hadn't set out with a plan, but knowing my mom, and her knowing me, neither of us mentioned walking when we hit mile 4 like last time...I think we both wanted to beat our time from last month, but neither of us said it out loud (isn't that right, mom?!) We didn't walk until we hit mile 6, and even then, we just walked through the water stop as we drank, and then started running right away again. We both were feeling it around mile 6-7. My mom's butt was cramping up on her (she's had problems with it and it acted up last race too) and my knee was starting to throb. We both just pushed through. Every two miles there was a water stop, so at mile 8 and 10 we walked through the water stops. At mile 11, mom's butt started killing her, so we walked for a minute or so, and she decided just to push through, so push we did. At mile 12.5, there was a GIANT hill to go over an overpass and we walked again for about 30 seconds to give mom's butt another stretch before the final push. I am happy to say that I pushed it through the finish line at 2:03:36 seconds!! About 30 seconds/mile faster than last month's half marathon! All in all, it was a great race, and believe it or not, a PR for me!! Looks like not training is a good strategy for me?! Ha! I kid...we both kept commenting that we really need to start actually training for them! It was not comfortable like the last one was. In fact, it pretty much sucked the whole second half...but goodness I am thankful we kept pushing and finished well!

There were a couple things I witnessed during the race that warmed my heart and made me believe in the goodness of people. First, around mile 8, I noticed 2 cute little girls in front of us, no older than 13 (yes, there were kids ahead of us HA!). They were tiny and adorable, and running just them, not adult in sight. One girl looked strong and confident when I first saw them. The other looked tired. The tired girl would stop and walk for a minute or two, and then sprint to catch up with her friend. Well after a while of this, I noticed them again, this time, strong girl was holding weak girl's hand...as if she was trying to help take some of her load off. It was the sweetest thing to watch. They made such an adorable duo. The best part, they finished together, holding hands! The other thing that restored my faith in people was the other kind of encouragement, through words, that I heard. One that we experienced was at mile 12.5, when we went to walk for a few to stretch mom's butt out, as soon as we slowed to a walk we heard two men about 100 yards behind us yell, "Don't stop. Come on!" when we continued to walk to hollered again. Thanks to their encouragement, we decided just to forget the tushy and keep running...thank you guy 1 and guy 2! Pride is a beautiful thing sometimes - Ha. I kid!

If you have never done a race before and want to get into running. Do a race!! I can tell you that running can get boring and seem pointless, but I promise as soon as you finish your first race, you will be hooked. The feeling. The people. The excitement. It makes you want more, more, more! Even if you haven't been training, just go walk a 5K to get a feel. It will push you to want to run and do it again! As for us, we will be looking for another race to do soon...perhaps with some legit training first :)

Oh yeah...here's us before the race!

Thankful Thursday: Thin Mints & Visitors

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for my love. After all, it is Valentine's day...so I can't help but think about my hubby today. I have been so blessed to find such an incredible man to spend my life with. I never imagined I'd have such an incredible husband and marriage, but God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams.

I'm thankful for girl scout cookies...and I'm not thankful for them at the same time! HA! I have a total love affair with Thin Mints. I may or may not have eaten 2 boxes in the last 3 days (don't judge me - hehe). I literally cannot stop eating them. They are just so perfect in every way.

I'm thankful for a happy baby. Mckenna has been a bit cranky the last week or so between being sick and not sleeping well, she's been on the cranky side, with one meltdown after another. But last night she got a really good night's sleep and have been the happiest little love all day today! YIPPEE!!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for some special visitors that are coming in today from Texas. My Dad and my Step-mom Denise will be hanging with us for the next few days and we're very excited about it! I love having family around, and since I only get to see them once or twice a year, it's extra special!!

I'm thankful for Mckenna's love of books. She is always asking us to read books to her, which usually turns into her flipping through the pages and pointing out "dogs" and "cats" and "fish" and "Noah" and "Jesus" and "giraffes" and on and on and on. It is so cute how excited she gets about certain things.

I'm thankful for a pretty potty trained little girl. She's about 50/50 on the pee-pee, but we've only changed about 4 poopy diapers in the last month. You've got to love that!! She also looks so cute sitting on a toilet as we just plop her up on the seat and she holds on until she goes. So cute....and much cleaner!!

So, what are you thankful for today?

Gym Exchange

This isn't the first time it's happened and it won't be the last, but it's fresh, so I thought I'd rehash while I remember.

Here is an exchange that I had with a woman today two treadmills over....

Me: *Cough*

Her: (Trying to get my attention by waving her hand in my direction)

Me: (Finally give in and look over) Yes?

Her: Do you have that cold or flu that's going around?

Me: Nope.

Her: But you're coughing!

Me: I know.

Her: And you don't have it? (Said very skeptically)

Me: No, I have a lung disease.

Her: So you don't have the flu?

Me: No, but I do have Cystic Fibrosis.

Her: Oh, ok, oh.

Me: (Put headphone back in and continue to watch SportsCenter) *Cough*

Her: (Grabs towel, stops treadmill and leaves)

....and life goes on. 

Not Back On the Wagon

Unlike my very awesome wife, I am not back on the wagon! I have been battling a virus/cold, in the hospital or traveling since December 23rd, 2012 and my exercise life has certainly suffered for it.

Yeah, I've been to the gym now and again. Went on the occasional walk or bike ride. Heck, I even ran in the hotel gym, but I have not come close to the workout pace I set in 2012. A good part of 2012 I was in the gym 5 days minimum and usually 6. I endured some of the toughest workouts I have ever done. I pushed myself like never before. I was incredibly consistent. So far, 2013 has not been the same.

I'm not an excuse guy, so I won't give you a COMPLETE one, but I will say this. About 50% of the available days I could have gone to the gym were "no way" days. In other words, I was too sick to safely work out either for myself or for others. 25% of those days were "I probably could, but if I push it, I may set myself back" days. I did in fact push it on some of those days that then the days after became "no way" days. It may be generous, but I'd say 25% of the days were probably "It won't feel good, but I can do it" days. Of those days, I probably went half of the time.

So what are we talking here? Well, by my calculations, I've been a slacker for 12.5% of 2013. This is obviously not acceptable to me, my family or anyone counting on me to kick booty. I must improve.

It won't feel good to start, but starting is key. Even if it's just .5 miles or a short lifting routine or a couple box jumps. I've got to get moving. I don't think I'm at 100% health right now, not even talking CF stuff, but sometimes, 100% doesn't come.

Sometimes, it's just a matter of taking that first step and not looking back.

Back on the Wagon

It's about that time...time to get back on the wagon. January was a wacky month for us. Between Ronnie's tune up and traveling for a speaking engagement, and the three of us being down and out with colds (and pink eye for Mckenna) the last two weeks, it has been a bit wacky during January and the beginning of this month for working out.

I made the choice not to get to the gym as much while Ronnie was gone, I wasn't bound and gagged in the house while he was gone. Ha! All excuses aside, I could have done more. But the beauty of a spouse that works out is that you push each other to go, and I'm just not as good without my better half around.

Ronnie and Mckenna are still sick, but it's time for this momma to get back on the pony. I need to get back into the gym something fierce. I haven't totally let my muscles atrophy to mush, but much longer and I may have trouble lifting a fork to my face...and that would be awful :) Thankfully when I did workout (which I should mention was 3 or so days a week...which isn't awful, just way less than I'm used to), I would push myself hard. So my muscles still got a challenge, but the frequency was lacking.

I will be pushing myself this week and going every day, but I need to be a little smart about it. My mom and I are running another half marathon Sunday, so I need to be a bit strategic about what I do...so I keep muscles from getting too sore or fatigued before Sunday. I think I can lift my upper body and core decently hard, but need to avoid to much intense stuff on my legs. I will say, we are just running it for fun again (I haven't run more than a few times between the last half and this one...and we didn't train for that one either - HA! So we aren't expecting to break any records), but I also can't have my legs be totally dead. I figure I can just work out decently hard and just push through on Sunday, but totally dead legs will make that a challenge. Sore upper body I can handle!

So why am I writing a blog about it? I want you to hold me accountable. I will be working out Monday through Friday on weights and light cardio and then doing the half on Sunday. I will report back on Monday. If I didn't do it...flog and stone me, will ya?! I figure if I put it out there, I will have to. Who wants to fail publicly, right?! Hehe!

Am I the only one that finds it impossibly hard to get back into the groove once you're out of it? Have any tips you want to send my way?

Bad Candle Strategy

This is how you DON'T blow out 33 candles!!

Thankful Thursday: Benadryl & Rio

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for good health. We've all been sick this last week, and it makes me extra thankful that most the time we're in good health. I can't wait to all be back up to par!

I'm thankful for kisses. Mckenna is such a lover lately, giving lots of kisses. I just can't get enough.

I'm thankful for Benadryl. I have had a tough time sleeping, but I've popped a couple Benadryl and been out like a light. It's FABULOUS!

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for early bedtimes. With the fam being under the weather lately, we've focused on getting to be earlier...way earlier. Usually, I put my head on the pillow around 10pm, but for the last three nights, it's been on the pillow by 8pm. It has definitely made a difference, but I'm looking forward to feeling better as I'm a bit of a "night owl". 

I'm thankful for Mckenna's words. Every time Mckenna says a new word, my heart melts. Some of her latest are Jesus, Bible, giraffe, snack, treat, poo-poo and Chrissy (sounds like Toy Story when she says her aunts name!). She is so proud of her expansive vocabulary :)

I'm thankful for Rio, my in-laws dog. We are dog sitting for a bit and it's great to have another dog around. It's nice for us, because we like Rio, but it's even better for Jezzabel. Jezzabel acts about 8 years younger when Rio is around and they LOVE playing with each other. We actually have to tell them to knock it off once in a while because they get so crazy!

So, what are you thankful for today?

"CF is different for all of us. Those of us doing well should encourage those who are not. Best thing you can do is learn from others mistakes, be encouraged by others successes, and create a compelling and great success story of your own." - Amber Richter

That has to be one of the best things ever said about the CF experience.

Making a change isn't easy.

I had a pretty general question for ya, and i saw how much u like questions. I am 19 years old and never been really compliant with my meds. i was never able to motivate myself long enough to keep doing them. i recently admitted myself into the hospital because ive felt worse than i ever had. I was told to watch your talk about cf and bag of tricks and i found you very insirational. in fact your the only person that has really gotten through to me and i realize i have to take my meds so i dont feel this crappy but im scared i may slip back into a depressive state about it.. I wanted to know how you kept doing your meds after your major scare, because you must have created a habit of not doing your meds consistantly n thats very hard to break out of. I to remember just beingon albuterol and chest pts when i was younger. times sure have changed just wish i could do it as easily.

............

I'm happy to hear that you're open to change your habits concerning your health and I hope that you start to feel better. With that said, yes, I've been in your shoes.

The biggest thing for me, was to stop being selfish. All of the choices I was making that in turn had my health declining was all about what I wanted to do and what made me happy. Yet, everyone around me, who cared for me, was very sad about how sick I was getting. They were sad to see me become the shell of the man I once was. They didn't like to see me struggle to breathe. They hated seeing CF "hold me back".

After I had my "come to Jesus" moment I realized that it wasn't CF holding me back, but that it was me. It was a culmination of all of the bad choices that I had been making. Simply put, I wasn't putting my health first. And as you can probably guess, life isn't as awesome with bad health.

When I made a change, I decided to make a schedule and stick to it no matter what. I also committed to doing "everything right" for as long as I was doing "everything wrong" which in my case was 8 years. I see too many people that commit to doing their treatments for a month or two, don't see the change they had hoped for, and then quit. I didn't think it was realistic to erase 8 years of bad decisions in two months, or even two years; I committed for the long haul.

This commitment meant exercising regularly, increasing my daily treatments and being pro-active about hospital stays.

All I can say, is that it's worth it. I feel great. I spend less time in the hospital. I look better. I breathe better. My mind is better.

Hope that helps a little bit. I'm always here for a chat or any question that you may have.

Ronnie

Coughs, Sniffles, and Sore Throats

It's that time of year again. Time for coughs, sniffles, and sore throats. We had a round make it through out house hold around Christmas, and it seemed like we just continued to pass it around with my brother and sister-in-law and my parents. Another round has made it into our house now, and man does it make me thankful for good health.

I got it first, and have been battling a headache from the congestion and sore throat since. Then I ever so kindly passed it to Ronnie, and Mckenna has a bit of a cough now, but doesn't seem to be feeling terrible. I will say, the cough goes nicely with her recently "cured" pink eye. I tell you what, we're a germ factory right now.

Anyways, when I'm sick there are always a couple things I LOVE doing:

- Having lazy days - Lazy days look very different with a toddler than they used to. All you parents out there know exactly what I'm talking about. There's no laying on the couch all day long. That said, we made a point to lay around as much as possible this weekend.

- Sleep - I LOVE sleeping. And when I'm sick, I love sleeping even more. Nights have been a bit wacky because Mckenna still is having funky sleep (who knows if it's a cough, the pottytraining, the fact that Ronnie was gone, then back, than gone again). But I am thankful that I have been able to sneak in a nap or two.

- Chicken noodle soup - Chicken noodle soup is always good, but it's especially good when you can slurp some of the broth down a sore throat.

- Snuggles - I'm a cuddler in general, but I especially like to cuddle when I'm sick. I'm so thankful Ronnie is home to snuggle since he was gone for a tune-up and traveling to speak much of January...that said, that may be what passed it on ;-)

Anyways, the nice thing about being sick is it sure makes you thankful for good health, so I am thankful for that reminder! But now I'm ready to get rid of this cold from the house so we can all get back to our normal selves!

World's Shortest Running Trail

It's tough to see, but this woman was "running" forwards for 10 feet and then backwards for 10 feet and it went on forever and ever. To each his or her own I guess.

Thankful Thursday: Smiles and FDA

It's thankful Thursday time! We all have so much to be thankful for and we love to take this opportunity just to write down each and everything that comes to mind. Please take this time to share with us what you're thankful for as well. If you have a blog expressing your thankfulness, please share the link! Without further ado, here's what we're thankful for:

Mandi's List:

I'm thankful for smiles. Mckenna now smiles on command. She has this adorable little face that she makes that a little resembles a smile, and a little resembles a gremlin. I LOVE IT!

I'm thankful for sweet potatoes. THEY ARE SOOO GOOD!! There really isn't much to say beyond if you haven't had sweet potatoes before, TRY THEM!!

I'm thankful for early bedtimes. This week Ronnie and I got into bed a few nights SUPER early and got really good nights' sleep. It is incredible what a difference a good, long night's sleep can make.

Ronnie's List:

I'm thankful for an inside look of the goings-on at the FDA. I was invited to say a few words about the importance of new drugs for the CF community, and thoroughly enjoyed my time doing so. It's pretty cool to share your opinion with people who hold so much power in their vote to recommend a new drug or it. Cool and scary (that they have so much power).

I'm thankful Mckenna's heartmelts. She has quite a few of them, but I'd say her latest one is her smile. She will now smile when I ask her to and it may be the cutest thing on earth. Sure is getting tougher and tougher to say "no" ;)

I'm thankful for sports. I was asked today what sports I liked and my answer was, "Anything with competition and a ball makes it even better." I just love watching any and all sports at anytime. I like that I don't have to focus on it and can be doing other things while checking in on the game, and I love the games that I'm totally into and can't step away from the TV!

So, what are you thankful for today?

A Tough Choice

Hey Ronnie, I know we've never met, but I have a lot of respect for you and no one better to turn to who could give me some advice. My son [Name Withheld] is 18... the magic age where I no longer have control. His PFTs have been really low for a couple months now, 65% today. Docs think we've mucked around enough and really want to admit him for a clean out. He will not give his consent because it will mean missing the first game of basketball season. Basketball is [Name Withheld] love and this is his last season with this group of boys that have played together since 2nd grade. I know this is very important to him, but waiting to treat can mean perminent lung damage.... I know you know the routine. I was hoping you had some words of wisdom that would help me help him. He has always been a very compliant kid, and knows his disease quite well. Sometimes there is resistance, but he usually makes the best decision in the end. This time Im not so sure. What is it like to be an 18yr old boy with CF? As that boy once yourself, what would you have wanted from your mother... should I push, or let him makes a dicision that could impact his health for years to come? Thanks for listening

......

That's a tough one for sure...

I can only think to give you advice through a story. My freshman year of high school, I earned the spot of a starting running back during my pre-season workouts. I worked hard all summer and leading up to the season all I cared about was football. I then had a check-up about 8 days before the opening game - my lung function had dropped. I was given a "choice" by my docs and by my mom - go in now for a short stay, work my butt off and be ready to go for the second game of the season, or delay the stay, possibly get sicker and end up being forced to go in and miss 2, 3, 4 games or more. I say "choice" because my mom had a good way of getting me to choose what she ultimately wanted most of the time. I think it was a healthy balance of love and fear that I had for her that was the trick 

I chose to go into the hospital and I ended up missing the first game of the year. The coach stood behind the decision of of putting my health first and held my starting spot for me upon my return. I worked my tail off in the hospital and ended up making it a very short stay. My lung function shot up and I felt great. The dangling carrot of that second game was out there, and for me, it worked! I went on to play in every other game that year.

Looking back on my regrets from when I was that age, I never once think about that decision. What I do think about are the times that I didn't put my health first. I have the "what-ifs" and "if only I would haves" that will pop up from time to time.

On the continuum of time, the start of a basketball season is but a speck of dust. Admittedly, it looks like a mountain range to your son, and that is completely understandable. I couldn't fault him for either decision that he would make as it's much easier to be a Monday morning quarterback sitting here today 

I can tell you this, the people in my life now are VERY thankful for the times that I put my health first. When I compare that first football game of the season to my wife's kiss or my daughter's snuggle, it really puts into perspective how insignificant the game, the sport and that time really was.

At 18, you're not only making decisions that will affect your future, but the future and happiness of others.

So, to finally answer your question...As a son, I always expected my mom to be loving, respectful and honest. Kids are always more open and responsive when their parents show empathy and not "I'm the boss" in this situation. (With that said, may I remind you that you are in fact the boss if he still lives under your roof and you're paying the bills).

Hope that little story helped prepare you for your conversation with him and please let me know how it turns out. If there is any other question I can answer or anything else I can do, please let me know!!

Potty Troubles and Triumphs

There are two times it's ok to discuss potty on this blog. For some unknown reason, in the CF community bodily functions are perfectly ok to share, so Ronnie's potty practices are fair game. The other, is Mckenna's because, well, she's a toddler. You're in luck, and today is not about a grown man's toilet troubles and triumphs, but instead about my sweet, innocent and far-less-stinky daughter's.

So a couple weeks ago Mckenna started running to the bathroom door and holding her diaper while making grunting sounds. I ignored it the first time or two thinking she was just being silly. When she kept it up, however, I decided to go ahead and toss her on the potty to see what she'd do. Sure enough, she pooped. I was certain it was a fluke, but praised her and told her what a big girl she was. She was as proud as a peacock. She admired it sitting there and, strangely, pointed and grunted at it (HA! I wish I got the grunt/screams at it on tape. It was like she was mad at it!). Much to my surprise, she did it another time that day, so I decided to keep rolling with it.

I hadn't given any thought to potty training since she is still "young" and not of conventional, American potty training age. How would I do it? Big potty vs. kid potty? Do I use a method? What does it look like in terms of timeline? It wasn't on my radar, so I was totally lost. I started googling (that is my method of seeking parenting "advice"..hehe) and found just about nothing helpful on potty training a 15-month old who was initiating the process. So I just took a few tidbits here and there from the different "techniques" I could find and went with it.

Pretty much I put her on the potty when she gets up and before she goes to sleep for naps and bedtime, as well as before and after we leave the house to go somewhere, and then I just pick random times and sit her on there to see if she will go (if it has been awhile). I tried putting her on more frequently at set intervals, but then she stopped telling me as much, so I just decide to go a bit more casual and she seems to go better with that. After all, she was the one driving the process initially, so I decided to back off a bit and let her continue to drive.

Well turns out she must have been ready because she's doing great. Ever since we started 11 days ago, I've only changed 2 poops (apparently she was really ready to do that on a potty) and she's now about 50/50 for pee. I am so proud of her!

It has been a good learning experience for me too. I've learned that she is very internally motivated, at least for this and I hope for other accomplishments in life as well. I started with a sticker chart and occasional little treats for her. But after a couple days of the sticker chart she was over it, and now I'm left doing it on my own. It's a bit pathetic, but I feel REALLY good to see all those stickers on the chart after what feels like a full day spent in a bathroom...so even though she's not into it anymore, I still do it! HA! As for the treat, I decided I didn't want to go down that path and axed them. She didn't even notice.

It hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies, we are still dealing with some sleep disturbances as a result...you know, the kind that leave you throwing your hands in the air and wondering what the heck you do to "fix" the problem. She was getting up early in the morning by just 30-45 minutes, which I don't mind. I get it. She learned to go potty on the potty. She now poops when she first gets up. So she wakes and thinks, alright, let's get this show on the road. But then last night, she was up at 3:30am AND DIDN'T GO BACK TO SLEEP. 3:30am!?! I don't so much mind for my sake and missing out on a little sleep. But I know that a lack of sleep makes her one cranky kid, and I don't want that for any of us. Not to mention I always feel it's my job to find "the fix" and so it stresses me out to no end. I've tried googling for answers (again, I wasn't kidding when I said it's my go to!) but couldn't find much that was practical for a 15-month old.

We will see how tonight goes. Hopefully last night was just a fluke and she will sleep like a baby (HA! What baby actually "sleeps like a baby'?!) tonight. But in case it wasn't...please feel free to post advice/suggestions.

Here's to another chapter in our little love's life...big girl underwear and bedwetting are in her fast approaching future :)