We did a lot of fun things with Nona and Opa, including hanging Lemon's new swing in our front yard, visiting the botanical gardens again, and going out for a couple of nice meals.
Summer here in our new home of Wisconsin is really lovely, although of course we're told that this summer isn't typical. Weather not being "typical" is the norm here, apparently. Nonetheless, we've been enjoying the mild temperatures during the day and the cool breezes at night.
One of the things I've been thinking about a lot these last few days is lakes (of which Madison has an abundance) and whether Lemon will ever be allowed to swim in them. The recent CF Infection Control and Prevention Guidelines say that CF patients can swim in chlorinated swimming pools, but that they should definitely avoid hot tubs and saunas, where bacteria could grow. For lakes, though, all they say is "There is insufficient evidence at the time of publication of this document for the CF Foundation to recommend for or against people with CF avoiding activities in natural bodies
of water that are not stagnant (eg, ocean, ponds, and hot springs)." I find that a little funny since I've always thought of ponds as fairly stagnant, but maybe my impression of ponds has been permanently altered by the one I swam in as a kid, that gave me swimmer's ear multiple times every summer.
I wonder how we'll deal with this as Lemon gets older. This summer, and probably the next several, it will be easy enough to keep Lemon out of the lakes. But, as he gets older and his friends start wanting to go swimming in the lakes, or go out in paddle boats and canoes, then what? The lakes are so central to life here. It has always been my goal for him to have as normal a childhood as possible, without having to feel like he is different than his peers. But is it worth preserving that at the risk of picking up an infection from the lake? How big is the risk?
There are some other summertime activities that Lemon also will never be able to partake in, which he will probably come to view as a distinct bonus of his condition: no lawn mowing, and no cleaning out stables or chicken coops!
