Spring has finally arrived in Wisconsin. After our little blizzard last week, things warmed up quickly and the plants seem to think it's the real deal this time. So much so that they have begun their annual pollen festival. Like clockwork, Lemon began coughing almost immediately. At least we've been around the block a few times now, so we have fully engaged our allergy protocol: twice daily Zyrtec and Flovent, running the air purifier all night while sleeping, and nasal saline. So far, it seems to be working, we beat back the coughs pretty quickly. Hopefully the regimen is good enough to get us through when the real pollen onslaught begins in another week or two.
It seems like things are moving forward for my big appearance on local TV next week. I remember being told something about 15 minutes of fame, but apparently we are getting 4 minutes. Still, publicity is publicity. I'm meeting with the development director of our local CF Foundation chapter later this week so that we can rehearse. If you only have 4 minutes, you don't want to waste 30 seconds of it saying "um."
Lime has continued to do very well with potty training. He loves his undies and now has started protesting about putting on a diaper at bed time because it feels too bulky. Tough luck on that one, pal. I do enough laundry as it is.
The kids have been absolutely drunk on spring fever the past few days. It's been fun to watch them rediscover the joy of going outside with just a pair of shoes and a light jacket (or no jacket at all, these are Sconnies after all). They are in constant motion when awake, and are completely exhausted at bed time. Which has its advantages for me since Papa Bear is out of town at the moment.
Running the CF routine solo makes you realize how truly tremendous it all is. When Papa Bear is here and we are splitting the work, it doesn't seem like too much. A few extra things here and there, yes, but not unmanageable. Solo, though, you realize the true extent of it. This morning, I administered a breathing treatment and 8 different medications before I'd even had my first cup of coffee. I realize in retrospect this may not have been advisable and I will be putting the kettle on earlier tomorrow.
This week I also spent some time visiting with some fellow CF parents who are stuck in the hospital for a 14-day admission with their two girls who have CF. This winter wasn't kind to them either, and unfortunately the girls were unable to shake off its effects without a two-week course of IV antibiotics. It's a stark reminder of how vulnerable our kids with CF are. The therapies have come such a long way, but we are by no means where we need to be yet. There are some really exciting clinical trials coming up this year, and I am still hopeful that by the time Lemon is in early elementary school, there'll be a new medication for him to start on that treats the underlying cause of CF.So, let the record reflect that this will really be the week that I set up our Great Strides page, and I'll be back at you next week with a description of some of the exciting research that's in the pipeline for 2018, and more details on how you can get involved!
