Living the Fast Pace Life and Staying Healthy

I'm always a bit hesitant to say that Jeb is doing so well cause it does always seems to bring on sickness. But, I will say that this winter has been mild with the weather and very mild with sickness. Jeb went on antibiotics in December after I took Aiden in to the doctor and found out he had walking pneumonia. Yeah, it wasn't my best day as a mom. Embarrassing! So, that meant that Jeb went on antibiotics to make sure he stayed healthy. So, all in all, we are doing well.

How are we doing it? Well, I need to back waaay back to May 2011 when Jeb had a regular check up with Dr. McColley. Tom and I knew that she was wanting us to get off the "British" routine and start with her routine. And that meant...THE VEST. The vest is a machine that Jeb has to strap on twice a day that literally shakes the CF out of him! Ok, it just shakes the sticky mucas off his lungs. Take a look...

And since we easily agreed to THE VEST, Dr. McColley took the opportunity to ask, well no it wasn't asking, it was telling. Anyway, she told us it was time for Pulmyzone. A drug taken through nebulizer. And that made me cringe. The last time we had a nebulizer, it involved needles, exact measurements of sterile water, disposing of needles properly, and then sterilization of every peice of equipment. Urgh...do we really need to do this again??? Dr. McColley wasn't going to back down on this and I guess there's a reason that she is one of the top docs in the US. So, we agreed. And it turns out that the meds are premixed - no needles, and the sterilization isn't that bad. And the best part is that it keeps Jeb healthy, so why wouldn't I?

So, our new routine began. The boys each took a turn wearing this fun vest and then we got down to business. It took a bit, but after a month, we were there! And then a month after that we got the call that Jeb got psuedomonos! So frustrating! Tobi was the drug of choice - through the nebulizer for 1/2 hour twice a day. Oh, and it tastes like rotten eggs and kills your eyes.  But, we got through it thanks to a pair of Gap kid sunglasses and A LOT of bribing. Good thing it was only a month!

End of Tobi treatment, sans sunglasses.

The next big issue, which always gives me heart pulpitations before an appointment, is weight.  Most kids with CF have digestive issues and have to take enzymes before meals in order to gain weight.  So, weight is a big deal at CF clinic.  But, Jeb doesn't have this issue thanks to one mild CF gene.  God blessed him with this, but the Big Man also blessed (is that the right word) Jeb with stubborness when it comes to food.  If Jeb doesn't feel like eating, he isn't going to.  Dinner is no fun at our house.  He loves all the right things for a normal kid (fruits, veggies), but doesn't like what will make him gain weight (brownies, chocolate, etc).  So, we have a problem.  And because he lost weight at a CF clinic a few months back, we had a BIG problem.

Dr. McColley seems to have an effect on Jeb.  It may be her no nonense approach or it could be her fabulous shoes.  Whatever it is, her talk with Jeb on food seemed to work.  He started eating a bit better and I started buttering everything.  Pedisure became our friend.  The result?  75th weight percentile and 45 height percentile.  Finally reaching his genetic potential.  We are all happy and hoping it sticks.

So far he has had a healthy year.  All we need to do is keep our streak going cause I can smaell a cure around the corner.  More on that later!