Out with the old, in with the new

I don't think I properly expressed how excited I was about Drew's clean culture. This is the first culture he's ever had, EVER. He had his first culture in the NICU shortly after he was born and was already growing staph in his lungs. Since then we've had everything from staph to pseudomonas and everything in between. Just when we get rid of something, something new grows and it seems to be an endless cycle of antibiotics and doctors visits. But not this time. This time, we went two whole months without a call or visit to the doctor and the outcome was a culture free of any and all bacteria. There wasn't even some of the less harmful, more common bacteria in there. There was nothing. I know it doesn't mean there will be nothing forever, but for now, what a great feeling. And I mean we are smack in the middle of cold and flu season. If we can just make it to April bacteria free when the new CF drug will hopefully receive approval from the FDA and we can try it and it will hopefully work for us, we might never have to deal with bacteria in the lungs again. A new year is right around the corner and I'm hoping it means a world of change for us, in a good way of course.

Our Christmas was good. Naturally, we overdid it. The kids got tired of opening gifts about halfway through and just wanted to play with what they had opened. We ended up putting about a third of the gifts back into the closet to be pulled out here and there over the next couple weeks of winter while we're stuck inside. The hit of the holiday was a trampoline in the basement. It definitely helps them to work out their energy during the day and sleep well at night. And its in the comfort of our basement so I get to relax on the couch while they jump away.

Martin and I got out to dinner while my folks were in town. It was almost comical trying to figure out where to go when given the opportunity. I guess that shows just how little we get out these days. It was nice though!

Quatro is growing nicely. We have about 12 more weeks to go and preparations are underway. I'm hoping to transition Drew and Lily to beds by the beginning of Feb so that they have a couple of weeks to adjust before #4 gets here. Their new room is yet to be painted and we have some rearranging to do, as their new room use to be our guest/storage room. What we're learning is that we have way to much crap.

I'm gearing up to start our Great Strides fundraising for 2012. The past couple of months have been spent brainstorming, trying to find the best ways to raise the most money for CF. This is a huge year for the CF Foundation, with them operating in deficit due to all the funds they put into the development of these new drugs that just very well might change the world. I don't say that loosely either. These drugs truly might change the entire world of genetic diseases, not just Cystic Fibrosis. We can only wait and see right now, but I will do everything I can to try to help facilitate that change.

I wanted to thank everyone who reads this for your kind words and support that you've shown us over the past year and a half. We're really hoping that 2012 is a great year for us and for you as well!!