You're a CF Mom (Part 3!)

Continuing with our CF Mom series :)  The good, the bad, and the ugly truth.... and a little more serious than some in the past....

You know you're a CF mom if.....

You know there is a smell worse than your CFer's poops - and you KNOW what that smell is - his old gas!!

You know just how valuable each and every day is when your family is healthy.

You have to plan our your child's medication schedule carefully so he doesn't take medications that interact with each other together

You look forward to 'thumpies' because it's an excuse to snuggle with your CF toddler who otherwise never sits still.

When your CFer is potty training, he has 'accidents' for medical reasons, not just because of a 'stage' he's going through.

You get used to the odd looks from strangers as your CFer is asking for "salt on my hand," you oblige, and he eats it straight.

You have told your doctors to do whatever is necessary and actually mean it.

Your child's personal library is built with booked labeled "Yours To Keep" that they received from the clinic waiting room.

The lady that runs the chocolate store at the clinic knows you, your family, and what you are going to buy the moment she sees you walking down the hall.

You and your husband joke about buying a vacation home within walking distance of your CF clinic/hospital because you're there so much.

You know there are worse things than your child having CF and you are thankful that CF is all you have to adapt to.

You're a CF Mom (part 2!)

Here's part 2 of the CF Mom series - lol!!


You know you're a CF Mom if................


You can talk about the smell, color and consistency of poop while you're eating and not think twice about it


You can make recommendations from experience that can greatly improve others' first hospital stays


When you go on a trip, you have to have a separate bag for all of your CFer's meds, and it's about the size of your CFer's suitcase


You feel sorry for the lab people at the clinic - they don't know what they're in for when they open that stool sample!!!


You kind of fear potty training because you KNOW how awful those poopy training pants are going to be to deal with!!!


You babysit another little one, and you start looking for their enzymes and meds at feeding time


You forget what it's like NOT being a CF mom!


You try giving the receptionist at the doctor's office your CFer's info instead of yours because it's just a habit.


You have more doctors' phone number programmed in your cell phone than you have family members.

You can drive the 1 hour drive to see your CF team with your eyes closed.

You don't know your child's weight in pounds, just kilograms, since that's how the clinic weighs him.

You get really excited when your CFer decides to eat a stick of butter like a banana :)

You don't know the everyday, common names of a lot of medications since your child has been on so many generic variations that the technical name is easier to remember.

You 'sniff' strangers the first time you meet them to determine if they smoke or not.

At doctor appointments, your CFer's doc hands you a list of meds for you to look over because reading off the list takes too long and too many are difficult to pronounce.

You're excited when your CF is only on 5 medications.

You send your CFer to someone else's home with a 'care sheet' so they know when/how to administer meds, even if they're only there a few hours.

You have your CFer's clinic number memorized.

When people ask how your CFer is, you ramble on using medical terminology about throat cultures and medications and forget the other person's life doesn't revolve around hospitals/clinics.

You have extensive experience fighting with insurance companies - and generally end up winning.

You become a respiratory illness expert.

You're A CF Mom...

You know you're a CF Mom when....

• You judge your kid's nutrition based on what's found in a diaper
• You have permission to "beat" your child multiple times a day
• You conversate with other CF parents and doctors about stool consistancy on a regular basis
• You ENCOURAGE your child to eat salt and fat laden foods
• You ADD extra salt and fat to your child's foods
• You're excited when your child gains weight
• You ENCOURGE your child to gain weight!!!
• When you're grocery shopping, you look for foods with higher calories and fat content
• You teach your child to dip his potato chips in melted butter
• You're not worried when your kid goes into a coughing fit - you encourage him to keep on coughing
• You make chocolate pudding using half & half or heavy cream and whole milk
• You ADD half & half or heavy cream AND Carnation Instant Breakfast to each glass of whole milk
• You get your AC fixed and check to see if you can write it off as a medical expense
• You know the importance of different colors of mucus
• YOU have to explain to the idiots in the ER exactly WHAT CF is to get the proper treatment!!
• You get excited when a medication only costs $100.00
• Your medical equipments costs 5 times the value of all 3 of your vehicles combined!! (Recently got his vest - retail price: $16,500!)
• The cash price of prescriptions for your CFer, for one year, is more than twice your annual salary!! (VERY thankful for insurance!!)  And that's not including anyone else's meds!
• You know the value of tying dirty diapers up in plastic bags EVERY TIME!!
• You get excited every WEEK your CFer is NOT on antibiotics!! (none since the end of March - knock on wood!!)
• Your doctor tells you to buy a stethoscope
• Your doctor has a standing order for antibiotics for your CFer - all you have to do is call and say "I need antibiotics, these are the symptoms" and they're automatically sent
• You have your doctor's cell phone number
• You meet a TON of doctors in specialties you've never heard of
• You feel like a hospital is your second home
• You know all the shortcuts through the hospital
• You can recommend to others what to order and what not to order from the hospital cafeterial
• You plan your vacations based on the location of specialized Centers and travel with an envelope of medical records

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "You're A CF Mom" coming soon!!