CF Girl!

While in Disney World last month collecting character signatures, Elena decided that she should perfect her own.  This is what she came up with:

That's about right after this weekend!

 Visit our blog for details and videos of our famous little girl!

www.goodrowgang.blogspot.com

Rockstar Awesomeness continues

Dr. McKean is really a truly fabulous and amazing Man and Doctor. Besides the prayers and obvious hard work it takes from ALL of us to keep her healthy, I truly feel that McKean's aggressive treatments have kept her strong and it REALLY shows when she does her PFT's.

Today at her follow up visit we watched as her lung function continues to be super. Then we listened as her lungs sounded clear. Then we looked as her nasal polyp showed signs of shrinking with the affects of the meds McKean prescribed last month. AMAZING!

Last night Joel and I were talking about Elena's health. We wondered if her good health was a fluke and if other kids with CF her age were doing as well.

We fear her future for her. Her health is not predictable and can change in an instant. This can be frightening to think about, so we just DON'T think about it often. However, when we do it is a sad discusion.

I meantioned my thoughts to McKean. His answer, "TOBY (a newer med out since Elena's birth) has CHANGED CF." Yes, yes it has.

More new meds continue to change the outlook for Elena and her other friends with CF. The dollars that go into research REALLY are making a difference. I see it everyday when I look at Elena's growing body, when I place my head against her back to listen to her CLEAR lungs, when I watch her run and play with her siblings, when I see her catch a cold and throw it off quicker than the rest of us, when I begin to fear for her and I have her hug me and tell me what a great mom I am.

God is so good. He takes the bad and makes it good. Elena may have CF but the amazing stuff this child does is going to continue to rock my socks off...I just know it!

Her Rosebuds race is this weekend. I'm so very proud of her for having the idea of Rosebuds and "running" with it! It has been a success every year since it's creation three years ago. I can't wait to see what the dollar's raised is this year! I'll keep you posted.

There is still time to donate toward her team, click HERE. Thank you to ALL who have been so supportive of Elena!

Polyp...hopefully not for long.

Elena's latest regular CF doctor visit showed that her lungs were rockstar awesome! However, Dr. McKean discovered a polyp in Elena's nose. This is pretty common for folks with CF. She is using two different nasal sprays to try and reduce the size of the polyp. She is fortunate that it is not bothering her breathing or causing any other problems at this time. We are hopeful that the meds will reduce the polyp and no further actions will need to be taken at this time. We should have answers in a couple weeks following her next visit to McKean. Meanwhile, the kid is 8!!!! When did THAT happen? As her birthday came and went this year I had such feelings of joy. I looked back at her baby book and smiled at the story of our first miracle; Elena. For those of you who are around me a lot, you know that March 3rd is usually surrounded by a few tears. This was the first year it was all smiles. I even watched her birth video without a tear! Time heals, God heals, and the joy of my family is infectious!

Girl Scout Cookies!

Guess who's selling Girl Scout Cookies? ELENA! Let me know if you are interested in buying any from Elena. Elena is starting to take orders. She informed me tonight that she wants to sell 1,000 boxes so she can win an iPod Touch...then said she was ok if she sold ONLY 400 for the iPod shuffle. SOOOOOO, any box sold to get her toward her goals is MUCH needed and VERY MUCH appreciated. :)

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree...

(taken at my parents for our BFG Pretend Christmas...thanks to Will for this name B (Bostelman) F (Freeland) G (Goodrow)...taken PRE-flu outbreak)

Ethan, Emily, and Everett were diagnosed with Influenza Type A on Tuesday of last week. The moment their diagnosis was confirmed, we sent Elena out of the house. She has been living with her Grandparents for a week now and is symptom free! It is a good thing we sent her right away (at the Doctors insistence) b/c since that day we have been cleaning throw up, doing every song and dance to get the medicine down the kids (I even sang "A Spoon Full of Sugar" while whirling and twirling through the Candy Cane Forest...two movie references here), doing 4...no make that 7 loads of laundry a day, and praying Elena would stay healthy. Oh, did I mention that Daddy had been out of town all that week? I should be exhausted and cranky. However, I've got friends nearby that have made food drop offs, medicine drop offs (thanks girls) and a ton of family offers to help out. So instead of tired, I'm very grateful!
After a trip to the doctor and the hospital on Saturday we learned that:
Ethan has the flu, pneumonia, and an ear infection
Emily has the flu, severe bronchitis, and an ear infection
Everett has the flu and an ear infection
and a Partridge in a Pear tree!

Elena has NOTHING! Thank you Dr. Miller for your quick action to remove her, thank you Dr. McKean for the quick meds to protect her, and thank you grandparents for keeping her for so long! She thinks she is on vacation even though Nana continues to do homeschool with her.

Today the kids are doing better. The fevers are gone, the smiles are back, and the sibling bickering is right back where it was two weeks ago. Of course, there is a few hugs and sweet gestures here and there to keep a mother's heart happy.

It has been surprisingly nice to be stuck at home. Our home is decorated all festive, the fireplace stays lit and warm, and the advent wreath is lit every meal (the kids are WAY excited about the fourth candle being lit yesterday...I have to admit that I was, too!) The flu forced a slow down and I think it came at just the right time.

I hope you all have a chance to slow down and really enjoy the joy that the birth of Jesus brings! Merry Christmas!!!!

Thankful

We are so thankful for Elena's good health. SO many people have helped Elena to be at the great spot where she is. Thank you to ALL of you for your hard work and efforts to keep Elena healthy, growing, and strong. Ethan, Emily, and Everett especially thank you...they are so happy to have their big sister Elena.

Lung Function Improving!

Why is it that everytime I go to type "lung" I type "lunch" instead? Must be hungry or the thought of getting food in Elena never leaves my mind. Could easily be either!

Elena's visit to Dr. McKean for her Cystic Fibrosis wellness follow-up went better than expected! Elena has had a runny nose this week and the end of last week. She has been totally herself thru it all, but we have learned that even when she is acting normal, her insides can be going haywire. SO, we were surprised to have Dr. McKean tell us that her lunch...I mean LUNG function is the best it has ever been and that it improves with each visit. WAAAA-HOOOOOOOOO! Joel and I feel that her weight gain has been helping her overall health. She is actually a little chubby in areas! This makes us so happy. I have never been more happy to have to say, "Sorry, Elena...no seconds tonight." We N E V E R thought we would have that problem. We prayed for this day and God brought it!

The cold Elena has could be an infection. We will have results from her culture on Friday.