Hello again everyone.  This post is an attempt to help you catch up on how we've been since I wrote for you last.  I left you a few weeks ago with this:  I believed Meaghan was coming down with something so I was taking her to see  her doctor.  When it comes to visiting the doctor, I consider us professionals.  We know to be prepared for a long stay so we always take a bag full of activities and snacks.  I surprised Meaghan with a new game on this day.  This is Math Dice, a math game to boost math skills and Meaghan loves it.  We played many rounds and I lost all but one.  Maybe it was because I was losing but probably not, I said to Meaghan that maybe the doctors make us wait because we are so good at it.  She wholeheartedly agreed and went right on beating me, enjoying every second of it.  Once she was seen by the doctor we got some good and some bad news.  The bad news, the doctor detected a difference in Meaghan's lungs that she was uncomfortable enough with to consult the pulmonologist.  The good news, because Meaghan was otherwise symptom free we could stay home and put off xrays or starting to treat her.  

Jason and I knew we had to stay positive so we focused on a project.  After a lot of browsing and talk about what would work best in Meaghan's small room we decided on this.  She now sleeps in a loft bed.  The space under her bed is set up with decorative lights and cushions.  She can hide inside with a book or a game for a little alone time, every girl needs that. I am so surprised by how much more room she has in there.  It's the kind of room I would have loved to have as a little girl.  Of course all the extra space has nothing to do with taking a contractor sized trash bag of stuffed animals out and to the basement with the rest of her stuffed friends.  She is grown up enough not want them all in her room full time anymore but not so big that she wants to give any of them away.  It's alright with me, almost all of her friends were gifts and they are connected in some way to a hospital stay.  

   

 Meaghan is overjoyed with her new room.  It makes Jason and I equally happy.  We love to see her in her big girl room, she is proud of it and wants to show everyone who visits.  

Meaghan celebrated her 7th birthday a little more than a week ago.  Birthdays are special for everyone, Meaghan's are just a little more special for us.  This year we were a little worried that we may be celebrating from a hospital room.  The week before her birthday Meaghan started with a terrible cough.  We headed back to the doctors office where they listened to her lungs again but decided this time she should start a twice a day two week long course of an oral antibiotic.  We kept a positive outlook and our plans to throw a Safari themed birthday party.  But first, it is our family's tradition to celebrate our birthdays at home with just the family on our birthday.  The birthday girl or boy chooses dinner and dessert.  Meaghan asked for spaghetti and marshmallows and chocolate again.  This year I stepped it up for the rest of us.  I made s'mores then covered them with white chocolate and sprinkles.  They were a hit, Jonathan wants "birthday s'mores" for his birthday now too.    

Then the Saturday after her birthday we threw her a party.

It wouldn't have been much of a safari without the decorations.  I left Christmas ornaments off of the tree so we could cover it in safari animals instead.

The snacks.  We picked foods that Meaghan likes and gave them funny new names.  Every ones favorites were the dried ants and tarantula poop.  Some of the others included snake eggs, sloth toes and tiger tails.    

There she is, resting in the fake shade of the palm tree we got to "grow" in our living room just for Meaghan.  She is a very happy birthday girl who is worn out after a fun afternoon with her friends.  Most of all, I enjoyed watching Meaghan and her friends.  She invited boys and girls to the party.  We kept it small and all but one kid could come.  They all searched for safari animals that we had hidden in plain sight before the party.  When I thought they might be too close to breaking something or getting hurt we broke out the safari bingo and played 4 rounds.  It was a great (very loud) I'm not sure I'm ready to do it again soon though.  

Lastly, Meaghan finished the antibiotic.  But, there was no real change in her cough so she's going to start two more weeks on another.  Today she went to the school nurse complaining that her coughing and sneezing were too much and that she had a headache.  She had a low fever, not enough that the school had to send her home, but she felt bad enough that she wanted to go home.  Her temperature went up a little before bed and she is very congested so Jason and I decided to keep her home from school tomorrow.  Our nurse and primary care physician think that Meaghan should stay home from school for an extended period.  She needs a chance to get well and we should reduce her exposure to the cold and flu bugs that are so prevalent right now.  This idea sent Meaghan into a hysterical fit.  Once she had a chance to calm down and hear what we had to say I think she understood.  We talked with her about her dreams for the future and how stepping back a little for now may increase the time she has later.  More time for adventure and exploration.  Still, this is a very difficult decision for us.  In all fairness, I was warned a month ago when all the health concerns started that this would happen.  In a perfect world, my daughter would be happy AND healthy and we wouldn't have to make the choice to sacrifice one for the other.  Don't get me wrong though, it works both ways.  Sometimes we make her happy and skip treatments to do something much more fun.  

There is no such thing as perfect, what we have is just right for us.   When Meaghan asked us tonight why God wants her to be sick, I said first of all that no one wants her to be sick.  Then I told her the only thing I could.  We are all special, we will all have to overcome something.  I told her that from the day she was born she's been a fighter.  I told her that she is brave and strong and is making a huge impact on the world.  I told her that there are still little babies being born with cystic fibrosis and that her strength and bravery in this battle and her willingness to share her story makes her someone those babies can look up to.  Just like the kids and young adults that I have had the privilege of learning about who inspire me to fight harder.  We are not alone, none of us, we will only beat this together.