My CF Grocery Store

While in the grocery store the other day, it occurred to me there are time when I have to shop for our family and there are times when I have to shop for Samuel. This isn't anything new but a funny thought hit me in the dairy aisle.

I was looking in the refrigerator trying to find the best deal on the largest container of half-and-half for Super Milk (4 oz. whole milk, 4 oz. half-and-half, and a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast) and had the thought "Why doesn't the grocery store sell half-and-half in a gallon container like milk?" Then, just as soon as I had the thought it came to me: "Uh, E, most normal people don't go through half-and-half as quickly as milk. Duh!" Then, keeping in stride with the conversation - with myself - I answered and said, "Well, in my grocery store...in my CF grocery store...half-and-half comes in a gallon jug." Up to this point, people around me didn't know about this private conversation going on with myself, thankfully, in my head. I couldn't help but chuckle at what a silly idea a CF grocery store is. As I made my way over to the 12+ foot refrigerated section of yogurt, I was delighted to have 2 choices of whole milk yogurt for Samuel. Just like before, it came to me. "In my CF grocery store, there aren't any low-fat/non-fat yogurts."

It didn't take long to get me on a roll, so I made a list of the things in my CF grocery. Well, I didn't make a written list, but I did give it a little thought. In addition to the items above, here are just a few things that will be in my CF grocery store:

•  Boxes of "Just Yolks" will be on the shelf next to "Just Whites" to allow the chef (HA!) to create their own ratio of yolk to white as needed.
• No part-skim cheese. Only whole milk cheese.
• Frozen vegetables with butter sauce in a 1 lb. to 1 lb. ratio.
• Salted...uh...everything.
• The widest selection of dips like, ranch dressing, peanut butter, Nutella, sour cream, cream cheese...pretty much anything to add some extra flavor. And calories.
• Full fat ice cream. REAL ice cream. In any flavor you could think of.
• There is no such thing as turkey bacon. Or turkey sausage.

These are just a few items. But I'd love to hear what you'd have in your CF grocery store!

Some highlights from vacation

Lacking Inspiration

I've been lacking inspiration to blog recently. I bet you couldn't tell. :)

Actually, what probably happened was that I was so excited and looking forward to our family vacation that I didn't allow much else to occupy my spare time. In total "Elf" fashion, I've been looking forward to vacation so that first we would make sand angels, then build a giant sand castle, then relax on the beach towel for 1 hour, eat a half gallon of ice cream as fast as we could and top it all off with an evening swim. Now that it's over, it's back to reality. Back to running. Back to potty training (which took a fabulous turn for the better while we were away). And back to the grueling ways of the CF mom. The grueling ways are just means to stay up with his disease. Sometimes it seems like we struggle to just keep up, let alone try to make headway.

I love Samuel. Of course I do! Who wouldn't? I love Samuel with CF. (I don't care so much for CF by itself, but it's here and not going anywhere soon.) But all breathing treatments aside, I feel like menu planning and dietary needs are slowly taking over my life. Except it's not as slow as I'd like. If my "job" had a description it would probably be something like this:

• 50% - "normal" mom things like playing cars, cleaning up toys, hygiene
• 20% - breathing treatments, cleaning neb cups, refilling prescriptions
• 32% - obsessing about food. What would he like to eat? How is the best way to prepare it? Will it provide enough calories/fat/protein to meet his needs? 

I know that equals more than 100% because sometimes there is an overlap. I think about his nutrition while I'm doing those other things. Yes, it's safe to say, "Hi, my name is Erica and I'm obsessed with food".

It has been a sort of blessing in disguise as a dear friend is fighting a battle against cancer right now and has a challenge to meet some lofty caloric and protein goals on a daily basis. Like most of us, this is a bit foreign, so it's been really nice to share some tips and tricks I've learned trying to meet Samuel's needs. I'm happy to share and so glad all my silly cooking experimentation is not in vain.

Samuel has a clinic visit in a week. Obviously, to say his weight has been on my mind is quite possibly, the understatement of the year. From March to June (?) or July (?) his weight stayed the same. I'm not sure which month it is. They all run together sometimes. At any rate, his weight was stuck at 28 pounds. Not even an ounce gained (or lost!)...ThankYouJesus.

We will see what our next step in God's plan is next week. Of course, I will update at that time.