These bubba’s are so strong - we should learn from them!🙈😭👶💙👊

Babies are incredible - so strong and so resilient. Arlo is of course the main priority this week as we get the antibiotics in him to get rid of this latest infection. And to be honest, he’s happy as Larry, takes his antibiotics with a smile and just gets on with it. My total hero!💙

Then there’s me getting all upset!🙈

When he got an infection last time, it was the same - it brings three really rubbish feelings to the surface for me as his mum:

• I always feel like I have let Arlo down. As his main carer I always feel somehow to blame. But the truth is that CF babies have mucus in their lungs - a normal person can breathe in bacteria and breathe it back out again no problem - but for babies like Arlo anything he breathes in is likely to get stuck in his little lungs and harbour there. So these things are sadly inevitable.😔

• I feel desperate to take on the burden of treatment for him. I have said before how I just wish I could take the CF and have it on his behalf. And when he has an infection I want to do all the antibiotics and treatment for him. It’s not fair for a baby to have to do all that. And he always does it and then gives me a big smile! Such a little hero. 🦸‍♂️

• It’s a stark reminder that the CF is there and it’s real. Some days you kind of ‘forget’. (Bear with me here - ‘forget’ is probably the wrong word but I can’t think of another…!) Obviously we do his physio every day and we get all his meds in him, but that’s just a normal part of our daily routine now so it is still easy to almost ‘forget’ that the CF is there. Arlo is not and never will be defined by his CF but I still find these sorts of reminders that the ‘threat’ of CF is there hard to come across. In these moments it just feels too much like the CF reminding us of what we have to lose. But Arlo is a tough cookie 🍪 and we will kick this bacteria 🦠 in the butt🍑

And whilst the above might be relatable to other parents of CF babies and children, the main priority is Arlo. And the thing I intend to focus on is doing everything to help Arlo clear this infection. 💪💪💪💪

We’ve got this little man!👊