As you all have said, CF kids are terrific kids!

[Guest guest]

I just had to brag a little. My son, Ben has CF, but also has ADHD and

learning delays. Ben has quite a history. He was not diagnosed until after

he went into septic shock from an infection. That sepsis hit all of his

major organs, including his brain. He was not expected to survive and would

not have, had it not been for the ECMO machine. It is a type of

life-support machine. It was used to handle the load of his heart and

lungs, while they pumped antibiotics into him to try to overcome the sepsis.

His brain began to swell and bleed and he sustained permanent, deep damage

to his brain. We were told that he would probably never walk, talk, or see

again (he was cortically blind from the damage to his brain). He was only

two years old, so his brain was still forming and growing. Through much

intense therapy, other parts of his brain began to take over for the damaged

areas. He slowly began to learn to walk, talk, eat and even gain some

vision back. He has come a long way. He is now 12 years old. We held him

back one year in school, because of learning delays and his small size. He

goes to LD classes and receives resource help and inclusion aid in school,

but he is in school and functioning fairly well. He has motor-planning,

fine-motor, and vision delays, but is doing better than anyone ever expected

him to. To be around him and see him (outside of the learning environment),

you'd never know he struggles so hard. The hardest part for me is that some

of the kids harass and tease him because of those struggles. You know, some

kids can be so mean! He deals with it fairly well, but it still breaks my

heart.

Last year, Ben received a character award at his elementary school. Well,

we just got a letter from his Middle School which reads.

" Congratulations! Ben has been nominated by a Middle School East staff

member to receive our Citizenship Award. This is a special award that

emphasizes respect for others, courtesy, responsibility, and most important,

character. All too often, it is the person in trouble or those who

purposely draw attention to themselves who receive recognition. The

Citizenship Award is our attempt to recognize the student who quietly leads

by example in a positive way. Because of students like yours, Middle School

East continues to be a special place to learn.

The staff and administration would also like to thank and congratulate you,

the parents. The characteristics that make these students shine are a

direct reflection on your positive influence and teaching of values. We

appreciate and applaud your efforts.

To show our appreciation, we are inviting you and Ben to a special awards

breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2003. An award certificate

will be presented at this time. "

I can't tell you how proud we are of Ben. Through all the harassment and

teasing and struggles, he has managed to grow into a GREAT kid!

Marcia (proud mom of Ben, 12 w/cf)

[Guest guest]

Yeah Ben!!! I hope that you and Ben can find a special way to

celebrate on the 25th!!!

My mother worked in the school system. She always said that the

middle school kids were the meanest. She said that they become

respectful to each other again in high school.

Gale

> I just had to brag a little. My son, Ben has CF, but also has ADHD

and

> learning delays. Ben has quite a history. He was not diagnosed

until after

> he went into septic shock from an infection. That sepsis hit all

of his

> major organs, including his brain. He was not expected to survive

and would

> not have, had it not been for the ECMO machine. It is a type of

> life-support machine. It was used to handle the load of his heart

and

> lungs, while they pumped antibiotics into him to try to overcome

the sepsis.

> His brain began to swell and bleed and he sustained permanent, deep

damage

> to his brain. We were told that he would probably never walk,

talk, or see

> again (he was cortically blind from the damage to his brain). He

was only

> two years old, so his brain was still forming and growing. Through

much

> intense therapy, other parts of his brain began to take over for

the damaged

> areas. He slowly began to learn to walk, talk, eat and even gain

some

> vision back. He has come a long way. He is now 12 years old. We

held him

> back one year in school, because of learning delays and his small

size. He

> goes to LD classes and receives resource help and inclusion aid in

school,

> but he is in school and functioning fairly well. He has motor-

planning,

> fine-motor, and vision delays, but is doing better than anyone ever

expected

> him to. To be around him and see him (outside of the learning

environment),

> you'd never know he struggles so hard. The hardest part for me is

that some

> of the kids harass and tease him because of those struggles. You

know, some

> kids can be so mean! He deals with it fairly well, but it still

breaks my

> heart.

>

> Last year, Ben received a character award at his elementary

school. Well,

> we just got a letter from his Middle School which reads.

>

> " Congratulations! Ben has been nominated by a Middle School East

staff

> member to receive our Citizenship Award. This is a special award

that

> emphasizes respect for others, courtesy, responsibility, and most

important,

> character. All too often, it is the person in trouble or those who

> purposely draw attention to themselves who receive recognition. The

> Citizenship Award is our attempt to recognize the student who

quietly leads

> by example in a positive way. Because of students like yours,

Middle School

> East continues to be a special place to learn.

>

> The staff and administration would also like to thank and

congratulate you,

> the parents. The characteristics that make these students shine

are a

> direct reflection on your positive influence and teaching of

values. We

> appreciate and applaud your efforts.

>

> To show our appreciation, we are inviting you and Ben to a special

awards

> breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2003. An award

certificate

> will be presented at this time. "

>

> I can't tell you how proud we are of Ben. Through all the

harassment and

> teasing and struggles, he has managed to grow into a GREAT kid!

>

> Marcia (proud mom of Ben, 12 w/cf)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

CONGRATULATIONS BEN & MARCIA!

This is a great accomplishment on all parts. CF children are so special.

You should be very proud as a parent. Remember, he learns by example so you

must be a good teacher too!

Have a great breakfast on November 25. You and Ben deserve it.

Tina W., mother of Steph 18yo wcf

As you all have said, CF kids are terrific kids!

I just had to brag a little. My son, Ben has CF, but also has ADHD and

learning delays. Ben has quite a history. He was not diagnosed until after

he went into septic shock from an infection. That sepsis hit all of his

major organs, including his brain. He was not expected to survive and would

not have, had it not been for the ECMO machine. It is a type of

life-support machine. It was used to handle the load of his heart and

lungs, while they pumped antibiotics into him to try to overcome the sepsis.

His brain began to swell and bleed and he sustained permanent, deep damage

to his brain. We were told that he would probably never walk, talk, or see

again (he was cortically blind from the damage to his brain). He was only

two years old, so his brain was still forming and growing. Through much

intense therapy, other parts of his brain began to take over for the damaged

areas. He slowly began to learn to walk, talk, eat and even gain some

vision back. He has come a long way. He is now 12 years old. We held him

back one year in school, because of learning delays and his small size. He

goes to LD classes and receives resource help and inclusion aid in school,

but he is in school and functioning fairly well. He has motor-planning,

fine-motor, and vision delays, but is doing better than anyone ever expected

him to. To be around him and see him (outside of the learning environment),

you'd never know he struggles so hard. The hardest part for me is that some

of the kids harass and tease him because of those struggles. You know, some

kids can be so mean! He deals with it fairly well, but it still breaks my

heart.

Last year, Ben received a character award at his elementary school. Well,

we just got a letter from his Middle School which reads.

" Congratulations! Ben has been nominated by a Middle School East staff

member to receive our Citizenship Award. This is a special award that

emphasizes respect for others, courtesy, responsibility, and most important,

character. All too often, it is the person in trouble or those who

purposely draw attention to themselves who receive recognition. The

Citizenship Award is our attempt to recognize the student who quietly leads

by example in a positive way. Because of students like yours, Middle School

East continues to be a special place to learn.

The staff and administration would also like to thank and congratulate you,

the parents. The characteristics that make these students shine are a

direct reflection on your positive influence and teaching of values. We

appreciate and applaud your efforts.

To show our appreciation, we are inviting you and Ben to a special awards

breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2003. An award certificate

will be presented at this time. "

I can't tell you how proud we are of Ben. Through all the harassment and

teasing and struggles, he has managed to grow into a GREAT kid!

Marcia (proud mom of Ben, 12 w/cf)

[Guest guest]

My oldest is in middle school to and they can me mean!!! But we just got to

let them know that kids will be mean and they can either ignore it and go on,

put them in their place, or learn to stick up for themselves other wise the

kids will always get the best of them. Yesterday I gave my oldest a perm she has

been bugging me for months to do this. Well, this morning she tells me this

boy is teasing her all of the time and I said well be prepared for him to tease

you about you hair because if he is already teasing you this is just one more

thing. It's not that he likes it or dislike it it's just one more thing he can

make fun of. She just came home and said Mom your right he did tease me and

someone told me that some girls in my class were talking about me and my hair.

I said does it bother you and she said I don't know. I said you know what

sometimes kid will say things because they really like it and are jealous

because

they can't have one. I said as long as you like it that is all that matters. I

think that CF has helped them to deal with being different and it is OK

because everyone has there differences. So I think in some ways CF has made my

kids

stronger. Deb A

[Guest guest]

CF kids are definately stronger, I think. My cfer is much stronger than my

other two, and they are extremely stubborn and strong.

Sue Pettit

mom to (17 wocf) driving and being the most responsible 17 yo I have

ever seen, (13 wocf) playing football, band, and whatever else he can

get into, and (11 wcf) into all sports, running full speed doing all

she can and still doing great---diagnosed at 8 days of age at LeBonheur

Childrens Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee, now seeing Doctor Lyrene (and

other

wonderful folks of course) at UAB Children's Hospital