There and Back Again

We have traveled by plane with our five children, frolicked for a week in a sunny place, and returned- in good health. It is like a miracle...

About an hour before we left the house to begin our vacation, I pulled out a few surgical masks that the CF nurse had given me at least a year ago anticipating the day when Anna would wear one to her visits to the CF clinic or in public places.  I had no hope whatsoever that Anna would wear one on the plane. Why would a two-year old want to wear a mask?  I put a mask on myself and said something like, "This is a mask that you wear when you are on a plane." She was so excited that she nearly ripped mine off of me. I couldn't get her mask on fast enough for her. Then her three older brothers wanted to wear them too. I was amazed. I had to convince her that she didn't need to wear the mask until we got to the airport! She put the mask on just inside the airport door and didn't take if off until after we landed five hours later. She didn't even want to slide it down to take a drink of water.  She was beautifully behaved on the plane and never complained about her ears hurting, about which I was quite concerned.  She also wore the mask on the trip home, at a crowded museum, and allowed me to disinfect her hands the million times that I wanted to throughout the vacation.

We did have her medical bag searched by hand at the airport. I expected as much. We did not have to use the letter of explanation given to me by the CF doctor though. And the airport staff was helpful in letting us board early so we could stow the large, heavy bag in the overhead compartment.

Even though we were in a strange place, she readily sat for her daily therapy- thank goodness for videos from the library.

We did a lot of walking and even hiking and Anna was right there keeping the pace- even trying to climb up rocks! At this point in her young life anyway, there was no slowing her down. She was amazing.

I am so grateful that we were able to take this trip. So many times I doubted it would occur, and I was afraid to get my hopes up. I am humbled that we were blessed with good health before, during, and even upon our return.  God is good.