Great Strides 2009

Next month, our family is walking in the Great Strides 5K to help raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Jacob and I put together this video with some of the most poignant photos from our experiences as CF parents. (I've included some of my favorites in this post and some that didn't make the cut.) You can also view a better quality version of the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf-vPSIZ3Rc.

We hope our story touches you and you can join us by donating or walking on May 16th. For more information, go to either of our Great Strides home pages: http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/marchetbutler or http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/jacobbutler5930. Feel free to share our video on Facebook, MySpace, blog, email or other social networking tool. The more people that know about CF, the better it will be for our son and 60,000 others like him.

Thanks to family and friends who took additional photos for the video including Tammy Clark, Teresa Tronier, Steve Haynes, and Warren Lucas. The amazing music is courtesy of Josh Woodward, who shares his work under a Creative Commons License at JoshWoodward.com.

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The Hospital

We are back from the hospital and our son is feeling and breathing much better thanks to excellent care by the doctors, nurses, and respiratory staff of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. It's tough for anyone to be in the hospital, but I can honestly say that it was a positive experience for all concerned.

As mentioned in my previous post, our son was admitted to the hospital for an extended stay to prepare him for sinus surgery. At the hospital, he recieved extra breathing treatments, IV antibiotics, and additional medication to put him in peak physical condition for the operation. (This week-long hospital admission is called a CF "tune up" in the cystic fibrosis community.)

The sinus surgery went well, and though it was a hard day for everyone, it was worth it. The surgeon said there was an amazing amount of blockage on both sides of his sinuses, even for someone with cystic fibrosis, and especially for someone so young. His recovery was quick, and we've noticed a difference already. Our son's appetite has increased; his energy level is higher, and I can hear an extra intake of air every time he breathes.

Though I don't usually use this blog to post about my own family, I know that this is one way I can thank the many, many people who have had us in our prayers, served us in hospital, and offered encouragement, help, and support. Thank you. God bless you. He has certainly blessed us.