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Writer's pictureBrittany Hartgrove Mahoney

Like a Traffic Controller


Our last visit to the CF clinic was a little overwhelming. I was too busy freaking out about it to mention one of the funniest things I'd ever seen my little 'sponge' pull out of her hat.

The new protocol for Avie is that she will take and inhaled medicine before every CPT session. To make life a little bit easier on us, when she is healthy, we will administer this medicine with an inhaler. Apparently, the way to do this for a toddler is with a thing called a Spacer. If you can't see the picture, below, it basically looks like a nebulizer mask with a tube on the back. There is a hole on the backside of this tube were the inhaler is inserted.

So, while we were in the clinic getting our new instructions, the Respiratory Therapist wanted to demonstrate how we will be using this. She put the mask on Avie's face and mimicked shaking and spraying the inhaler, then counted Avie's breaths. Avie was excited to hold her face in the mask like the "model patient" and we praised her participation.

With the demonstration over, the spacer was set aside. Avie, however, decided that there was yet another use for the new gadget and quickly plucked it from it's resting place. She turned it around and put the small hole up to her mouth, so the spacer was backwards. With her shoulders back, she took a commanding presence in the middle of the room and started speaking through the tube, like a megaphone.

"Come on, come on." She said, while beckoning invisible cars and pedestrians through the space. She turned this way and that, "Come on, come on."

This child really knows how to provide some much-needed levity.

I still have no idea where she got this from. I don't think we've passed anyone actually directing traffic with a megaphone on the road before.... though I did use one for her fundraiser party. So, maybe she is asking for donations?

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