Oh Christmas tree 🎄

I’m not here to offer any advice on whether to go real or fake. We decided to go with a fake one in the end but I’m never here to pass judgment of any kind. Parents should feel empowered to make the decisions that are right for their family and it’s no different with CF. 🙏

But I do feel like this is a great example of what it’s like as a parent of a child with CF.

There’s these scenarios that you never think you’ll have to give any thought to but with CF on the mix you find yourself having to weigh up the risk vs the reward - and sometimes with no medical advice at all.

Do I buy a real tree or a fake tree?

This is a decision that is usually based on personal preference for most families - maybe you love the smell of a real tree, or maybe you hate the pine needles falling off and having to hoover them up? And that’s how you make your decision.

But for us, it’s a weird one. Often advice from CF medical teams on a topic as specific as this will be vague or non-existent. And there’s no ‘guidebook’ or parenting book to offer a perspective.There’s just ‘anecdotal’ evidence that having a real tree MIGHT increase the risk of exposure to pseudomonas.

Sometimes it’s an easy decision - we just go with the safe option because the impact on our lives is so small. Other times it’s a harder decision - are we holding Arlo back, or really ruining our enjoyment of things?

But it’s a constant process - coming across everyday parts of life where the risk is small, but it is still very real.

Although on this occasion, the tree is absolutely beautiful. 🤩