Lego Land

Michelle took Ben, Ty, Hailey and Luke (their cousins) to Legoland.

Ty and Ben enjoying the ride.

Ben and Hailey on the dragon ride.

Ben building a car to race down the ramp.

Christmas in Indiana

Uncles, Aunts and Cousins at Bollier Christmas

Jonathon Bollier organizing the troops.

Ben is chilling with Cash, Aunt Toni & Uncle Rob's dog.

Grandma and Grandpa Rowe

The whole family went to Indiana over Christmas. It was a blessed time with family! There was a flu bug going around in Indiana that the Ferguson's got. The Lord was gracious -- Ben got it but it didn't exacerbate his CF. We are so grateful!

Enjoying the Dirt

Ben playing hard

Ty, Ben and Caleb enjoying the mild weather.

Thank you for your prayers!

Thank you for your prayers!

Ben came down with a fever last week which only lasted 24 hrs. Praise the Lord!

Then a couple days later he caught Caleb's cold.

He was heading down the route of needing antibiotics. . .

Paul and Michelle increased airway clearance and

prayed for him to get over this on his own.

And for the first time since Ben has been diagnosed, he got over the cough/cold without it causing an exacerbation. This is huge for the Ferguson!

Our faith and trust in our Heavenly Father is growing and growing.

Thanks you again for your prayers!

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16

Logged over 300 hours on the Vest!

Halloween with friends (Ben is the Spiderman).

Ben just crossed the 300 hour mark on his Vest. He has spent a lot of time being shaken up by the Vest :) We are thankful for tools to help Ben live a healthy life.

Praise God for a Healthy Fall

The three amigos! They are the best of friends!

Ben loves to paint!

It has been such a blessing to have Ben healthy the past 3 months!

They had so much fun seeing Colleen

and visiting the Shedd Aquarium together!

Downtown Chicago

Since Ben cultured Psuedomonas at the end of July, he has been very healthy. He was on TOBI for the month of August and October which seemed to clean him out. He has been doing so well. We thank the LORD!

Please join us in prayer for God's supernatural protection over Ben through this winter season. We are really praying for an extended time of health for Ben.

Ben had his CF Clinic visit yesterday and it went well. Ben looks good and is growing great.

Successful Ride!

The Route

Halfway

T H A N K Y O U
to all who have already contributed
to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) for Ben!!
Your support is greatly appreciated!!
Ben, Michelle and Paul and our entire family are so thankful!!

Now that the ride is complete, if you wish, you can
* ** D O N A T E ***
online using the following link:

http://grillinois.cff.org/cruisinforthecure09

If you have been waiting
for the number of miles traveled
before making your contribution .... here are the stats ...
Ben's Grandpa completed
1,093 miles in 22 hours
Saturday September 26, 2009

Again, thank you!

2009 Cruisin' For The Cure

Raising Support for Cystic Fibrosis

in honor of Ben Ferguson

(Ben's Grandpa)

By supporting CFF, you are contributing to the research, care and education of Cystic Fibrosis, which will benefit Ben. I am impressed that approximately 90% of every dollar raised by

CFF is spend on research.

The 2009 Cruisin For The Cure

will be a group of motorcycle riders taking the challenge

to ride around Lake Michigan -- 1000 miles in 24 hours for the benefit of CFF.

You can support by donating an amount per mile ie . . .
penny per mile - $10

dime per mile - $100

dollar per mile - $1000

or any donation you wish … $ _____

Please visit
http://grillinois.cff.org/cruisinforthecure09

to make a donation online

or … send your check made out to CFF …

to Michelle Ferguson 0N556 Herrick Drive Wheaton IL 60187

Thank you so much!!

Allergies

Michelle talked with Ben's Doctor early this week and the Doctor thinks Ben's symptoms are from allergies and not an infection at this point. He is still congested with sneezing and some coughing. They started him on Kid's Claritin and that seems to be helping. Ben will start TOBI this coming Wednesday, so if there is anything deep in his lungs, the TOBI should take care of it. Please pray for strength and patience for Ben and Paul & Michelle as they start TOBI. It is difficult to add the twice a day treatment on top of his other therapy and nebs.

Continued Prayer. . .

Thank you for your prayers. Ben is such a sweet boy! He is always full of questions, very mischievous, loves to be with Ty and Ben, and is so into dinosaurs. We thank the Lord for making Ben "fearfully and wonderfully made". "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:15-16

We thank the Lord for being a big and powerful God who loves Ben more than we can fathom.

Ben has had an increase of cough the past couple days which is an indication that he may have another lung infection. He is not due to go back on TOBI for another 2 weeks, so we are really hoping that Ben doesn't have to go on another antibiotic right now. Please pray for health in Ben's lungs. We trust in the one true God who is able to do all things. We ask of Him to do a mighty work in Ben's body and to give Ben complete health.

Insurance issues

The Fergusons are dealing with some insurance issues right now. Please pray for resolution and full coverage of the claims. Thanks!

New House and Bad News

The boys in the moving truck as they leave their old home.

They are really enjoying their new home.
Their address is 0N556 Herrick Drive Wheaton, IL 60187.

It has been an intense 2 weeks for the Fergusons. They arrived home from New Hampshire with one week to pack up their house. Then they closed on both homes on the same day which was crazy to say the least. The day they were moving, they received a call saying Ben had cultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This is the "bad" bacteria in the CF world due to being the most common cause of lung infections. Eventually it may colonize in Ben's lungs and be responsible for damage to lung tissue as the disease progresses. There was a drug created in 1997 called TOBI, the first aerosolized antibiotic designed for CF, that is a great weapon against Pseudomonas. Ben has been on TOBI for the past 2 weeks and will continue for another 2 weeks. On top of Ben's regular chest therapy and pulmonzyme, TOBI is a twice a day inhaled antibiotic that takes about 20 min each time. Its hard for a 3 year old to sit with stuff strapped to his face and body for 45 mins twice a day. . . everyday. So far Ben has been responding positively to TOBI and his symptoms are improving. So the plan is for Ben to be off TOBI for a month then back on for another month. If his symptoms worsen then he may have to be admitted to Children's Memorial Hospital for IV antibiotics.

Please pray for Ben to be rid of all Pseudomonas in his lungs and that God would protect him from it in the future. Thank you for your prayer support of Ben and our family! We are very grateful!

Summer vacation to NH!

The whole family had such a fun time in visiting Poppie and Lannie in New Hampshire. They spend two weeks fishing, playing with cousins Cole/Olive/Asher/Claire/Siena, riding in Poppie's boat, going to StoryLand Amusement Park, and going to town for Bailey's Bubble ice cream cone with sprinkles! Ben had to go on a two week round of antibiotics while NH but that didn't slow him down. He managed to get stung multiple time by bees causing his lip to swell and fell out of the boat head first while fishing. He is just curious enough to find trouble wherever he goes. God is good and Ben is full of life, laughter and mischief!

Family in the summer time!

During the week of Fourth of July, Ben was busy playing with his cousins, being enthralled by the dinosaurs at Brookfield Zoo, going to the Wheaton parade, and soaking up the sun at the nearby pool. Ben's health has been doing great this summer and he has been very energetic and full of life during every activity he is involved in.

The One Year Mark

Ben with his cousins at Brookfield Zoo - seeing his obsessions - the dinosaur exhibit!

A year has gone by since Ben has been diagnosed and God continues to prove his faithfulness! Paul and Michelle sold their house a couple of weeks ago and have been on the hunt for the perfect location, setting, and opportunity for another home where they will share new memories! Of course Michelle did extensive research and found the PERFECT place! It is located 5 minutes from the Academy, is on a half acre of land, has four bedrooms, and cries out "Fergusons!" Paul and Michelle placed a bid on the house and unfortunately were runner-ups. It was sad because their hearts were set on this new house. Then, on Ben's anniversary of his diagnosis - the relator called back and told Paul and Michelle that the family before them declined and they got the house!

And we wonder if God has Ben's life in his hand. And we wonder if God is in control. Hmm...it's been proven. God is near. God is good. God is in control!

We thank him for what he has done, for what he is doing, and for what he is going to do in Ben's life - for his glory!

Colorado Trip!

The Ferguson family went on a trip to Colorado with Wheaton Academy and had such a great time!  They spent 5 days at Deer Valley Ranch near Buena Vista, CO.   The boys loved the horses and we spend a lot of time at the corral.  The cowboys were incredible with the boys.  Ty, Ben and Caleb borrowed some cowboy boots during our stay and they never took them off.  Ben also got a hat which he proudly wore everywhere.

Summer is here!

Ben playing in the tree at Ty's soccer game. 

The boys playing with chalk in the garage. 

Paul's birthday morning.

May 8th Ben had his routine CF clinic visit with Dr. McColley and NP Stacey Vanderbranden.  We are really blessed by the medical care that Ben is receiving.  Overall, Ben is doing well!  His lungs sound good, his BMI is 66%, and he has grown an inch in the past 3 month.  Dr. McColley encouraged Michelle and Paul again to do vest treatments and nebulizer twice a day.  Since Ben was a later diagnoses and the x-rays in the hospital this summer showed some potential lung damage, he is at a higher risk for future progression.  It was a good reminder.  Michelle and Paul also talked with the doctors about summer nutrition for Ben.  He needs extra salt in the summer as he loses a lot through his sweat.  This will also make Ben more prone to dehydration so increasing liquid is vital.  We are really hoping he has a good healthy summer!

Easter!

Ben hunting for eggs on Easter weekend!

The usual scene of Ben following his big brother Ty.

Ben with his cousins ... getting ready for the egg hunt!

Ben's brother, Tymon, got a cold and passed it around to the family!  Ben came down with it this past Saturday.  Paul and Michelle tried to help him kick the virus with increased treatments, but he it wasn't working.  On Wednesday he was put on a two week oral antibiotic.  Please pray for Ben's family to maintain health after Ben's course of antibiotic. It would be a blessing for Ben to not get sick especially with the weather getting nicer!  

VX-809

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation announced last week that they are beginning phase two trial for VX-809.  This drug has a potential to treat the basic defect in cystic fibrosis - a gene and its protein product, called CFTR.  

Here is apart of the article that is on the CF website:

"CF treatment involves the use of multiple drugs that address the symptoms of CF, however no therapy currently exists that targets the underlying cause of this disease,” said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the CF Foundation. “VX-809, which today entered Phase 2 clinical development, may have the potential to play a significant role in changing the future course of this disease for people with CF.”

 

"The advancement of VX-809 into Phase 2 development demonstrates our commitment to improve care for patients with CF," said Freda Lewis-Hall, M.D., executive vice president, medicines development, and chief medical officer of Vertex.  "This Phase 2a trial is designed primarily to provide a safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic evaluation for VX-809.  Any additional signals observed in this trial, including changes in sweat chloride and nasal potential difference, that indicate VX-809 has an effect on measures of CFTR function may be highly informative and encouraging for planning future clinical trials with VX-809."

WHAT A BIG GOD we trust!!!!! Again we are reminded that Ben's every breath is in good hands!  This is exciting news about the advancements in medical technology.  We can only pray that God will use this medication for his glory to heal cystic fibrosis patients, like Ben!  

Matthew 9:27 - As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"  When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked him, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"  "Yes, Lord,"  they replied.  Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith it will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored.

YES LORD ... We believe that you are able to do this for Ben!  May a cure be found in Ben's lifetime!  This is our prayer!  According to our faith we will see it be done!  FAITH!

Water Park!

The whole family was given a gift to stay at Key Lime Cove Water Park in Gurnee, IL for a fun trip for the kids!  They adventured to the park this past week during Paul's spring break.  The boys were so excited to go!  They had a fun time playing in the water, going down the slides, and having a "sleepover" in the hotel room.  The pictures taken under the hot diggety dawg sign was dedicated to Caleb because that is his nickname!

Overall, Ben is doing great!  He is staying healthy and having fun with his brothers!  

Psalm 123 - I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.  As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy. 

Have a great day and thanks for checking up on Ben!  

Ben is 3!!!!!!!

We had a great time celebrating Ben's 3rd Birthday at Wheaton Academy's gym this past weekend (his official birthday is on March 17, St. Patrick's day).  A few of Ben's friends came to play games, run around, and eat cupcakes together.  It was a fun time and we are so blessed by Ben's life!