Megan Mainland 

Beth Anne Piehl, Special Sections Writer

There was a slight chance, Megan Mainland learned when she was pregnant with Kurtis, that her unborn son would have cystic fibrosis. She tested positive as a carrier of the gene.

Since both parents need to be carriers to produce a child who suffers from the lung condition, she and her husband, Ken, breathed a sigh of relief when the CF gene did not show up in Ken’s genetic screen.

That was not, however, the end of the story. It was just the beginning.

The diagnosis

Despite the initial genetic results, Kurtis was indeed born with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening condition that causes an increased amount of thick mucous to accumulate in the lungs. It’s marked by unremitting coughing in its sufferers, along with other related health problems such as digestion troubles, diminished pancreatic function and the ability of the body to rid itself of colds and flus.

It turns out that prenatal genetic testing focuses on the mom’s and dad’s first 25 genes; a deeper examination later on of Ken’s 1,300 genes revealed the link somewhere in the 700s, Megan said.

Kurtis was not diagnosed until he was 8 months old; until then, the Mainlands did not expect his incessant coughing and frequent colds were something as serious as CF.

“He was always coughing and gasping for breath,” Megan recalled.

The young baby was hospitalized at about 2 months for pneumonia, but he was an otherwise healthy, full-term baby. Oily stools and continued coughing continued to cause concern for the Mainlands, and at 8 months he was tested at DeVos Children’s Hospital downstate; the result for CF was positive.

Megan will never forget the call, which came as they were driving back north from the downstate appointment. They were within one mile from their Petoskey home. “The test is 99 percent positive, they told us,” Mainland said. “We were in shock.”

They called family members over to share the news, and got ready to head back downstate for further testing and to learn the course of treatment. Her family members in particular provided her the strength to endure the diagnosis, she said. Further, raised with a sister, Anneke, who suffers from spina bifada, Mainland knows first-hand the successes of those living with a disease.

So when the doctors gave the final firm diagnosis on their next trip downstate, “this time, we were relieved. We looked at the doctor and said ‘Thank you, now we have an answer to what’s going on with our son.’ We were scared, but at the same time, it was a relief to know.”

From Kurtis’ doctors, they’ve learned that CF affects all kids differently, and while there is no cure, it is manageable for many, many years. The average life expectancy today for a person with CF is 38; Megan is optimistic that will only continue to improve as more research uncovers better treatments.

Kurtis, now 3, undergoes regular checkups at DeVos every three months. He recently received a new vest that does automatic chest compressions daily to break up mucous and help him to cough it out. He takes at least seven different medications daily, including use of a nebulizer and a prescription called Creon, which helps digestion. “Every time he eats a meal, even a snack, he has to take three pills to help his body digest it,” said Mainland.

While he’s been hospitalized five times in his young life so far, Mainland said Kurtis’ form of CF is more mild than other forms. He has had to have sinus surgery to remove mucous build-up and also had his adenoids and tonsils removed already.

When it comes to his medical needs and treatments, mom and dad are Kurtis’ biggest advocates, pushing for the best care and proper treatments. “You want to make sure you are getting the best care for your child,” Mainland said.

Make that both children; she admits she sometimes spoils Corbin more to make up for the attention that Kurtis requires at this point.

How she doesn’t become overwhelmed with running a day care, supporting Ken’s volunteering with the Resort-Bear Creek Fire Department, teaching swimming lessons in Harbor Springs, shuttling Corbin to kindergarten and managing the many medical needs and appointments of their littlest one seems a mystery.

“I have to be busy or I’d probably fall apart,” she said, simply.

Add in two partial knee replacement surgeries in the past year because of sports injuries and degenerative arthritis and teaching CPR and First Aid to other area day care providers, and it’s easy to understand why Mainland says the hardest part of her day is falling asleep at night, because of all the worries on her mind.

The out-going voice mail message on her cell phone, however, might help explain her continued strength: “God won’t give me anything I can’t handle, so go ahead and leave a message, and when I can handle it, I will call you back.”

Learning about ...

Who: Megan Mainland, 32, of Petoskey
Family: Married seven years to Ken Mainland, mom of Mackenzie, 13, Corbin, 6, and Kurtis, 3; parents are Jack and Marilyn Rader, parents-in-law are Ernie and Judy Mainland.
Teaching moments: The Mainlands own Hilltop preschool and child care center in Petoskey, where Megan is the director.
Education background: Associates degree in elementary education from North Central Michigan College, and major in early childhood development at Central Michigan University, with a minor in psychology. In 2000 she began working at Hilltop, and in 2001 she and husband Ken purchased it.
Supporting cystic fibrosis research: Megan spends many hours researching cystic fibrosis online and consulting with resources they support, such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Also close to their hearts: First Methodist Church in Petoskey. Rotary Club, in particular the Mainlands take part in the youth exchange program; Megan is the co-inbound coordinator for the regional district, which involves placing about 30-45 international students in local homes each year.