It is a shock the first time you get the results that state that your little one has PA. We were fortunate in that my oldest has yet to culture it, and my youngest just did in September for the first time. They do say that the younger they are when they first culture it, the better chance that they can rid it of the lungs.
We did two rounds of Tobi and Cipro, and did not culture it this past December after two positive cultures during the fall. I will feel better about it when I don't see if pop up in cultures for about a year, but am still pleased that it is at bay for now.
I do understand how it can bring a reality to this entire CF issue. It was for me, especially being that it was my younger one because she has had no lung involvement, ever! She has cultured MRSA and staph for a few years, but it has caused no problems at all. So this was a complete 'What the heck!?!' for me. And I was very concerned about my older one catching it because she does have more lung involvement, even though she only cultures MRSA and staph. But so far, she has not cultured the PA, although treated with Cipro and Tobi when having an increase in cough just in case it's in there and not showing up in her cultures.
But catching it early and keeping it non-mucoid is the key, and being aggressive in treatments.