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Chelley
03-03-2001, 06:05 PM
Day Seven
Friday, 2 March 2001
"Ain't no sunshine when we're gone"

The wake-up call came at 4:45 A. M. ACK! I am NOT a morning person.

P. F. and I began throwing the last things together and getting ready for the day. We dragged the girls out of bed, and Chicken Girl finally admitted that she didn't feel particularly well.

We stumbled down to the lobby and met our limo driver at 6:00. (Interestingly enough, it was NOT the person who took us to the resort from the airport. I feel CERTAIN he was fired.) Chicken Girl seemed unusually subdued.

The ride to the airport was uneventful. The "event" began when we attempted to check in at curbside and the agent couldn't find us on the flight list. (He did find us--eventually.)

Our flight was not crowded at all, so we were able to sit in a "lounge" configuration (an area of six seats) again. P. F. and I designated the children to have the honor of flying backwards! I did NOT want to repeat that experience.

I noticed that something was wrong with Chicken Girl. She had a strange look in her eyes, and she seemed intent on making her friend, Chocoholic, miserable. She seemed wired!

As we approached the airport, our plane made a horrible noise. P. F. looked at me and said, "This is it. We're going to die." I thought that perhaps we should not panic needlessly, so I gave her a reassuring grin and said, "Well, I surely have enjoyed traveling with you."

I forgot the possibility of dying when I realized that my daughter was in great pain. She was crying, and she said that her ears hurt. I told her to swallow, and P. F. gave her some chewing gum. Nothing helped.

We did land without incident. Whereas we had been in sunny Florida with 85 degree days, reality was upon us. We already knew (from phone conversations with our husbands) that rain had moved into the area when we left last Saturday. It had rained constantly since then. We returned to 45 degrees and rain. Yuck.

As we waited at baggage claim, I was horrified to see a suitcase with a zipper pouch open. "Delicates" were hanging out everywhere. At first I feared that the suitcase was mine; then, it occurred to me that I didn't own any undergarments that color. When I glanced over at P. F., I knew whose bag it was! The expression on her face was priceless. It was like being in a movie--where everything moves in slow motion. She was waiting, and waiting, and waiting for that dang bag to get to her so she could snatch it off the carousel and cram her "personal items" back inside. TOO FUNNY!

We loaded our bags onto carts and headed outside. I knew I was back in the deep South when one of my bags fell off my cart and two men nearly resorted to fisticuffs over which one would be the one to throw it back onto the cart. Chivalry is not dead here. However, it's probably wasted on a person such as myself! :)

I was really getting concerned about Chicken Girl, so I called to see if I could make an appointment with our physician.

We drove home in the pouring rain, and I worried about my child. She hadn't seemed "herself" all week, but she had seemed able to function as long as I allowed her plenty of time in the room to rest. Now I was really worried. She seemed really sick.

The bad news got worse when my husband called to announce that he had to go to New Orleans on business. Chicken Girl and I were so disappointed (and so was my husband). We had missed each other, and now we'd have to wait another day to see each other.

After unloading our bags and unpacking some of them, I took Chicken Girl to the doctor's office. It was bizarre. She seemed tired and irritable en route, but, once there, she was pleasant and energetic. The doctor said, "Well, she certainly doesn't ACT sick!"

I told him that we had been at WDW and that I had wrestled with what to do all week. I knew that she seemed ill at times, and I had tried to make her rest then. However, at other times she seemed perky. He examined my daughter, and then he seemed genuinely surprised. Chicken Girl is going to be win an Academy Award someday. She had convinced me off and on all week that she had a common cold. NOT!

Chicken Girl is SICK: The physician announced that she has bronchitis, pneumonia, and an ear infection. I was horrified. "OH MY GOSH!" I said. "I have had this child at Disney World all week!" I was very upset with myself and chagrined that my child had been so sick for two days without my realization of the serious nature of her illness.

The doctor was great. He said, "Listen, you did fine. You didn't know. Hey! When I observed her in the room, I didn't think she was terribly sick myself! She probably did seem fine after you treated her symptoms and made her rest in the room. She needs some antibiotics and some more rest, but she's going to be okay."

I felt like the worst mother on the planet. I could kick myself for not taking my child to the hospital in Orlando.

Thus ended our Disney adventure. I am not going to be the Mother of the Year, but, goodness knows, I tried.

Chicken Girl is taking her medicine, so I hope to see improvement soon.

I always say that a bad day at Disney World is better than a good day at work. I hope that we can apply that to being sick too. Maybe being sick at WDW is better than being sick at home!

It was not a typical trip for us, and lots of things went wrong. But, all in all, it was great to spend time with my child, and I feel so lucky and blessed to have her in my life, and that I was able to give her such a special birthday gift.

I hope that she'll remember the fun we had--and not the hours she spent in bed resting--and not the sore throat!

Thanks for joining us!

[This message was edited by Chelley on 03-04-01 at 01:22 AM.]

Bett
03-03-2001, 06:29 PM
Chelley,

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed all of your posts. I felt so bad for you concerning Chicken Girl being sick. I hope she is on the road to recovery. You are really a good mom, preparing such an unforgettable birthday present for your daughter.

Regards,

Bett

Jeremy'smom
03-03-2001, 06:35 PM
Wow, bless your heart. It is so hard to tell when our children are really sick, so don't be so hard on yourself. I think you did the best you knew how at the time.

Sounds like you all still had a great trip.
Thanks for posting. :)

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Snowwark
03-03-2001, 06:47 PM
Please don't kick yourself, even the doctor didn't know at first she was that sick. I bet she was less sick at WDW than she would have been at home. I hope she's feeling much better. Thank you for your excellent reports. :)

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Chelley
03-03-2001, 08:34 PM
I appreciate your kind words. Chicken Girl felt rotten this morning, but she took a long nap this afternoon and seemed to feel better tonight. I hope she feels even better tomorrow.

I will NEVER ignore my "gut feelings" again! The kicker is that, while at WDW, she was taking an antibiotic which we had begun before the trip--in addition to cough medicine. The doctor told me yesterday that there are four possible manifestations of the type of pneumonia that the child has. The antibiotic she was taking is effective against three of those strains. Apparently, she has the one which it doesn't help! He changed her antibiotic, so he expects her to feel much better in a couple of days. Here's hoping!

Thank you again for your kindness.

glo
03-03-2001, 10:34 PM
Chelley! You are a great Mom! You wanted to give her a special birthday. You treated her with what you could, and she wasn't completely honest with you. She did what every smart red blooded American kid would do, Heck I would have to!

I hope you had a great time. Did you get that info for me?

Thanks for the great trip repost!

;) :)

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Alyson
03-04-2001, 04:09 AM
Thanks for the trip reports - I really enjoyed them. Very, very funny - by the sounds of it all I would say you are a "normal/great" Mom just like the rest of us!!!!!

;)

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KayleeUK
03-04-2001, 07:36 AM
Chelley

Thank you very much for your reports, I really enjoyed them :)

Kaylee

Disneyland Paris 1996 (off site), 1998 x 2 (Sequoia Lodge & Hotel Cheyenne), 1999 x 2 (Hotel Cheyenne and Hotel Santa Fe)
Walt Disney World Caribbean Beach Resort Oct/Nov 2000
Wedding At Sunset Point,The Polynesian Resort 1st Nov 2000
Next Trip DLP & Boardwalk Villa's 2002

LuvN~Travel
03-04-2001, 07:52 AM
Chelley, I really enjoyed your posts!:-) It sounds
like taking my kids places.
And, I know about those darn kids who fool you when they're sick. Over the holidays during November and December, our oldest child kept having to go into the hospital for problems(she was born with multiple birth defects, one of which decided to act up then). Well, during December, I noticed that her little brother had a bit of a cough, but I just kept giving him cough medicine, and he just kept on going to school like nothing was wrong. Well after the holidays, the oldest one (who had finally come home just before Christmas), had a bit of a cold. So off to the docs we go, but hey let's take little brother along as well. It seems she just had a run of the mill cold, but hey he had Bronchitis. Yep, felt like a real Grade A mom there!:-)
Glad you guys got home okay, and that the little trooper will have a chance to rest now. It's hard to get that type to rest though, isn't it?:-)
Kim

wdwnut
03-04-2001, 02:17 PM
hi Chelley: does CG feel worse now that she's home and has been diagnosed? my son swore he felt worse once the doctor said pneumonia. he's not letting me forget it either. oh well, he's the youngest.

sherrie
03-04-2001, 03:45 PM
Thanks for your wonderful report. I am sorry about chicken girl and hope she is back to herself in no time.

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Marla Hellwig
03-04-2001, 07:20 PM
Allof us moms have been there and done that - is your child sick or SICK. All in all you had a great time and what a way to spend a birthday. Thanks for posting!

Chelley
03-05-2001, 07:21 AM
Chicken Girl is MUCH improved.

I really appreciate all of your nice remarks and your kind thoughts.

To those who have "been there, done that," you know how stressful it is to worry about a sick child--especially when you're far from home. I am so glad the kiddo is feeling better now--and that she doesn't seem traumatized by the fact that her mother dragged her around WDW with pneumonia!

ACK.

Thanks again for the support!

wdwfan
03-05-2001, 04:29 PM
I really enjoyed reading your trip reports. The English teacher has a fine flair for writing! I'm glad your daughter is on the road to recovery. The Dolphin sounds beautiful and after reading your report I'm even more anxious for our trip this summer! :)

Chelley
03-05-2001, 06:03 PM
I hope you have a great vacation this summer.

BeckyEsq
03-06-2001, 08:34 AM
I really enjoyed your reports. You had me laughing many times! Thanks.

Becky
DxL Aug. '99 -- honeymoon
next trip -- not soon enough!

Credit Man
03-06-2001, 12:04 PM
Thanks for posting. I hope CG is back to the picture of health.

Chelley
03-06-2001, 07:20 PM
Chicken Girl is almost 100% now! What a difference a week makes! (Especially with the right antibiotics!)

AnnaE4
03-06-2001, 07:46 PM
So glad to hear the Chicken Girl is almost back to being well again! I loved your trip reports andwaited until everybody was in bed so I could read the last 5 uninterrupted. Thanks!

Denise

Mamu
03-07-2001, 04:42 AM
Chelley, Thanks for the great reports. I have enjoyed reading them. :)

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detroitdad
03-07-2001, 07:54 AM
What an adventure! I enjoyed reading your entire report very much. Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

Dean

Chelley
03-07-2001, 06:47 PM
for sticking around through all seven installments!

:)

DizMare
03-08-2001, 08:46 AM
LOL funny! Thanks for posting your wonderful report!

I kept waiting to hear if Chicken Girl barfed in one of the restaurants. Why?? Because I'm the bad mom who took her son with a mild cough to Cindy's Castle for breakfast (it's just a little cold) where he stood up and barfed all over the table! Thank heavens no princesses were near by. Turns out he had pneumonia.

I can laugh, now, but brother! :rolleyes: This mother job can be tough!

JWP
03-08-2001, 10:33 AM
Thsnks for the great reports. I enjoyed reading all of them. I hope CG is all better now. I think that you should win the Mother of the Year Award. A trip like yours will always be remembered by your daughter. There is such little time for things like that.

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poopie
03-09-2001, 12:20 AM
I loved reading your trip reports.
Don't worry being sick at WDW is MUCH better thatn being sick at home.
I know from personal experience.

Rachael

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curlyjbs
03-09-2001, 04:53 AM
Great Trip report. Glad you enjoyed your trip. Hope your daughter is feeling better and back to her old self real soon.

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kathymc
03-09-2001, 08:47 AM
Thanks for posting your trip reports - I enjpyed reading all of them. Sorry about your daughter being sick, but happy to hear she is getting better! I never wanted to go to the Dolphin or the Swan but reading reports like yours make me want to try one of them.

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JennSaint
03-09-2001, 10:20 AM
Great reports!
Thanks so much for sharing!

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Disneyland May 2001 !!

FairyGodfriend
03-09-2001, 11:17 AM
Thanks for the excellent trip report(s). I've been printing them out at work (tsk, tsk) so I can read them in peace at home. Glad to hear that your daughter is feeling better. My daughter is sixteen and has is getting hooked on Tylenol (not good). Daughter "Oh, my head hurts...do we have any Tylenol?". Mother "What? how about turning down the radio so I can understand you." Oh, the joys of Mother-Daughter relationships. Your little daughter could give mine lessons in "Natural Methods of Pain Management", even while on vacation!

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Crafty135
03-10-2001, 10:21 AM
Thanks for your wonderful report. I wish you had stayed longer so we could read more! I'm sure your daughter is much better by now. I understand both her determination to go on and your worrying about her. Thanks again.

Crafty135

Kirby
03-11-2001, 06:34 PM
Enjoyed the way you wrote your reports, breaking them up into smaller paragraphs making them easier to read. You had a great trip, even though CG was sick. Thanks for posting.

Brisully
03-17-2001, 10:55 AM
Chelley,

I really enjoyed reading your reports. It sounds like you have a great daughter who, at the young age of 6, has a great head on her shoulders. You should be very proud.

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CookieGVB
03-30-2001, 10:17 AM
I haven't been visiting this Board much lately, but I just read your trip reports; I must say, my favorite line was when you were reassuring housekeeping that you hadn't been slaughtering goats in your room. Truly a LOL moment...but my co-workers are used to that by now! ;)

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