Finding cancer's cure...by way of Disney!

[lotferg]

I spent so much time with my aunt as a child, people believed she was my mother. She married and had her own kids and I smothered the children with my love for all things Disney, and vowed to her that I would take her kids one day. About five years ago, she passed away suddenly. She left to cherish her memory a husband and three children; 4 year old twins and a 7 year old son. Three years later, my husband and I took all three of her children on a surprise trip to Orlando. I sobbed uncontrollably the minute we hit Main Street at the MK. Fulfilling the promise to my aunt was SO emotionally overwhelming. The kids had so much fun on the trip, they began talking about the return trip on the plane ride home.

The very next summer, Evan, one of the twins, was diagnosed with a form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumor was in his brain, on a nerve behind his left eye. This caused his eye to close completely. Children with this rare form of cancer are given about a 50% chance of survival. After completion of one round of radiation and chemotherapy, the tumor is no longer living. Since this form of cancer travels through the nervous system, we learned Christmas 2007 that it had spread to his leg and lungs. The second round of chemo and radiation began immediately, so did talk of granting Evan a wish.

Evan's wish was not unlike most children his age; he wanted to go to DisneyWorld. This time, he wanted his father, who had never been, to go with him. Of course, his twin sister and older brother would also go. MAW wanted another adult to go. That's where I come in. I love these kids, and they love me. Reminiscent of the relationship between me and my aunt...times three.

We initially were planning to go in March, however, Evan's immune system was too fragile to even attempt the trip. His treatments have been scheduled so that doctors believe he will be well enough to go, May 19 - 24. I am an anal retentive trip planner. Surrendering control to the MAW Foundation has been very difficult. The letter we received on April 14 only gave flight information and dates, and informed us that we would not be staying at GKTW, as previously planned. There was no indication of where we would be staying. On resort? Off resort? OMG! I don't know! Twenty-one days away...I'm freaking out! I need to plan!

Thankfully, I found this board and it's plethora of TRs. It's making me feel a little better. My hope is that my TR, (which will be a reflection of my anal retentive, Type A personality) will be filled with lots of ridiculous details and funny stories. (These kids are HILARIOUS!)

Going May 19 - 24 are...
Evan (aka "Spill Master" & our wish child) - 10
Savannah (Savannah Banana Hannah Montana) - 10
Alphonso II (Fly Boy) - 12
Alphonso I, (aka "Uncle Foster") - he'd be mad if I told you...
Lottie (Me!) - 29

Pictures soon...

[happybratpack]

Wow, what a story. I can't wait to read more!!

[lotferg]

I'm attempting to post photos...hope this works!
http://www.lottieferguson.com/pics/evan002.jpg
Me, my husband, my brother, Alphonso II (with hat), Savannah & Evan. This was taken two months before Evan was diagnosed with cancer. (Easter Sunday 2006) Al II us now 5'11"...he won't be 13 'till June.

http://www.lottieferguson.com/pics/evan001.jpg
This is my favorite recent picture of the Spill Master feeding a chipmunk at the University of Michigan Children's Hospital.

[lotferg]

"Let's get jumpin', surf's up and pumpin'
Coastin' with the motion of the ocean
Whirlpools swirling, cascading, twirling
Hawaiian roller coaster ride"

We were staying at GKTW, then were told it was booked, now we're back at GKTW! The Hawaiian roller coaster ride song is stuck in my head. My incessant need to plan is being halted by the swirling, cascading, and twirling of plans beyond my control being changed. Maybe I should wait another week before making ADRs....

Good news is that Evan's latest scan results came back. The tumor in his head, which is no longer cancerous, is continuing to shrink. There has been no change to the spot on his leg. The spots in his lungs also appear to be improving. Little steps...that's all we're asking for, and we're very grateful for those.

[Princesskeyblade]

I am so glad that Evan is getting his wish and that you get to be with him. Make a wish is an awesome charity and one the DBF and I have begun to donate to regularly.

Evan looks like such a great kid. I mean I can't think of another boy his age feeding chipmunks.:goodvibes

I am glad that everything is improving. Small improvements will come together some day to equal one big ones.

I can not wait to read more!

[LeeLee2U]

Oh How I do NOT need another TR right now. Any kind!! TR or PTR. I'm so far behind on all the ones I'm on, BUT i'm loving this one already.:goodvibes

I'm glad taht you are getting to stay at GKTW since that seems like what you want. However if you get switched around remember it's o.k! We stayed on property at WDW and it was GREAT. In fact I think it worked out better for us. My DH had to go off a couple of times for Dialysis so if we would have already been off site this would have left me stranded wherever he was untill he was finished. This way me and th kids took Disney transp. everywhere and were able to go back to our room the couple of times my son HAD to rest. However there are places at the park. First Aid stations, the Wish lounge however if someone needs to rest. This proved great for us with both DH (who NEVER got the wheelchair he was supposed to get. "Oh I'll rent one tomorow baby!!":rolleyes1 ) and our wish child.
I do want to give your Type A personality a little warning this way you can "plan" for it!!!;) I "planned" for it with a little encouragement by Wendy and Elisa and it REALLY helped me.
The plan is great. It really is great. However Plan within your Plan to veer away from the plan!!!
It is inevitable with our kids especially that something may happen to change your plans. not something necessarily bad either. Something special may happen. A Dream may get granted, you may have to rest more than you planned for. It might not longer or less time to do a certain activity and IT"S O.K> Also I know this NEVER happens to hardly anyone, BUT you may accidently leave your plans. Yep you might I know someone who did. ME!!!:laughing:
I did have a little notebook and a pocket calendar where i had written down all of our ADRS because staying on property our wish Found had bought us the dining plan so all our meals were covered and we still had our spending money!!! Yee Haw!! (Remember I'm from Texas!!;) ) And yes I was such an avid planner that I kne most of our plans. O.k. All of them by heart but this gave me permission to be o.k. when something didn't go the way it was "supposed to go.
I have to say this trip was the best!!!For us it came at just the right time, ( Doesn't God hae a way of doing things like that?:goodvibes ) it was very needed and gave us the best memories that wehave really used in the last several vey hectic months.
Best Wishes and I will be Following along!!!:hug:

[lotferg]

Oh How I do NOT need another TR right now. Any kind!! TR or PTR. I'm so far behind on all the ones I'm on, BUT i'm loving this one already.:goodvibes

I'm glad taht you are getting to stay at GKTW since that seems like what you want. However if you get switched around remember it's o.k! We stayed on property at WDW and it was GREAT. In fact I think it worked out better for us. My DH had to go off a couple of times for Dialysis so if we would have already been off site this would have left me stranded wherever he was untill he was finished. This way me and th kids took Disney transp. everywhere and were able to go back to our room the couple of times my son HAD to rest. However there are places at the park. First Aid stations, the Wish lounge however if someone needs to rest. This proved great for us with both DH (who NEVER got the wheelchair he was supposed to get. "Oh I'll rent one tomorow baby!!":rolleyes1 ) and our wish child.
I do want to give your Type A personality a little warning this way you can "plan" for it!!!;) I "planned" for it with a little encouragement by Wendy and Elisa and it REALLY helped me.
The plan is great. It really is great. However Plan within your Plan to veer away from the plan!!!
It is inevitable with our kids especially that something may happen to change your plans. not something necessarily bad either. Something special may happen. A Dream may get granted, you may have to rest more than you planned for. It might not longer or less time to do a certain activity and IT"S O.K> Also I know this NEVER happens to hardly anyone, BUT you may accidently leave your plans. Yep you might I know someone who did. ME!!!:laughing:
I did have a little notebook and a pocket calendar where i had written down all of our ADRS because staying on property our wish Found had bought us the dining plan so all our meals were covered and we still had our spending money!!! Yee Haw!! (Remember I'm from Texas!!;) ) And yes I was such an avid planner that I kne most of our plans. O.k. All of them by heart but this gave me permission to be o.k. when something didn't go the way it was "supposed to go.
I have to say this trip was the best!!!For us it came at just the right time, ( Doesn't God hae a way of doing things like that?:goodvibes ) it was very needed and gave us the best memories that wehave really used in the last several vey hectic months.
Best Wishes and I will be Following along!!!:hug:

Thank you for your words of encouragement and caution! I have been trying (in vain) to read several of the wonderful TRs, (including yours) so I understand how overwhelmed you feel. It's just so much dang fun reading about everyone's escapades...laughing with the funny stories, crying over the little triumphs.

It is quite possible that I will stray from our trip plan, but there is NO POSSIBLE WAY for me to leave my plans at home...they are programmed into my phone/pda, which is glued to my hand. *lotferg shakes hand quickly* Gotta get this thing off before the trip or I can't ride EE!

[lotferg]

Pretty regularly, my mom takes Evan to the bookstore to buy books. On the most recent trip, he did not pick books for himself, he bought books for others. He happened to find a Tinkerbell book he knew I didn't have and asked my mom to buy it for me. As soon as he got home, he had to call and tell me about it, to make sure I wouldn't buy the book if I saw it.

This little story is just a testament to how wonderful Evan is. No matter how ill he feels, he is always concerned about others. I am looking forward to making sure this trip is about making him happy. Don't know how we're going to cram it all in, but here's the plan so far...

Monday, May 19 - Downtown Disney
If there are no travel problems, we'll get there in time for lunch and a trip to Downtown Disney and DisneyQuest.

Tuesday, May 20 - Hollywood Studios
When my husband and I took the kids three years ago, Evan rode ToT for the first time. The only thing I remember seeing when the doors opened and the elevator dropped was his arms flying all over the place. He screamed and screamed and screamed! :scared1: When the ride was over, we had to go find first aid. Evan had scratched Savannah so bad, there was blood running down her arm. She thought it was funny. Evan has vowed to never ride it again, but can't wait to hear his dad screaming while he's sitting on the benches outside.

Wednesday, May 21 - Magic Kingdom
Last time, my mom bought Savannah a beautiful Snow White dress to wear. She begged...I told her it was much too hot to wear around the park. She cried, and I relented. We put the dress on her, caught the shuttle to the transportation center & rode the monorail in. By the time we got to the gates, she was drenched in sweat and begged to go back to the hotel and change. After I stopped crying (read PTR entry #1) and we took pictures in front of the castle, I pulled an pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of my bag and she changed, only to beg for the dress again to take a picture with Snow White.

Thursday, May 22 - Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure
Evan loves it, I love it, Savannah and Al love it, so we gotta go! Savannah thinks she's a roller coaster diva like me. She thinks she can handle the Hulk Coaster. She was too small last time. Let's see if I get off the ride with blood running down my arm! Evan doesn't care...he's only there for Spiderman, MIB and the Simpsons. Alphonso rides anything that moves.

Friday, May 23 - Epcot and Animal Kingdom
I don't have a clue how we're gonna do both in one day, but we'll make it happen. Al & Savannah watched Corbin Blue on the Disney Channel riding EE and want to save the best for last. Fly Boy (Al) thinks Mission Space isn't a ride, but training for his future career. Evan really likes Test Track and can't wait to do Living Seas with Nemo...he loves fish! Uncle Foster and Evan are both artists. University of Michigan Children's Hospital is hosting a father/son art show for them when we return. We have to get some good pictures on Kilimanjaro Safari & the Tree of Life for sketching later.

Saturday, May 24 - :sad2: Travel day
We'll have some time in the morning to rest and go swimming before checkout.

I still have yet to add GKTW activities and dining plans...so much to do, so little time!

[kindakrazy2]

I am so in on your trip report!

I am a sucker for wish trips even if I tend to go through way too many tissues as I read them. Ask LeeLee, she'll tell you! :rotfl:

Can't wait to hear more about your plans!

[AURORA73]

I am so excited to hear about your trip. Glad to hear Evan is doing better.
My co-worker lurker is also excited to hear about your trip. They are in the early stages of planning a Make A Wish trip for their granddaughter and are excited to hear how your trip turns out. :wizard:

[rebecca06261]

I'm so glad I found your TR! Despite your family's hardships, it's very inspiring! Keep planning!:goodvibes

[lotferg]

kindakrazy2, AURORA73 & rebecca06261...

Thanks a lot for reading! This board is flooded with so much information, I was hoping I'd get some readers. :dance3:

Got a call from MAW, yesterday...stay tuned for more updates.

[lotferg]

Evan punched me yesterday. It really hurt...

Now before you start believing that I allow abuse from children, let me clarify the situation. Evan and his siblings know very well that physical violence is not tolerated EVER...unless a thumb war is declared or someone steals my cheese.

There was no thumb war or colby jack stolen. I stopped by their house to discuss trip plans with Uncle Foster after my kick boxing class. While sparing with Al, he got a little too close, and I blasted a good punch right into his chest. Wrestling ensued. Out of nowhere, Evan comes flying in and punches both of us. Everybody stopped in shock. I wanted to cry. I wanted to cry, not only because it hurt like heck, but my little Evan-monster was acting like a little boy...a real boy.

Evan, noticing the pause in play, smiled, threw his hands up and said his favorite word, "What?" He knew very well why there were strange looks on our faces. He had a chemotherapy treatment earlier that day and was feeling well enough to wrestle. Fantastic! The play fighting continued, with everyone being super careful not to get near his g-tube or do anything that would cause him any harm. Uncle Foster watched us and laughed. Al, Evan and I were all giggling like little school kids, wrestling on the kitchen floor.

MAW called and finalized all the plans and I have all of my ADRs! Evan picked all the restaurants. I was SO surprised to be able to get them this close to leaving!

Monday - Planet Hollywood
Tuesday - Sci-Fi Drive-In
Wednesday - NASCAR Cafe' (Universal...no ADR:sad1: )
Friday - San Angel Inn

It's finally all coming together...just gotta wash clothes and pack now!

[pooksma]

I will be following closely your adventures.

I wish your family the best for a fabulous trip.:flower3:

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

YAY!! :banana: Another wish trip TR! Sorry I didn't make it over sooner! You have done a wonderful job so far! I can't wait to read more! popcorn::

[lotferg]

To pooksma and Iluvmickeymouse...:welcome:

Today is Mother's Day. It's a wonderful day for most, but really hard on those who have lost their mother. For the past five years, I have been the recipient of the "Happy Mother's Day" projects the kids have done at school. The older they get, the easier it is for them to explain to their classmates why my name is on their cards instead of "Mom." Savannah, simply explains to her friends that her mom died and is with the angels, and that's OK, because she left someone here to take care of her.

Every year, on Mother's Day and on their mom's birthday, they buy balloons and release them in hopes that their mom will catch them in heaven. I am certain the same will happen today. The day we leave for Orlando is also the anniversary of her death. This trip means so much to the kids and their father. They've been through so much together. I'm so honored to be the "someone" left behind to help take care of them.

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

To pooksma and Iluvmickeymouse...:welcome:

Today is Mother's Day. It's a wonderful day for most, but really hard on those who have lost their mother. For the past five years, I have been the recipient of the "Happy Mother's Day" projects the kids have done at school. The older they get, the easier it is for them to explain to their classmates why my name is on their cards instead of "Mom." Savannah, simply explains to her friends that her mom died and is with the angels, and that's OK, because she left someone here to take care of her.

Every year, on Mother's Day and on their mom's birthday, they buy balloons and release them in hopes that their mom will catch them in heaven. I am certain the same will happen today. The day we leave for Orlando is also the anniversary of her death. This trip means so much to the kids and their father. They've been through so much together. I'm so honored to be the "someone" left behind to help take care of them.

:hug: :sad1: :grouphug: ok....that got me :sad1: .....Happy Mother's Day!!!!! :flower3:

[lotferg]

We're back and all suffering from Disney Depression. No one but Uncle Foster was ready to leave. Guess I will get started with the TR to overcome my depression. I apologize ahead of time for the potty humor, but it's part of the evils of having 10 & 12 year old boys around.

If you remember, my uncle and I did not tell the kids when we were leaving, but they knew that we were going. They spent several evenings crowded around the calendar in the hallway trying to figure out when we were leaving on Evan's Wish Trip.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

After church, I spent the evening at their house, trying to help my uncle wash and pack. It's still pretty cool here in Michigan, so most of the kids summer clothes were still packed away in the basement, needed to be washed and sorted, and the old stuff needed to be given to charity.

My uncle has had suitcases in his bedroom for a week. Savannah and Al were oblivious to their presence. Evan, on the other hand, pays attention to everything and noticed what was going on.

Evan - "Daddy, why are you packing my medicine in a suitcase?"

Uncle Foster - "I'm just getting rid of everything that has expired or you aren't using anymore."

Evan - "Oh. (long pause) If you're getting rid of it, why are you putting it in a suitcase?"

Uncle Foster - "I gotta put it somewhere! Go watch TV"

Later that evening....

Evan - "Daddy, why are you taking all of Al's shirts out of his drawer?"

Uncle Foster - "I've got to take advantage of Little More (don't know why they call me that) while she's here helping us sort of all the old clothes."

Evan - "But Little More left already."

Back I home, I tried to pack the rest of my things. Taking note of something I've read on Wendygrace's TR, I pack my clothes in a medium-sized suitcase, and pack that suitcase inside of a large one. This way, we have an extra bag on the way home for all of the goodies to be brought back. If you decide to do this, weigh your bag before you leave the house. Most airlines have a weight limit, about 50 lbs. Anything over that is an additional charge. On my digital home scale, the bag was 49.5 lbs! Airlines are also charging additional money if there is more than one bag per passenger, so I didn't want to split them. Cross your fingers! I'd rather spend the extra money on gifts.

Monday, May 19, 2008

All four alarm clocks went off as planned! Whew! That nightmare isn't coming true on THIS trip. My husband packs my bag into the car, and off we go to Uncle Foster's house. I make a quick stop at Walgreen's and while there, I get a phone call...

Uncle Foster - "You awake?"

Me - "Yep. At Walgreen's on my way to your place. Are the kids awake?"

UF - "They're walking around in disbelief. They had a conference in the hallway a little while ago, trying to decide whether or not I was kidding."

After I arrive and get mauled by the super excited kids, the limousine, a black Lincoln Town Car, arrives, much to the envy of the other neighborhood kids going to school.

Al - "Daddy, you need to pack extra underwear for me. I think I'm gonna crap my pants. This is SO cool."

Evan - "I knew we were leaving today! You guys are not good at lying."

After meeting our driver, a dead ringer for Matlock, we take a few pictures, jump in the car and are off to Detroit Metro Airport, about an hour away.

Matlock - "All aboard?"

Savannah - "All bored? No, we're not bored!"

The giggling starts...

Next episode....
"Why do you smell like that, Al?
"I KNOW I packed it. I can't believe it isn't here! Evan has to have that...what's the emergency phone number for MAW-Mi?"
"You kissed, what? Oh my God...that's so disgusting!"

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

:cool1: Woohoo...you started!!!!!!! I can't believe you are back already! We welcome potty humor...it's what you get when you are around kids! :rotfl2: I love that you didn't tell the kids exactly when you were going! Always fun to surprise them!!!!! I can't wait for more!!!!!!!! popcorn:: :surfweb:

[pooksma]

yay!!!! You're home safe and sound and the Trippie has started:banana: . Looking forward to more.

[kindakrazy2]

Woohoo!

Party on the way to the airport! :cool1:

Keep it coming!

[lotferg]

Monday, May 19, 2008 (continued)

Me - "What is that smell?'

Al - "Oops"

Me - "Dude! Not in the LIMO! Why do you smell like that? What did you eat?"

Al - "Sorry"

Everyone rushes to roll the windows down to escape the noxious gas seeping from Alphonso's pants. Matlock rolls up the privacy screen to avoid the fumes. Little did I know, this was the first of many very embarrassing moments to be had this week...all starring Al.

When we get to the airport, Uncle F remembers to tip Matlock. He didn't want it, but MAW suggested we do it. Besides, he was really nice, had to smell Al during the hour long drive.

My fingers are crossed going to NW Airline's check-in counter. My scale said 49.5 lbs before I left home. Looking in my mirror, I'm thinking the scale errors on the side of caution, so I KNOW my bag is over 50 lbs...dang it...there goes $50. What's even better is the line is SUPER long & Evan can't stand for long periods of time. All three of the kids are wearing MAW t-shirts, and a NW Airline agent spots us and flags us over to the First Class check-in. We didn't have first class tickets, but she did that to keep us from waiting so long. Much appreciated! Even more appreciated was the fact that my bathroom scale is wrong! Not only do I really weigh 4 lbs. less, but so does my bag.

Uncle F and Evan have seats together in the back of the plane. Al and Savannah have seats together somewhere else, and I am sitting alone. Great! I will get a chance to read my book.

Flight attendant - "...to fasten your seat belt, place the..."

Me - "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzz"

We leave the tram to baggage claim and find someone holding a big GKTW sign with Evan's name on it. Evan was all smiles when he saw it. Her name was Leslie, and she was super helpful with locating luggage and and getting to Avis Car Rental. Car rental was a breeze. They just asked for Uncle F's drivers license and told us to fill it up before we returned it. We get into the mini-van and Leslie tells us everything we need to know to get to GKTW. That wonderful sign with Evan's name on it does double duty. On the reverse side are written directions to GKTW from the airport. Leslie took the time to add where tolls were required, how much they were, and even made sure we had exact change, since one of the toll stops required $0.50, exactly. Thank you, Leslie! I brought my navigation system with me, but be sure to follow the instructions on the back of your Wish kid's sign...much easier than my GPS's directions!

GKTW staff greeted us with big smiles & stuffed animals. I kept thinking about how lucky we were, with our whole trip still in front of us, while we watched another family leave. Our villa wasn't ready yet, so they suggested we have lunch first. Off to the Ice Cream parlor for lunch. They had hot dogs, an assortment of sandwiches and potato chips. Of course, we had ice cream, too!

The villa was really nice. Two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, sitting area and kitchen. There was a roll-a-way bed in closet and the sofa was also a sleeper. There was a crib, too. Since this wasn't the "traditional" family, these little bedding extras more than accommodated our sleeping arrangements.

Orientation was 3:30. They run orientations all day, so you shouldn't have to wait more than 2 hours before your assigned time. Because my uncle is the parent of the wish child, they requested that he go. I stayed in the villa with the kids. Unfortunately, I can't give you any orientation details because he fell asleep (was awake all night packing) and I wasn't there. (Embarrassing moment #2) If it weren't for this board and GKTW's "Bunny Book" (given at check-in), we would have been clueless.

After orientation, we went to Downtown Disney. We planned to do DisneyQuest, but at $37 per person, we didn't think it was cost effective, since we had dinner reservations at Planet Hollywood in 3 hours. We opted to do some shopping and see "Ironman" instead. Good choice...great movie! During the ride to GKTW, I challenged the kids to find hidden Mickey's. The winner would receive $10 at the end of the trip. At DD, the race was on!

Me - "No, Savannah...the Mickey on the DisneyQuest sign does NOT count!"

As we all prepared for bed, I hear Uncle F yelling. Something was wrong. He could not find a piece of tubing for Evan's feed pump. Evan hadn't eaten much that day and needed some nourishment to keep his energy up. If you have a medical equipment need, make sure your Wish Foundation lists that when they make reservations with GKTW. GKTW said, in most cases, that they will not give you medical supplies without it being noted in their records by the local wish foundation. They gave us an IV pole without a problem, but would not give the tubing without a call from MAW. A call to MAW's emergency line and the University of Michigan got the correct supplies to us within a few hours. :worship:

OK...this is long enough for now...

Coming in Episode 2
"You kissed, what? Oh my God...that's so disgusting!"
"I'm gonna ride the Tower of Terror...no I'm not...yes I am...no I'm not...yes I am...no...."
"There are chickens behind the villa!"

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

popcorn:: just waiting for more :lmao: :goodvibes Then again you won't have to update soon since I don't have internet access right now. Who knows when I will be able to come and "borrow" someone's wireless again! :rotfl2: :headache:

[AURORA73]

I am loving your trip report so far. I have always wondered what GKTW was like as I have helped many children receive MAW trips to Disneyworld through fundraisers at work. This will be fun to be able to hear about it through your trip report.

[disneyhockeymad]

Aww I LOVE your report, you made me cry at the beginning, what you're doing is amazing and I am in complete awe of you! Evan sounds fantastic and the way he is coping with his illness is inspiring!
Can't wait to read more, I want to know who kissed what!!! :rotfl:

[twinmum]

Yippee! Another Wish Trip report in progress! Reading them is a great way to get excited about our son's wish-in-progress. Keep it coming...!!!

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

:surfweb: popcorn:: :surfweb: popcorn:: :surfweb: popcorn::

:rotfl: :goodvibes

[lotferg]

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Savannah - "Little More...wake up!"

Me - "What the heck is that noise?"

Savannah - "I don't know"

Me - "It doesn't sound like Evan's machine."

Savannah - "It sounds like something outside"

Me - "Oh my God...there are chickens outside."

The poor rooster outside of our villa sounded like it had been the victim of some horrible voice box accident. His "cocka doodle doo" cocka doodle didn't. He kept trying in vain to wake the neighborhood, but only succeeded in making me feel sorry for him. He had friends, too. They just clucked around the yard ignoring his misery. I now shared in his agony...it was only 6:00 am. I needed to go back to sleep.

"Since you guys just got here, yesterday I'll let you slide this time, but remember that breakfast is over at 10:00 am"

Yep. We were late for breakfast...by about 10 minutes. We forgot Evan's hat, and he HAS to have a hat everywhere he goes. Then we forgot his jacket...then someone had to use the bathroom...oops, don't forget the camera...wait a minute...what about the ponchos?

Breakfast was great. The Gingerbread House where meals were served is super cute. There are hundreds of toys given by grateful families on shelves overhead. The tables have real peppermint candies in them. It was brightly colored and easy to get around in. Oh, and the food was pretty good, too. Breakfast buffet included sausage or bacon, eggs, grits, biscuits, assorted fruits, yogurt, potatoes, waffles, juices, coffee, donuts, muffins, rolls...pretty much anything you could ever want for breakfast. Alphonso hated it. The tables were too low for him...the whole place wreaked of "little kid." If he wasn't hungry, he would have never even walked in. He eventually came around and remembered why he was there. The tables were really low. Evan and Savannah were the only ones who could sit comfortably. The rest of us are just really tall. At 5'7," I'm the shortest adult in the family...Alphonso is taller than me at age 12. There was one "high" table there, and we sat there whenever we could.

As planned, we spent the first day at Hollywood Studios. First stop? Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster. Evan had to ride it twice. Uncle F declined the second ride citing extreme nausea as a poor excuse to miss one of the greatest coasters ever!

If you have a Guest Assistance Card available, USE IT! The cast members directed us right to the Fast Pass line. I felt guilty the first couple of times passing people (for the second time) in line, but remembered what is written on the card. Guests having a GAC should be given every reasonable accommodation to expedite their time in enjoying attractions. Reducing wait time will be wonderful, especially since we are trying to get six parks done in four days.

Up next was the Tower or Terror. On the last trip, Evan was so scared that he scratched up Savannah's arm and we had to find a first aid station. He said that he'd give it another shot, especially since Savannah liked it so much. Uncle F wasn't doing it. While waiting in line, Evan changed his mind over and over again. The elevator doors opened and the creepy bell hop ushered us in. I think if Evan could have run away screaming, he would have. Straight to the exit for us! I went back later and rode with Al and Savannah.

Evan and his father are both artists. Before we left, I knew there were certain things that had to be done. One of them was the Animator's Class at HS. Uncle F and all three of the kids went to the class while I tried to do a little bit of shopping. I returned just in time to see Evan smiling and showing of his latest creation...a pencil drawing of Sorcerer Mickey. He was SO proud to be at a real animators table with his father drawing. I didn't think we'd be able to get him to leave. Wouldn't you know it! Sorcerer Mickey was across the room signing autographs. We didn't know at the time that the GKTW pin and GAC got us to the front of the line for character meetings and waited in line in hopes that Mickey would sign the kids' drawings. A Cast member spotted us and pulled us from the line. Evan rushed to show Mickey his drawing and Mickey threw his hands up in excitement. He called over a cast member and asked (in Mickey sign language) for a clipboard and a sharpie. He took the time to sign each and every one of the drawings, gave out hugs and hi-fives, and took pictures with the kids while there was a long line of others waiting. I still fight back tears thinking about seeing Evan smiling while Mickey signed his picture. He didn't have to do that. He could have brushed off the drawings, took quick pictures with the kids, and sent us away. The attention paid to the kids...all three of them...was amazing. Even tough ol' Alphonso left smiling.

We had lunch at the Sci-Fi Drive In. Evan thought it was really cool. He and I split a turkey sandwich. We all had a good laugh about the how old the movie clips were. The kids had no idea that TV and movies used to be in black and white. They had never been to a drive-in, either.

We ate dinner at GKTW. Al was still annoyed, but he ate well, so everything was OK with him. He found out that there were fishing poles available, and that the lake at GKTW had bass in it, and decided that he would fish that night and early in the morning. They didn't fish that night, but did some surveying and since there was a Walmart right up the street, he and Uncle F bought a few supplies for some Father/Son early morning fishing.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Al - (running into me & Savannah's room) "You won't believe how big a fish we caught"

Uncle F - "It was a pretty good sized bass...almost the length of Al's forearm."

Al - "Yeah. It was so pretty. It was all nice and slimy. The good, healthy fish slime."

Uncle F - "Al kissed it before he threw it back."

Me - "You kissed what? Oh my God...that's so disgusting!"

Al - "If you saw how pretty that fish was, you woulda kissed it, too."

Me - "Uh...no...that's gross. Scrub your lips so we can go to breakfast on time this morning."

Al - (puckering up) "Don't you want a kiss, too?"

Stay tuned for Episode Three
"Yeah...we gotta do IOA and US in one day."
"You have a Meal Deal wristband and you ate nothing today?!?"
"It's snowing in Florida!"

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

great update....can't wait for more!!!!!!! :goodvibes

[Bill_Lin]

Have you posted on the Wish Trippers Unite!! thread yet? If not, this is your official invitation. We do a lot of sharing of ideas and questions there. I believe you will find it helpful. The link in my signature is The Home Page for Wish Trippers.

Welcome to the club. We are all excited for your trip.

Bill:cool1:

[lotferg]

Have you posted on the Wish Trippers Unite!! thread yet? If not, this is your official invitation. We do a lot of sharing of ideas and questions there. I believe you will find it helpful. The link in my signature is The Home Page for Wish Trippers.

Welcome to the club. We are all excited for your trip.

Bill:cool1:

Yep! A link to my TR is at the top of that thread.

[lotferg]

http://www.lottieferguson.com/pics/2008-02.png
Disney Cast Member helping Mickey sign Evan, Savannah & Alphonso's Drawings
http://www.lottieferguson.com/pics/2008-03.png
After all the hugs, hi-fives, and drawing signing, Sorcerer Mickey took pictures with the kids, too.
http://www.lottieferguson.com/pics/2008-05.png
One of Evan's favorite movies is "The Incredibles." He was so excited to take a picture with Frozone!

[AURORA73]

Loving what you have written so far! Can't wait to hear more. :)

[Bill_Lin]

Wow! Great pictures. This is going to be a great TR.

[bigdisgrandma]

Wow, I am so loving your TR. So much great info. Keep it coming. :thumbsup2

Denise

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

Hello!!!!!!! Hope all is well with you! I would love to read more about your trip! You know....when you have a spare minute in all the craziness that we call life. :lmao: :sad2:

:surfweb: popcorn::
They need a smilie at the computer with a pop...I don't drink coffee. :sad2: :rotfl2:

[lotferg]

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Savannah and I slept together in the "parents" room, the boys slept in the "kids" room, and my uncle slept in the living room area on the sofa sleeper. They were all gone fishing when the vocally challenged rooster woke us up. No fish kissing stories when they returned...just a buncha talk about "the one that got away."

Not sure if I already said this, but some breakfast items alternate. For example, if there is sausage one day, there's bacon the next. For kids who have discriminating tastes, this can be frustrating for them. The chemo has changed Evan's taste buds; many foods he just cannot tolerate. When he finds something he likes, he will eat only that item for weeks at a time, then one day it doesn't taste good any more and he moves on to something else. He was very upset about there not being any sausage at breakfast Thursday morning, but his mood immediately changed when I told him that he would ride "Spiderman" today.

Me - "Evan, we get to ride Spiderman today!"

Evan - "Cool! What about Men In Black? Do we ride that today, too?"

Me - "Yep!"

Uncle Foster - "Didn't you say that those rides are at two different parks?"

Me - "Yeah. We gotta do IOS and US in the same day."

Uncle Foster - "Are you sure I can't just stay in the room?"

Evan decided that he wanted to ride Men In Black first, so we headed straight to US. We rode it twice. The ride operator noticed Evan's GKTW badge and asked if he wanted to ride again. Uncle F chickened out the second time. Bummer, because US gives you the ride pictures free, as long as the wish child is in the photo. This is a great savings! Those pictures are expensive! Get all of them!

The Simpsons family came down the street on a bus and the kids got to take pictures with Homer, Lisa, Bart & Marge. Again, one of the workers saw Uncle F's GAC and pulled the kids out of line. First in line for character photos at US, too! US also gives you one family picture at no cost as well. This is usually the one you take just before entering the park at the archway or in front of the US globe.

The Simpsons Ride is WAY COOL. The screen action is a bit fast and hard to follow; since Evan only had vision in one eye, it gave him a bit of a headache. (I am pleased to report that Evan has use of his left eye again. Hasn't been able to see out of it since he was diagnosed in June 2006!:yay: )

US replaced "Earthquake" with "Disaster" The kids were a bit wary of going on it, because they thought it sucked before. Since the ride has be updated, I figured we'd give it a shot. If you are taking a child with you that has no mobility problems, be sure you get to the front near the podium and get him/her to volunteer for the kid portion of the show. Savannah was picked and it was one of the greatest trip memories. If you want the ride's surprises spoiled, continue reading. If not, skip the blue section.

Savannah was picked as one of the actors, and I was her "agent." They put a blue rain coat on her and stood her in front of a green screen. There was a rock hanging from a rope attached to the ceiling. The director asked her to "look at the rock" until they yelled "cut." We all expected the rock to do something...it did nothing. Then they asked her to jump off a platform onto a soft foam mat. Later, thru some creative editing, Savannah appeared in the "Disaster" movie. She jumped off a building and landed on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. They both fell and she laid there on the pavement, looking at "The Rock." Get it? It was super funny. For the rest of the day she told people that she landed on "The Rock." Wait till you see what happens to the lady gardening...

You can purchase a wristband that allows you to eat all day at certain restaurants. Alphonso is the world's biggest eater, so we figured that buying him one would save us some money. He was so excited to be at US and IOA that he ate nothing all day! Uncle F bought a pizza at lunch, and we all ate some, but Mr. Snack Man didn't take advantage of the wristband as much as we thought he would. It is a good deal if you eat a lot; if not...don't bother.

We had just as much fun at IOA. One of Evan's favorite rides is Spiderman. I wonder how he felt about the 3D with only one eye?:confused: I took Savannah and Al to ride the Hulk Coaster. Evan won't do anything that goes upside down. He did, however, ride the Flying Unicorn about 12 times. There was no line at all!

We ate dinner at Bubba Gump's. That was the best meal we had the whole trip. We all really love seafood, and Bubba's Bucket of Boat Trash was super delicious! We were all so stuffed that we all had trouble walking to the car. Pushing Evan's wheelchair gave me an excuse to be bent over...so stuffed.

I was so stuffed that I almost forgot that it was Thursday Night. We rushed back for the Christmas Party that everyone has told me should not be missed. We jumped in the car and got back just in time for Mayor Clayton's Parade. Along the parade route are things for the kids to do. Outside of the move theater there is cotton candy and snow cones. Just a little ways away from that is a cookie station. Kids get to decorate sugar cookies with frosting and such. There's a chance for pictures with Santa and shelves of toys to chose from. Each child gets to take one. All three of the kids picked MP3 players. Thank God there were different colors! At the end of the parade route, just in front of the Gingerbread house, Mayor Clayton made it snow. Yep! Snow in Florida. All the kids had fun playing in snow under the tree. They partied themselves right to sleep. Everyone was right...the Christmas Party should not be missed.

Everytime we came home, there was a different surprise on the kitchen table. While the kids slept, my uncle and I tried to start packing some of the stuff. There were games and toys and movies and all sorts of stuff. PACK AN EXTRA BAG. I had a suitcase packed inside of a suitcase and used it to bring goodies home. It was totally full when we left. If you don't have an extra bag to bring, no worries. One of our treats was a GKTW duffle bag.

Only two more episodes left!
Stay tuned for...
"They burned us and then froze us...that was cool!"
"Wow you can really smell pine trees!"
"Evan, are you gonna eat all of that?"
"Look Daddy, there are so many stars here, and one of them is mine."

[GoofyDoo]

Awesome report!! I can't wait to hear more details of your trip. I love your pics, too, of course!! I'm so glad you posted about your Universal day--we are trying to decide whether to do one day or two there. Right now we're thinking a day and a half. Anyway, great report! I'm so glad y'all had a great time.

[lotferg]

Awesome report!! I can't wait to hear more details of your trip. I love your pics, too, of course!! I'm so glad you posted about your Universal day--we are trying to decide whether to do one day or two there. Right now we're thinking a day and a half. Anyway, great report! I'm so glad y'all had a great time.

CJ will LOVE Universal. The older kids will like it a lot, too. You really could do a day and a half there. Evan wanted more time there, but knew he couldn't stay AND do the other things he wanted to do.

Hubby and I are going back for our annual anniversary trip (August 4 will be 7 years of wedded bliss!), so we'll be there at the same time! Enjoy!

[Bill_Lin]

Awesome job, lotferg! I think you are getting Amy even more excited. Hurray. You have written beautifully.

Bill

[bigdisgrandma]

I have been waiting for this next installment. If I ate popcorn, I'd have gone through the really big bag! popcorn:: Don't you hate it when the one you think will eat the most suddenly doesn't eat anything? ARGH!! I'll be waiting for the next installment.

We will have plenty of luggage if we need it 10 people=10 checked bags but I am afraid we will have to rent a trailer just to get it all from the house to the airport and the airport to the hotel and GKTW and then back. :rotfl:

Have a fun anniversary trip. My husband and I celebrated our 30th anniversary at WDW the same year DisneyWorld was celebrating 30 years. It was so fun!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Denise

[Bill_Lin]

Lottie,

You are totally the funniest writer here. PLEASE post more. We could also use your input about others who are about to go on trips.

Thanks,

Bill

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

Lottie....thanks for the update!!! What a wonderful day!!! I hope you are going to post some more pictures.....would love to see more pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup2 :goodvibes Isn't christmas at GKTW the best?!?!?!? :santa:

[Bill_Lin]

More Pictures, more pictures! More smiling kids, and pixie dust.

Bill

[MousekaMaddi]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo PICTURES!!! GREAT!!
What a superb report! Wonderful job! Thanx!!:3dglasses :laughing: :lovestruc

[HeatherN]

Oh wow, I am LOVING your trip report.I love your sense of humor! It sounds like you had a great time. I am so glad to hear that Evan is regaining his sight!

[overthemoon4mickey]

I hope all is well with Evan and your wonderful family:love: . Your TR is so wonderful I can't wait to see how it turns out.