So sad..horrible ending to our Disney vacation. :(

[JUJU814]

I am just devastated. We just got home today from one week at the Polynesian. Had a lovely week with my family..but everything took a turn on Friday.

On Friday, my neighbor who was pet sitting for us, took our black lab to the animal hospital because he was vomiting and not acting right. He was admitted right away and many tests later and 5 minutes before Circ du Soleil we learned he had a large mass on his kidney.

Come Saturday and many calls back and forth with the vet, he was doing much better and he went home last night and stayed with my neighbor. She has a black lab too and is just amazing.

She called us at 4:30 this morning while we were at the hotel still and she was bringing him to the emergency clinic as his breathing was so labored and heartrate elevated, fever. We tried so hard to get hubby an earlier flight but the only one available he didn't have time to make.

We stayed in touch with the hospital throughout the day. As soon as our plane landed, we came home, left our luggage, left the three kids with my neighbor and went to the hospital where our beloved dog was suffering so bad. They did everything they could to keep him comfortable but he was so tired and in pain..he could hardly lift his head..his little tail wagging because he was happy to see us. My husband and I made the very heart wrenching decision to put him to sleep. My husband was sooooooooo close with this dog. My heart aches for him so bad.

He was only 3 years old but has such a long history of poor health.

We are just devastated...we were checking out of the hotel and barely able to keep composed...CM offering me tissue box..ugh!

We fly southwest. I am usually very on the ball with checking in 24 hours in advance. We have a little boy with *severe* adhd and sensory issues and absolutely cannot sit alone on the plane, but is too old for family boarding between a and b group. I just plan accordingly and always get us A group so it's not a problem.

I NEVER have gotten that blue disabled sleeve before, but I had completely forgotten to check in until late last night and we got the very end of B group.

At the airport just before boarding I asked the guy at the gate if he would qualify for family boarding and he said no I had to get the blue sleeve, so I did. Again, normally, I wouldn't have, but I had to make sure one of us was sitting with him..so, ok, I got it.

WELL, as I was boarding, I went in front of the family boarding, as is the procedure, and this man in line at family boarding says loudly, "why are they going before us?" and the lady says "because there's nothing wrong with _____" and the man yells, "well there's nothing wrong with that little boy either!!!!" and the lady says quietly "he has a medical condition" and the man mumbled something as I was entering the walkway.

I just could have died of embarrassment. As if the day didn't suck enough..so we're seated on the plane and a bunch of families walk past us giving us dirty looks. The man at the gate I do not think was happy with me because I didn't get the blue sleeve in advance. I just was not familiar with that at all.

I think I have learned today something major....that seriously, not all disabilities are "visible" and not to judge! Yes, I am guilty. Even at Disney I was guilty this week with all those ECVs or whatever they're called. My heart broke for my son, who truly can do a lot of things, but absolutely cannot yet sit alone on the plane.

Maybe there would have been empty seats, I don't know..but for goodness sake, is it the end of the world that just once I utilized a service that he is eligible for??

And to top it all off with a great big cherry...I broke a freakin nail as I buckled my 5 year old's seatbelt.

Sigh...home again home again jiggety jig!

[Dizneydaz]

Sorry for your loss. Losing a pet can be very hard. I'm glad you had a good trip anyway and at least it didn't ruin your vacation by happening earlier.

I too am guilty of thinking if someone doesn't look disabled that they might just be milking the system-esp. at Disney parks. Maybe after reading about your situation I'll think twice before thinking bad thoughts.

But I'll still be annoyed when a family of 12 can be given priority seating at the Halloween parade 5 mins. before it starts because only 1 one them is in a wheelchair. Guests who have been waiting for 1/2 hour or more where asked to move over to make room for this very large family-if that happens again, I'll still be annoyed!

Hope things get better.

[bankgirl05]

I am so sorry about your poor beloved doggie, I too have had to face that decision, you did the best thing for him...

I am also sorry that people in the world are in such a hurry that they have to spout off random meaness over something so extremely inconsequential,as if the plane was going to leave without them (you wish ) that is one of the reasons I will not fly that airline, thier boarding procedures are ridiculous and cause so much undue aggrevation to everyone...

take a deep breath, hug your hubby and start planning your next vaca, even if it's just a weekend alone with DH...

[AnnetteF]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how you feel because years ago I had a dog who passed away while my husband and I were in WDW. My mother was staying at our house with him when it happened very suddenly. He was old and in poor health, and I felt so guilty for not being there with him when it happened. At least your dog knew that you were there for him at the end. You made the right decision by not letting him suffer any more.

As for the people on the plane - too bad! You did what was best for your son and you didn't break any rules to do it. I don't think I'd have been able to hold back from saying something from that jerk at the gate, although I'm sure you didn't want to attract any more attention, either, for the sake of your son. Some people...

[Leajess99]

I am so so sorry for the loss of your dog and all you had to go through on your way home. Some people just do not understand. (((((((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))))))

[honugirl]

I know how you feel on the plane thing... I had to have brain surgery in March in Houston. To do the surgery, they went through the nose so I had on a little gauze bandage under my nose and no other visible signs of the procedure I had just had. I was in a wheelchair because I was too tired to walk and was too scared to stress my body out because I didn't want to have an adrenal crisis on board the plane and I needed the bulkhead so I was near a bathroom. I was also on Southwest and had the disability pre-board. Someone yelled out, "why's the girl with the nose job getting a pre-board?" I had to explain to them that I had just had brain surgery. Boy was that embarrassing!


Sorry to hear about your dog. That's never an easy thing to go through. I'm always scared when I housesit that I'm going to have to go through something like that.

[JUJU814]

Originally Posted by bankgirl05

I am so sorry about your poor beloved doggie, I too have had to face that decision, you did the best thing for him...

I am also sorry that people in the world are in such a hurry that they have to spout off random meaness over something so extremely inconsequential,as if the plane was going to leave without them (you wish ) that is one of the reasons I will not fly that airline, thier boarding procedures are ridiculous and cause so much undue aggrevation to everyone...

take a deep breath, hug your hubby and start planning your next vaca, even if it's just a weekend alone with DH...

I'm not sure I'll fly that airline again...at least with my kids. It's too much hassle to be sure I'm near a computer to check in for my return flight. I am nto sure I understand it..they can assign a group, and they can only sell so many tickets, why can't they just assign seats?

It's just such a bummer. This trip cost us upwards of $7k....my poor dog cost me another $2500 this weekend with diagnostics and such..it's such a hard decision to know when to stop. We already spent $6k on him when he was just 1 year old.....long story, won't bore you!

We told the children when we got home...they don't really understand..ages 5 and 7. My adhd son is very hyper and can't sleep right now as he's "angry" about the dog. He said he's very angry and never wants to go to WDW again. I know he doesn't mean it...I just feel so bad.

I sooo need sleep! We start school tomorrow.

[bigdisneygroup]

[Eeyore18]

I am so sorry about your dog. I know first hand how you feel, because this happened to us also just last month with our black lab-except we just returned from a Disney Cruise. We were so excited to pick him up (we had to board him since our sitter canceled on us a month before) He was older-but still able to walk-when I went to get him, he was very lame and by the night-could not get up. We made that awful decision too since he was in much pain. I am just able to look at our vacation pics now, and of course feel so guilty too!
Sending hugs to get through this-so sorry.

[mom of 3G's]

I am so sorry for the loss of a beloved pet. I know what it's like to lose one unexpectedly, but I hope you find some comfort in that you were able to say goodbye and that he knew you were there.

[pixidustmom]

I'm very sorry for your families loss. I know how important our pets can be to us, like family for most. I had to make this same choice a year and half ago and it can still get to to me now and again.
That really sucks about what happen when boarding. I learned a long time ago never assume nothing is wrong with someone. When you have family that needs to use the system it's hard not wanting to defend them when questioned.

[Ciciwoowoo]

I am so sorry for your loss

As for the rest, well ignore those who want to look down at you...they have their own issues!

[lovemytannerman]

I'm sorry for your loss. Our yellow lab died at Christmas time, right before he would have turned 3. We were devastated.

I am also a parent of a special needs child. I know the looks you are talking about, and I wish that people would mind thier own business. I see the looks we get from people when we are in the handicap line, or in the regular line using our stroller as a wheelchair. Tanner does look normal, but if you paid attention to his mannerisms or tried to talk to him you would notice he has CP. I'm sorry the people in line made you feel badly.

I know it won't be the same, but we lost our dog in December and then got a new pup in early April. He doesn't replace LeDoux, but he does take the sting away from loosing our other dog.

[cuppycake]

I'm sorry for the loss of your sweet doggie. At least he knew you were there in the end and got to happy for seeing you all.

We had to put our 15 year old kitty to sleep this week as well, after she had a seizure and they did blood work and diagnosed her with a pancreatic tumor. She was fine one minute, had the seizure and 2 hours later didn't even seem to know what was going on. It was horribly sad (my girls are 6 and 4), so I totally can sympathize with what you must be going through. I cherish the fact that she was purring while I pet her sweet head on the way to the vet's office the second time. It's just so hard.

Hugs that you have a better week, and feel okay a little at a time.

[mcqueengroupie]

I am so sorry for your loss, unfortunately I know what you went through...we came home August 7th from an awesome trip to Atlantis, but all those great feelings left when we got home and noticed our 6 yr. old Boston Terrier was breathing poorly...I took him to the vet and then to an animal hospital and found out he had a massive lung tumor that had obliterated his left lung, pushed all his major organs to the right side of his body and was now piching off his right lung. We were utterly devastated. We came home on a Friday, and had to put poor Ozzy down on Tuesday...it was such a whirlwind...I swore we were through with dogs because the pain was unbareable, but we are now in the process of adopting another 3 yr. old Boston Terrier who needs a forever home. I know it hurts now, but the companionship dogs provide is awesome, and we have our fingers crossed that this adoption will go through. Know that you did the right thing and that his suffering is over.