Advice needed. School, Vacation and Surgery

[MightyMom]

My DS8 has to have two operations by the end of this year. We also have a week long Disney vacation planned for September.

I was thinking about scheduling one surgery immediately following our return from WDW. He would miss school starting Sept 15th and return on Sept 29th. This first surgery is a relatively simple eye procedure. He's already had 3 in the past 8 years..... so I know from experience that recovery should be easy.

The next surgery he needs is a major orthopedic procedure. It will be complicated, and the recovery will be long. It will involve breaking bones and transferring tendons. He will be casted from his hips to his toes and unable to move for 8 weeks.

I want to schedule this orthopedic procedure for winter break. After winter break is over the school will need to provide homebound services for most of the remainder of the school year. He's been through 2 similar procedures and the recovery is very very difficult.

We live in south texas.... wearing casts from the hips to the toes in the middle of summer is not an option. Waiting until fall/ winter is the best thing we can do for him.

The eye surgery can wait....... but not for 6+ months.

I know we should cancel our vacation so the school doesn't give me grief about him missing so much time..... but... but...but.... but..... we really really really want to go to WDW. Our family is so excited.

We just went through Hurricane Dolly.... and the entire time we were sitting in the dark without electricity.... listening to the roaring winds and pounding rain..... the only thing that calmed my boys was taking about our trip to WDW in September. I would hate to cancel it.

Any ideas or suggestions???

Thanks.

 

[Neesy228]

Well, God bless! Geez, you've got a lot on your plate...

Go to Disney and have a fantastic time. I just don't think that missing a few (more) days of school in the grand scheme of things is going to make a big difference. And I'm definitely of the opinion that you have to put your child and your family first. If you can't schedule the surgery for an off time of year, then you can't. I know that in our school district we get 10 days per year for "eduational trips." We're using 8 of those in September to take my kids to WDW. I'm not asking the school for permission, I'm telling them that I'm taking them. They're my kids! I'll do what I think is best for my kids. We already have airfare, tickets and reservations - it's not like I'm going to cancel if they give me a hard time about it.

I hope your son gets through all of the surgery/recovery well. Take him on the trip - let him have a blast. Maybe the great memories will make those 8 weeks in a cast a little easier to bear. Hugs to you and yours.

 

[Rylee]

Hi,

We have, and are facing a very similar situation.

Don't cancel the family vacation to Disney.

How old is your son and what grade is he in?

We have to put our family and our children's medical needs, first, before anything else, and as long as a trip to Disney doesn't hurt or hinder the above... take the trip. All families, but especially those with the added worries and concerns of a child with extra medical issues, need and deserve "happy time" away from the everyday stress and routines of daily living.

Besides, if you cancel, your son or other children may think it's because of his condition. Even if it is without guilt or resentment, the thought may be, in its simplest terms... We can't go to Disney because I/he need/s to have surgery.

(Is it possible to schedule the eye surgery to hook up with a long weekend off, or over Thanksgiving break?)

Our 7 year old son needs to have major surgery (already had 5 surgeries, both major and minor.) This next "one" will actually be 3 surgeries combined. He will be hospitalized for 3 weeks, need to live in the Boston area for another week (we live near Syracause, NY, 350 miles away) and will be out of school for approximatly 2 months. DH and I both feel it isn't fair to DS to have his entire summer spent recoving and missing out on 2 things he loves, baseball and swimming. We intend to schedule his surgery so he misses
the last or first month of school, and overlaps with 1 month of his summer vacation. (Also, we need to leave our other children at home and it is easier if the kids are in school... keeping their routine more normal and needing less daycare.)

Good luck to you and your son... wishing him a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

And, have a magical trip!

 

[MightyMom]

I hope your son gets through all of the surgery/recovery well. Take him on the trip - let him have a blast. Maybe the great memories will make those 8 weeks in a cast a little easier to bear. Hugs to you and yours.

Thanks. I appreciate it.

I haven't told him about the procedures yet because he's the kinda kid who will sit and worry constantly about it.

My husband and I sat down and looked at a calendar tonight.... and it looks like we can squeeze in the eye surgery the week before school starts. I'm hoping that works out.

 

[bunny213]

but - I'm a retired school secretary. Our pupils were never counted as enrolled until they showed up - so - if your son has his surgery and cannot start school until the following week or so after school starts....he would not be counted as absent...because he is not enrolled yet.
He would not have the "absent" days count against him for the year. I would not worry too much about it - go on your vacation and enjoy it. You will certainly have enough on your mind later on....
I think that you have a good plan. His health and well being is most important right now....and that of your family.
Have a wonderful time.....you deserve it - all of you do!!
Barb

 

[fenfur]

My only concern about doing the surgery after WDW trip is the dreaded "disney cold" and that may interfere with any anesthesia that might be needed, thus postponing the surgery further. But it sounds like you have it figured out to do it before school starts and before trip, hopefully the doctors and such have availability to do it then.

 

[seashoreCM]

I would go ahead and enjoy Disney and then work the schooling and surgery around each other.

The idea of spending the hot summer in a cast is something not to be overlooked.

If considerable time was lost from the school calendar, I would even propose having DS take fewer subjects (fewer courses) this year. The subjects missed can be made up next summer.

Particularly if even more surgery is needed resulting in more blocks of time lost, a regimen of fewer courses per year could continue for multiple (and more) years.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[EthansMom]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

I haven't told him about the procedures yet because he's the kinda kid who will sit and worry constantly about it.

My husband and I sat down and looked at a calendar tonight.... and it looks like we can squeeze in the eye surgery the week before school starts. I'm hoping that works out.

That's what I was going to recommend... trying to schedule the eye surgery for this summer break, if possible.

I agree with the previous poster that you should be leary of your DS getting an illness from WDW. My DD picked up pink-eye on one trip. We had to go to the clinic, which is packed to the gills with people who get sick or injured while visiting WDW.

If you can get the eye surgery done this summer, you avoid dealing with a lot of the germs and scheduling problems.

Enjoy your trip!