August 9, 2011 (8/9/2011) Taking the Wonder to see the AMERICAN CHILD

[MagicMe]

OKAY PEOPLE - TIME TO START MOVING!!!! LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!!!

GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
BOYS AND GIRLS!
WE SET SAIL IN
17 WEEKS! ​

For our August 9 th, 2011 Alaska Cruise ​

Let the party begin

​

 

[bzzelady]

Hi everyone! Stopped by to provide you all with an update and our decision...
(for those in the dark, please see the quoted area below)

My father definitely has ALS. He is having a progressive decline in his speech and swallowing but no mobility or respiratory problems. Despite that, this guy is getting on with the process of living and now that we have had some coping time...

We have decided to go ahead and cruise. Part of the reason I originally booked this is because Alaska is one of my father's favorite places in the world-of course, his trips there usually involve mountain goat hunting on glaciers and salmon fishing outside Whittier, but I thought it would be a great way for him to share one of his favorite places with us.

We left the decision up to him and he gave us the go ahead on Friday...just in time to make our final payments.

This will most likely be our last trip with him and it's not going to be easy, but for us, it is the right thing to do. One of my work friends is sailing in a Cat 2 suite on the June 21st cruise and she is going to bring me all the menus so we can figure out what types of modifications need to be made to make this work. Even if I have to buy a blender and a food chopper prior to getting on that boat in Vancouver and rent a scooter for him, we will do this.

I am really looking forward to getting back into participating in this thread and meeting all of you. I checked the DCL website this morning and it looks like we are sailing with a pretty full boat!

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers during this time-they have all definitely helped

Hello all...just stopped by to provide you all with a status update on my father.

He had his EMG test last week...the neuromuscular specialist is suspicious that it may be bulbar onset ALS, but is running a lot of other tests before giving any final diagnosis. Part of that workup was bloodwork that he had drawn on Friday-she called my mother yesterday to let her know that he has an elevated paraprotein, so now she is sending him to hematology to rule out multiple myeloma as well.

We really don't know what we are going to do about the cruise now. I was perusing another thread about cancelations and trip insurance on the board...and since we have not made our final payment yet (we have been waiting to see the outcome of the testing), we may not be covered by DCL's trip insurance as DCL does not purchase the insurance until final payment has been made. Even though we booked this cruise 10/1/09...ten months before he exhibited symptoms, the way that DCL does the insurance would make this a preexisting condition and probably invalidate our claim if we are unable to travel.

Thanks to everyone for all the prayers and good wishes...trust me, they can be felt from here
I will let you all know what we decide in a few weeks.

 

[jilljill]

Sorry to hear you and your family are going thru this, but what a wonderful vacation to have and such memories to cherish. I'd also give a call or email DCL to see what they can do for his meals - I've seen an email addy on the main boards for dietary needs/assistance questions/concerns. If you are using a TA I'd see if they can get you the contact info of someone at DCL to assist you.

 

[bzzelady]

Thanks!
I have the number for DCL special services and my friend Cheryl plans to make her "suite" connections in June help me out for the August trip.
We booked Cat 7 secret verandah and the 11B directly across from it so if worst comes with mobility, we will switch cabins as those insides are oriented with the bed at the back and the bathroom is not split. I actually had DCL make sure that our reservations were linked and made it clear that we do not want an upgrade.

 

[rsjj]

hi everyone! do we know the dining rotation...or not? thinking of our reservations...but i can't book anything yet.
and how do they determine which cc member you are? boy, it's been a while!! i've got many many questions...now that it's getting close!
thanx in advance!

 

[Pooh667]

bzzelady, I am sorry that your family has to go trough this but this will be wonderful memories for all of you!

 

[Elfinjojo]

I too am sorry that you and your family are having to go thru this, but I am so pleased that you have decided to cruise. What a wonderful way to share some memories with your Father of an area that he loved and to make some wonderful memories of your own!

I hope DCL will be ever helpful with your requests and help make the trip a comfortable one for your father. Pixie Dust is coming your way!

 

[MagicMe]

bzzelady - I am so happy that you decided to go forward with this cruise. You will have so many wonderful memories!!

I have a friend who lost her sister to ALS. Just a few months prior, the entire family went on a caribbean cruise. She talked endlessly of the wonderful times they shared and the happy memories they have.

 

[jilljill]

hi everyone! do we know the dining rotation...or not? thinking of our reservations...but i can't book anything yet.
and how do they determine which cc member you are? boy, it's been a while!! i've got many many questions...now that it's getting close!
thanx in advance!

Your CC membership tier is determined by the number of cruises you have completed. Silver is after your first cruise, you are Gold after your 5th cruise and you are Platinum after your 10th cruise. On DCL's website there's a chart that tells you what you get at each level.


By dining rotation, do you mean which restaurants you will eat in every night or just the general dining themes for each night? You won't find out your actual restaurant rotation until you check in at the port and it will be printed on your KTTW card. For the dining themes you can call DCL to see if they have them dtermined yet.

 

[starwood]

If you login to your reservation on DCL website it should tell you what cc member you are. It lists every cruise you've been on.

 

[rsjj]

thank you! just saw our cc member status. boy, i have to go on more cruises!! i'm really looking forward to this. now we're looking at hotel & such. i'm probably behind in the planning stages...but oh well. just to give me some ideas...what are some of your plans, as far as hotel & transportation & such.

my plans are...flying into vancouver couple days before, to explore the place. renting a car. deciding whether to stay in downtown vancouver, or richmond. but not sure what to do w/the rental car when we drive to port? any ideas/suggestions...pls send them my way. maybe this is old news, and have been discussed pages ago? if so, i'm so sorry!

oh, and the ship is docked at canada place right?

 

[USUKMama]

Bzzelady - so sorry to hear your news. I hope the cruise creates wonderful memories for you.



Sophia

 

[geffric]

Bzzelady - so sorry to hear your news. I hope the cruise creates wonderful memories for you.

what she said. hope DCL makes accommendations for the family..

 

[jilljill]

Heading out on the Dream in the morning. When we get back then I'll get into full planning mode for this trip for what's left to book.

 

[bzzelady]

Have a great time on the Dream

 

[rsjj]

Heading out on the Dream in the morning. When we get back then I'll get into full planning mode for this trip for what's left to book.

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[caitlinsdad]

Heading out on the Dream in the morning. When we get back then I'll get into full planning mode for this trip for what's left to book.

Have a great cruise on the dream.

 

[rsjj]

A question for u all...what r some of the excursions u r looking @? Are u doing them thru disney, or booking it w/individual vendors on ur own? I'm just curious, as I'm planning this trip in depth.

 

[starwood]

I think we are going to do the Exclusive Whale Encounter and Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau and Klondike Gold Dredge and White Pass Railway in Skagway. I have found anything in Ketchikan I'm interested in.

 

[rsjj]

R u booking it thru Disney? I'm so excited about the various excursions, but some r quite pricey! Were u able to book already? I have to wait till may...