Liam's Wish Trip September 13-19th at GKTW

[Corrine 1973]

I have been reading other people's threads and thought it was good idea to start one of my own. I hope people will enjoy it.

Cast of characters:

ds:Liam is our very special boy. The great thing about him is that how social he is. He loves people and can easily make people smile just by talking to them. He loves anything Disney (Zach and Cody are his favorite), enjoys playing about every video game that he can get his hands on, and is absolutly crazy about anything to do with Star Wars. He will be 7 on Memorial Day.

dd: Mia is 3 years old and is our little princess, or at least she likes to think so. She can be very shy at first, but when she opens up she can be a little sweatheart. She has a smile that can melt your heart but also has a stuburn streak that will fustrate me to no end. This girl has no fear. She climbed on of those tall medel slides (to my horror) when she was only 2. Last year at Six Flags Great America she went on her first rollercoster. She held up her hands the whole time and then asked to go again.

ds: Aidan is the baby and will be two in June. He loves playing with his cars and about anything else his siblings are currently playing with. He loves attention and often has a fit when others are getting it. He has a strange habit of putting all of his stuffed animals noses in his mouth. I don't know why, but they all have wet noses. He's a joy but unfortunatly he is learningt all of his siblings bad habits. He also keeps stealing my Walt Disney World for Kids book every chance he gets.

me: My name is Corrine and I am the mom. I love movies (I own over 200 DVD's and don't want to even tell you how many VHS's), reading, singing, acting, and about anything else that is creative. Strange fact about me is that I have been doing the local Ren Faire since '94 (took off last couple of years because of kids) and even made my own court costume.

Brother: Because I am a single mom my brother will be going with us. He is
a year younger than me and is great with the kids.

So now that you know a little bit about the cast of characters, let me tell you why we are here. A little over a year ago Liam started getting a cough that would not go away. It would not as bad sometimes but it would never really go away. His doctors kept telling me it might be allergies or asthma but nothing they did got rid of the cough. Finally fed up with being ignored I did some reserch on the computer and found Cystic Fibrosis. I got my intrest because I knew I was a carrier (found out when pregnant with Aidan) so I kept reading. The more I read the more things made sense. The fact that my 6 year old looked like he was barely 5, the abnormally large BM that stunk up the house, his large appitite even though he wasn't growing. I told the doctor of my suspicions and he basically told me I was wrong. I insisted on the tests and he gave them to me saying that they were a waste of medical resorces. To make a long story short, 4 months and many test later it turned out I was right. Liam had CF.

I went to a retreat for CF in February and MaW was there. They meet Liam and later asked if he had CF. I told them yes and they said that he could make a wish. That monday morning at work I went on the computer and refered him. I recieved a call later that same day. With in a week that talked to his doctor and he was excepted.

I recieved a phone call from Iris about two weeks later and she and Eric showed up at my house a couple weeks after that. They had a lot of paper work and alot of questions but they also brought presents. Liam got a game for his Nintendo DS. Mia got a princess purse with excessories, and Aidan got a Bob The Builder DVD. Not to mention fruit snakes and gummy bears. Yum!!!

When Iris asked Liam about his wish he excitedly sad "I want to go to Disney Land" and started jumping up and down. Iris than asked if he wanted to go to Disneyland or Disney World which is bigger. Upon hearing that it is bigger he changed his mind to Disney World.

It's been about a month since that meeting and I am very excited about starting my plans. I can't do that though until I get more info. I did check out the GKTW web site though upon Eric's suggestion. The place looks incredible and I couldn't image a better place to be during Liam's wish.

That's it for now. Will try to up date when I get more info. I'll put in pics when I figure that out. If any one could help there I would appriciate it. Thanks.

 

[maroo]

First of all...

Woo Hoo!! Another Wish Trip report!!!

He also keeps stealing my Walt Disney
world for kids every chance he gets.

That is so cute!! Smart boy!

Iris than asked if he wanted to go to Disneyland or Disney World which is bigger. Upon hearing that it is bigger he changed his mind to Disney World.

This is so funny!!! DISNEYLAND!!! I mean...DISNEY WORLD!!


I am so excited that you guys get a wish!!! That is awesome! You are going to have a great time.

I am going to post a link to your pre-Trippie on the Wish Trippers thread! So you will have some more people reading this soon!!

 

[Corrine 1973]

Something that made me laugh the other day and I wanted to share it. I found a sleeping beauty dress at Walmart for $15 and promptly bought it for my daughter to wear at least one day at Disney World. As soon as we got home she wanted to put it on. She than put on her princess shoes and grabed the purse that Iris gave her from MaW. She than came running to me with a big smile on her face and told me that she was ready to go.

She took it OK when I told her it was not time yet. She continued to wear the dress the rest of the day. I made her take it off for supper. We had spegetti.

 

[Corrine 1973]

I talked to Iris today. The paperwork is in and we know are just waiting for the doctors permision. He is pretty quick about such things but he might wait until Liam's next appointment which is the day before Easter. I also asked her about a character meal. She told me that she will look into it. It turns out that this the first wish that she has had for Disney World. So we are learning together.

I tried to post some pics of my kids but I can't until I have done 10 posts. This will be number 8. I'll have to sneak in a couple tomarrow so I can put in the picks. Until then,

Corrine

 

[Corrine 1973]

Got ten posts under my belt so here are some Pics.

Here is Liam (wish kid) showing of his new toy from McDonalds.

This is my Princess Mia. Do you think she likes Princess? If you look closly you will see she is wearing Ariel pjs.

Last put not least is little Aidan. Sorry he has a bit of a cold.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Your kids are adorable, poor little Aidan with a cold!! I bet they're super excited about going to Disney world, we are going in May for the first time, and I am the most excited

 

[rodeo65]

Your post jumped at me - I have a Liam too. So I'll be following your story as well. I also had an Aidan, but that quickly changed when she was born and we realized the radiologist couldn't tell what an umbilical cord was.

Your kids are adorable! Looking forward to hearing you got your doc's permission.

 

[maroo]

Your pics are SOOO cute!! Thank you for sharing them with us!

Poor Aidan with a cold!

Your post jumped at me - I have a Liam too. So I'll be following your story as well. I also had an Aidan, but that quickly changed when she was born and we realized the radiologist couldn't tell what an umbilical cord was.

Your kids are adorable! Looking forward to hearing you got your doc's permission.

How cool that you both have a Liam...and too funny that the radiologist thought the umbilical cord... Ha ha.

Did you have her in a blue room or anything? Did she wear boy clothes the first few days of her life? That is too funny.

 

[Corrine 1973]

Your post jumped at me - I have a Liam too. So I'll be following your story as well. I also had an Aidan, but that quickly changed when she was born and we realized the radiologist couldn't tell what an umbilical cord was.

That is so funny. It's even funnier when I tell you this. When I was pregnant with Aidan I was sure it was a girl and even when the radiologist told me it was a boy I was positive that she was wrong and was looking at the umbilical cord. To my embarasment she was right.

It is a small world after all (oh no the song has already started and I don't know when I'm even going)

 

[Corrine 1973]

OK, so I know that we are going to Disney world this summer but I must admite not knowing the details is killing me. I keep reading everyone's amazing wish trips or the trips that are just about to happen and I am so excited. I have already started planning for a trip that I don't even have dates for yet. What parks to see, how long to stay at each park, what attractions to see. I have gone shopping and bought the kids t-shirts at the Disney outlet in Gurnee Mills, I've bought them new swim suits, and new sunglasses. I have bought 5 books, been duing tons of research on the computer, been visiting a couple of forums (this one being the best) and even bought space bags to prevent from having to bring to much luggage on the trip. I have even made a list of things I need to bring with me. (If I don't write down that I need to bring my cell phone and charger I will forget the charger.) I think I am going insane. I hope to get more info soon but Iris says that it can take up to 60 days and it has only been about 25 so far.

OK, with all that out of my system I think I can take a breath.

Here's another pic of my wish kid This was taken last summer at Great America.

 

[rodeo65]

Corinne, another great pic of Liam! I know what you mean about lists. We are now less than three months out and with ADRs done and just last night, our touring plans done - lists are next. I have a box that I've started and anything that is not everyday use that I think of that we will need I just toss in the box.

The funny thing about that small world (and it's stuck in my head too) and experiences is that I was SURE I was having another boy. There are only two girls on both sides of my family this generation and none on my husband's, so I just figured - boys. The radiologist wouldn't let me see Meg (Aidan) on screen, only the printed picture after. Not sure why - maybe because he was aware that he didn't know what he was doing. Did I ever lose it when she arrived and the whole delivery staff yelled "It's a GIRL". I had told them all boy, and his name was Aidan, etc.

maroo, we opted not to find out gender the first time around, so everything was unisex. First room was baby yellow, and clothes were green and yellow. With the second we decided we wanted to know, but knew mistakes happen (obviously) and so just left it at the same infant clothes. Her room had been my office and was mustard, which she has lived with until last year when she insisted on pink and purple.

 

[maroo]

maroo, we opted not to find out gender the first time around, so everything was unisex. First room was baby yellow, and clothes were green and yellow. With the second we decided we wanted to know, but knew mistakes happen (obviously) and so just left it at the same infant clothes. Her room had been my office and was mustard, which she has lived with until last year when she insisted on pink and purple.

Perfect!!!



It is cool that you guys both have Liam's... It IS a small world! *now singing*

 

[Corrine 1973]

The funny thing about that small world (and it's stuck in my head too) and experiences is that I was SURE I was having another boy. There are only two girls on both sides of my family this generation and none on my husband's, so I just figured - boys. The radiologist wouldn't let me see Meg (Aidan) on screen, only the printed picture after. Not sure why - maybe because he was aware that he didn't know what he was doing. Did I ever lose it when she arrived and the whole delivery staff yelled "It's a GIRL". I had told them all boy, and his name was Aidan, etc.

That was so funny. I found out that the first tech was right when I fell down the stairs and had to have an emergency ultrasound to make sure he was alright. We had enough surprises in the delivery room already. I had a c-section (second child born this way due to partial placenta previa) and my mom told me the first surprise was when they cut into my uterus and was welcomed by lots of fluid. (My mom says they had to step back because there was so much) The next surprise was when he came out. Now I am used to larger babies. Liam was born at 8lb 14oz, and Mia was a week early and born at 8lbs 4oz but no way was I prepared for a child that was 10lbs 15oz. My mom joked with me that I gave birth to a two month old. Lets just say that he never wore new born diapers or cloths.

I guess it's good that he wasn't a girl.

 

[rodeo65]

WOW!!! Big baby is right.

My Liam was 8lbs 5oz and a C-section, but Meg was only 6lbs 14oz, I think because I was still nursing Liam almost three months into my pregnancy with her - poor kid got nothing. She was kind of, um, surprising. Couldn't figure out why I was feeling so crappy for a month and was complaining about it to a friend who suggested maybe pg again. You'd have thought I'd know to go there, but I just was NOT in that frame of mind yet. Liam was only 7 months old. That would be the definition of an oops I guess, but a great oops!

I've read a fair number of Wish PTRs and GKKT sounds so fantastic! I seem drawn to them specifically. Our niece had a Disney Wish trip a couple of years ago. I can't wait to hear about when you get your dates and all of the wonderful things that happen between then and the trip to make it special for Liam, Mia and Aidan.

So great that your brother gets to go too. It's wonderful support to have. My brother lives in Boston, so a distance to us in Canada, but he's so great with the kids when they do get to see each other.

Oh, and I am also a big reader (although my time on the dis is drastically cutting into my reading time), and showed horses for years until it did my back in.

Can't wait for more details as they come.

 

[Corrine 1973]

I think I would have been in the same boat if I got pregnant so soon. Let's admite it, we are so out of it for the first year of a babys life (especially the first one) that we don't know are *** from a hole in the ground.

Me and my brother are a year and 18 days apart so I am sure my mom knows what you went through. She says that she didn't even know that she was pregnant until she nearly passed out on me.

I will definatly let you know when I find out when we are going. I am so excited. I am currently wearing tinker bell pjs. Now is that bad or what

 

[Corrine 1973]

Liam has a Dr. appointment with his CF dr on Saturday. He has been doing real well on his treatments so far. He hasn't had any real bad coughing attacks since Christmas Eve, so that is good. He has been gaining weight since he started enzymes. Was in the 14% at the start of treatment and was only 1/2 pound away from 25% at his last appointment 2 months ago.

I will get the results of throat swab they did at the last appointment. I am assuming that they didn't call me that it didn't culture up anything bad. His last culture came back positive for staff which is the most common bacteria for CFers. So hopefully he isn't positve for one of the bad ones. It is sad to think that I am hopefully for the staff bacteria. Most parents are hoping for clean tests but with CF he will rarely come back with a clean throat swap so I am praying for a bacteria that causes the least amont of problems.

I am also hopping that since he is doing so well that we can maybe cut back on his treatments if not now then hopefully by the time we do go on his trip. Right now he does an albuterol nebulizer treatment, a polmozyne nebulizer treatment, and his accapella therepy in the morning. (This all takes about a half an hour) He repeats the albuterol nebulizer treatment and the accapella in the evening. He also takes an antibiotic M,W,F and enzymes with every meal. (Taking between 3-4 each time) He is also taking a vitamin specially made for people with CF. It's bubblegum flavored. I am hoping since he is doing so well right now that we can do just the morning treatment. I guess I will find out on Saturday.

Hoping to talk to the Doc about the Wish trip. I am told that a lot of the time going to plan the trip is time spent waiting for the Dr approval. Maybe I can get this processes speeded up by talking to Dr Boas. He is positivily great and I am sure he will understand what I am tring to do.

I will let you all know what happens after the appointment.

 

[rodeo65]

Heres wishing for a great appointment Saturday. (And a cattle prod to help your Doc. help push those dates for you. )

 

[maroo]

In the early 90's (I was in high school) I worked at a special camp that had a week long overnight camp for children with CF. I am amazed at how much has changed since then. Medicine has come a long way.

Our kids used to spend hours doing those clap therapy sessions, neb treatments (which back then took 15-30 min for each one) and used to take 20 and 30 pills with each meal. I was AMAZED at how many they would swallow at one time! It was crazy. Mouth full of pills all in one gulp.

But now they make those enzymes so concentrated that you don't have to take so many, which is great!

I am so glad your son is doing so well and I certainly hope they only grow "good" bacteria from his cultures!

 

[Corrine 1973]

thanks Maroo! I am definatly glad for the medical advancments for CF. It is no longer a death sentance but another daily hurtel you have to go through. I couldn't imagine Liam taking all those pills before he ate. It's hard enough sometimes making sure I have a small bottle with me incase we stop at McDonalds or BurgerKing. He's only been taking the pills for a couple of months but is already reminding me. "Mommy don't forget to give me my pills."

The accapella does pretty good for his lung therepy but I do do CP if he is having a coughing fit. The accapella (a green thing that he blows into. 3 sets of 15 breaths) only takes about 5 minutes. As long as he doesn't start joking around.

 

[maroo]

thanks Maroo! I am definatly glad for the medical advancments for CF. It is no longer a death sentance but another daily hurtel you have to go through. I couldn't imagine Liam taking all those pills before he ate. It's hard enough sometimes making sure I have a small bottle with me incase we stop at McDonalds or BurgerKing. He's only been taking the pills for a couple of months but is already reminding me. "Mommy don't forget to give me my pills."

The accapella does pretty good for his lung therepy but I do do CP if he is having a coughing fit. The accapella (a green thing that he blows into. 3 sets of 15 breaths) only takes about 5 minutes. As long as he doesn't start joking around.

Bless his heart! We can't get William to remind us. And unfortunately, his medicine has to be taken 30 min before he eats, so if we miss it we have to wait. Or he does.

That accapella thing sounds really cool!! Lauren needs one of those things to increase her lung capacity. She is only at 50%.