Prayer Request...
you would think, now that I am back, that I would be on more...but we have a lot going on here in MS.
While Lauren and I were making our way home from Chicago, Lauren's grandmother was transported to the hospital in an ambulance because she was in SEVERE pain with her back. They did a CT, but put off doing an MRI until Monday. On Monday they said that she needed emergency surgery for a clot that was resting on her spinal cord.
She had the surgery on Tuesday because she was on blood thinners and they had to wait to safely do the surgery.
As of Monday, she could no longer move her legs or hips.
Her neurosurgeon said that he is not sure how much permanent damage was done to her spinal cord, but that the clot he removed was one of the biggest he had ever seen. He gave her a 20% chance of gaining her movement back.
Basically she has a spinal cord injury.
This precious family has been through so much. Even our friends from church that do hospital visitations are just in awe. They have 3 grandchildren - one uses a wheelchair full time (Lauren) and one was hit by a car when he was 9 and has a traumatic brain injury and William was just diagnosed last week (finally) with Celiac Disease. Anyway...now this. They are frustrated. Trusting that God has them in the palm of His hand, but are very frustrated at another thing....
Anyway...please pray for them. And I have been over here and at the hospital for the past couple of days and will be on and off the DIS for a while, I guess, as I am trying to help them to be able to go to the hospital and help when her grandmother would have been helping. It is a double whammy here.
Anyway...thanks for your prayers!
What is the GAC card? We don't have a handicap sticker and was wondering if we would be getting one of these cards.
Prayer Request...
you would think, now that I am back, that I would be on more...but we have a lot going on here in MS.
While Lauren and I were making our way home from Chicago, Lauren's grandmother was transported to the hospital in an ambulance because she was in SEVERE pain with her back. They did a CT, but put off doing an MRI until Monday. On Monday they said that she needed emergency surgery for a clot that was resting on her spinal cord.
She had the surgery on Tuesday because she was on blood thinners and they had to wait to safely do the surgery.
As of Monday, she could no longer move her legs or hips.
Her neurosurgeon said that he is not sure how much permanent damage was done to her spinal cord, but that the clot he removed was one of the biggest he had ever seen. He gave her a 20% chance of gaining her movement back.
Basically she has a spinal cord injury.
This precious family has been through so much. Even our friends from church that do hospital visitations are just in awe. They have 3 grandchildren - one uses a wheelchair full time (Lauren) and one was hit by a car when he was 9 and has a traumatic brain injury and William was just diagnosed last week (finally) with Celiac Disease. Anyway...now this. They are frustrated. Trusting that God has them in the palm of His hand, but are very frustrated at another thing....
Anyway...please pray for them. And I have been over here and at the hospital for the past couple of days and will be on and off the DIS for a while, I guess, as I am trying to help them to be able to go to the hospital and help when her grandmother would have been helping. It is a double whammy here.
Anyway...thanks for your prayers!
A GAC card is something that you get in Disney that helps you get all accommodations that your child will need. It won't do you any good for parking though...
What is the GAC card? We don't have a handicap sticker and was wondering if we would be getting one of these cards.
Thanks for the answer. I am not to worried about parking because we are also taking a sit and stand stroller I bought at a garage sale.
I just read the GAC card is what got people to the front of the lines for character meets and then worried we wouldn't be getting one because my dd is physically capable of walking (unless her BG is making her sick that is).
Thanks for explaining.
Prayer Request...
you would think, now that I am back, that I would be on more...but we have a lot going on here in MS.
While Lauren and I were making our way home from Chicago, Lauren's grandmother was transported to the hospital in an ambulance because she was in SEVERE pain with her back. They did a CT, but put off doing an MRI until Monday. On Monday they said that she needed emergency surgery for a clot that was resting on her spinal cord.
She had the surgery on Tuesday because she was on blood thinners and they had to wait to safely do the surgery.
As of Monday, she could no longer move her legs or hips.
Her neurosurgeon said that he is not sure how much permanent damage was done to her spinal cord, but that the clot he removed was one of the biggest he had ever seen. He gave her a 20% chance of gaining her movement back.
Basically she has a spinal cord injury.
This precious family has been through so much. Even our friends from church that do hospital visitations are just in awe. They have 3 grandchildren - one uses a wheelchair full time (Lauren) and one was hit by a car when he was 9 and has a traumatic brain injury and William was just diagnosed last week (finally) with Celiac Disease. Anyway...now this. They are frustrated. Trusting that God has them in the palm of His hand, but are very frustrated at another thing....
Anyway...please pray for them. And I have been over here and at the hospital for the past couple of days and will be on and off the DIS for a while, I guess, as I am trying to help them to be able to go to the hospital and help when her grandmother would have been helping. It is a double whammy here.
Anyway...thanks for your prayers!
GACs are not for character lines, only for attractions. That being said, I have only heard of one time when a wish family was required to wait in the line. Most attendants will pull you to the front anyway.
Many families with diabetes will get the one that says "standard wheelchair entrance" so they can use a wheelchair if there are stamina issues. Walking around in the heat tends to make your sugars screwy so some people find a wheelchair is necessary. For young children in particular it is recommended to get the "use stroller as a wheelchair" card so it gives them a place to chill and makes them less likely to go low. The bonus is that if you are in line and they go low, it gives them a place to treat/rest without getting out of line. Some also get the shaded wait area stamp if heat is an issue.
Maroo: Prayers being said for that family.
We did not know that the GAC was not for character lines. Ours was the "Green Light" one and said, "Guests should be provided any assistance necessary to expedite their visit at the attraction." We used it at all the character lines and they put us next in line coming in from the exit. They would ask us how many in our party each time and then look at the number listed on our GAC.
Another question about the GAC and the GKTW button, now I'm normally a somewhat shy person so using special privileges is new territory for me, so when it comes to using the button/GAC, say for the rides, do you just show the CM that's working the entrance of the ride the button my dd will be wearing, and the CM will know what to do? And from reading on the boards the conflicting "yes you can use it w/ char." vs. "GKTW's standard: Not for char. meet n greets," same basic question, find the CM working with the char. and explain/show the button?
My dd Malia is getting so excited, she's crossing off the days on her calendar, I got a call from her MAW volunteer and her send off party is this coming Monday!!![]()
Thanks for the answer. I am not to worried about parking because we are also taking a sit and stand stroller I bought at a garage sale.
I just read the GAC card is what got people to the front of the lines for character meets and then worried we wouldn't be getting one because my dd is physically capable of walking (unless her BG is making her sick that is).
Thanks for explaining.
-Green Light Pass- these are hte most common for Wish families and at one point were given out to all wish families. These are the passes that llow you to the front of every attraction line. Now I am told they are only given out to the most medically fragile children. Wish trips used to only be for children with terminal illnesses. Now many organizations send children with chronic but not terminal illnesses as often times these families are given a different card. If you stay at GKTW they will give you the GAC appropriate to your needs.
I have been a lurker for about a month and finally decided it was time to introduce my family. There is myself (Lisa 27), DH (Brian 27), DD (Kayla 10), and our wish kid DS (Lucas 2 1/2). I went to Disney a few times as a child, the last time was when I was 16. No one else in my family has ever been, they are all super excited.
Lucas was diagnosed at 3 months old with biliary atresia. Biliary atresia is a progressive liver disease with no known cause. He was jaundice after birth but we were repeatedly told it was normal breastfeeding jaundice. Needless to say, it wasn't, and at 3 months old we finally got someone to listen to us. He had an abdominal ultrasound which was indicative of bilary atresia and underwent an 8 hr surgery the next day, to hopefully reroute bile flow out of his liver, using his intestines. He recovered nicely and was sent home 8 days after surgery. He had significant liver damage already and it immediately did not look like the surgery was working. We left on Christmas day for a liver transplant evaluation in Omaha, NE. He was listed with a low PELD score ( scoring system used to determine each childs medical need using labs and other factors). We went back home to El Paso, TX and he started to deteriorate. The army moved us to Omaha to be closer to the transplant center. We moved just in time. He was in end stage liver failure and they immediately worked me up for a living donor transplant. We had surgery the next week. Lucas underwent a liver transplant just shy of being 7 months old. He is now almost 3 years old and doing pretty good. He has had a few bumps in the road, which most transplant patients have but overall has done exceptionally well. He is down to one medication, his immunosuppressant which he will be on for the rest of his life. He gets labs drawn every 2 months, and doesn't even cry (just asks for his freeze pop).
We went too see Disney on Ice in December and Lucas fell in love with all the disney characters. Then with the birthday promotion commercials, he repeatedly asked if we could go to Disney. His transplant center nominated him in February and we met with our wonderful wish granters. He was approved to go to Disney. We decided to go in October when he was a little bit older and the weather would hopefully be nicer. We got our flight times in the mail last week, and will be there 0ct 14th-22nd. We are extending our trip by 2 nights. We plan on also going to the beach (don't know which one) and doing MNSSHP.
So after looking online and reading other TR I have accumulated a lot if info but still feel overwhelmed with everyithing. I am having so much trouble trying to figure out a good schedule. Kayla should have no problem being at the parks all day. I am worried about Lucas and DH. DH is not an amusement park type of person but I think he will do good overall. I am hoping Lucas will take naps in the stoller but if not DH can take him back to GKTW or to the wish lounge to rest.
We plan on doing a few character meals. Since we are staying at GKTW I would like to eat there for breakfast most mornings and planning on being there for a couple of dinners. We are hoping to do CRT for breakfast our full day at MK. Chef Mickey maybe the last day of our extended trip (since we have to provide breaskfast anyway) and we leave at noon. We would also like to do Crystal Palace for lunch or dinner, Hollywood and Vine for lunch, and Ohana for dinner. My husband also wants to eat at some German restaurant in Epcot. I am having so much trouble trying to figure out a good schedule. Anyone have any ideas of how to plan out our days/parks/sit down meals? I am thinking for the other meals maybe to do an early dinner and just let them have snacks and such throughout the day, or getting a small quick service if needed. For lunch and dinner what are the best times to have reservations?? My tentative plans are
Wed- arrive at noon, do orientation, hang out around GKTW, go to Downtown Disney
Thurs- Animal Kingdom/Epcot dinner at german restaurant
Fri- MK all day, breakfast at CRT
Sat-Universal Studios, then hang out at GKTW, then dinner at Ohana
Sun-Seaworld in the morning, leave by lunch and drive to a beach. hang out at the beach till late, then drive back (too much??)
Mon- DHS with lunch at Hollywood and Vine, then back to MK/Epcot/or AK
Tue- check out of GKTW, take back rental car and recheck it out, Universal Studios, check into hotel
Wed-hang out at hotel swimming, 4pm Crystal Palace and then MNSSHP
Thurs- Chef mickeys for breakfast and then head to airport, leave at noon
Open to ALL suggestions for switching days/parks/reservations. We would like to see as many parades and fireworks as time allows. Can use it as some downtime
Thanks
Another question about the GAC and the GKTW button, now I'm normally a somewhat shy person so using special privileges is new territory for me, so when it comes to using the button/GAC, say for the rides, do you just show the CM that's working the entrance of the ride the button my dd will be wearing, and the CM will know what to do? And from reading on the boards the conflicting "yes you can use it w/ char." vs. "GKTW's standard: Not for char. meet n greets," same basic question, find the CM working with the char. and explain/show the button?
My dd Malia is getting so excited, she's crossing off the days on her calendar, I got a call from her MAW volunteer and her send off party is this coming Monday!!![]()
Prayer Request...
you would think, now that I am back, that I would be on more...but we have a lot going on here in MS.
While Lauren and I were making our way home from Chicago, Lauren's grandmother was transported to the hospital in an ambulance because she was in SEVERE pain with her back. They did a CT, but put off doing an MRI until Monday. On Monday they said that she needed emergency surgery for a clot that was resting on her spinal cord.
She had the surgery on Tuesday because she was on blood thinners and they had to wait to safely do the surgery.
As of Monday, she could no longer move her legs or hips.
Her neurosurgeon said that he is not sure how much permanent damage was done to her spinal cord, but that the clot he removed was one of the biggest he had ever seen. He gave her a 20% chance of gaining her movement back.
Basically she has a spinal cord injury.
This precious family has been through so much. Even our friends from church that do hospital visitations are just in awe. They have 3 grandchildren - one uses a wheelchair full time (Lauren) and one was hit by a car when he was 9 and has a traumatic brain injury and William was just diagnosed last week (finally) with Celiac Disease. Anyway...now this. They are frustrated. Trusting that God has them in the palm of His hand, but are very frustrated at another thing....
Anyway...please pray for them. And I have been over here and at the hospital for the past couple of days and will be on and off the DIS for a while, I guess, as I am trying to help them to be able to go to the hospital and help when her grandmother would have been helping. It is a double whammy here.
Anyway...thanks for your prayers!