Make a Wish (and other organizations) ~ Wish Trippers UNITE! Volume FOUR!

[casper_jj11]

Hi! I am the mother of a two great kids, a 6 yr old daughter and my 12 yr old son! He has been granted a trip from the Sunshine Foundation of Canada!!!! We are so excited!! I have to call my organizer back today with dining reservation ideas---any ideas out there??

Welcome! We're from Canada as well (Ottawa). Sydney visited WDW last August through the Children's Wish Foundation. Who are your kids favourite characters? That'll make an impact on which character meals may be more fun for them. We extended our trip and we stayed on site for Sydney's wish so we did more character meals than most do I think. For us, Sydney is all about princesses so we did Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus. My oldest boy celebrated his bday while there and he wanted to meet Stitch at Ohana's breakfast. All kids, even my oldest, wanted to visit the winnie the pooh characters at Crystal Palace (Lucas loves the building and the food more than the characters at his age). There are also several nice character meals with the key disney characters (mickey, goofy, donald, chip/dale, pluto and at times Minnie and Daisy).

When is your trip? Some of the character meals book full very early so you may want to have a few different choices made just in case one that you'd like is booked.

 

[Mom2Miracles]

This is so true. You are the only one who can talk for her and make sure she gets he care she needs and deserves. Don't sit back and wait, fight and push, and get her seen and taken seriously. This isn't to say you can't have bad days, be frustrated or even just simply want to cry and scream. You can do all of those things, and you should. A good cry can be theraputic all on its own. Talk, get it out, don't keep things bottled up. Just make sure that Madison sees the strong you, and not because its not okay to be weak in front of your kids (its good to at times, as they need to see that life IS full of ups and downs), but because she needs to see the strong you, especially now. I hope today, you are feeling a bit stronger.

 

[casper_jj11]

We were back at the ER tonight due to Madison's cast being to tight. We were already at the hospital for her immune system doctors appointment and they noticed that her fingers were swollen and discolored and sent us down to the ER after our appointment. They ended up having to cut her cast on both sides and spliting it open some so that the swelling had somewhere to go. After splitting it they put tape around it in three places, so the cast won't come off. Now we have to be extra extra careful that she doesn't bump it because the bones can slip very easily. At least that is what the doctor said. So something else to worry about.
I am so drained and tired and can not sleep. You know when people say they have hit rock bottom? Well, what is below rock bottom? What happens when you feel like you have hit bottom and something else happens to knock you down further?

I'm so sorry that Madison is going through this. Hugs to give you strength. It's so hard when you feel so helpless. Most of us here know what it feels like but that won't help you feel better right now. You're doing everything you can. Know that ok. Madison will get past this and things will be better... it just may take awhile. Despite everything that's happening, you need to take care of yourself as well. Its so easy to push your own needs aside but you need to sleep. Have you tried writing a journal? When I have trouble sleeping, I find that writing down my feelings, even if no one else sees it or its on a piece of scrap paper, somehow makes me feel like I'm venting and it allows me to rest a bit.

 

[blessedmom4]

All rides at GKTW are wheelchair accessible. The new pool also has plastic wheelchairs for the kids to use.

Katie

Dear Katie,

We are on our way to the first of three MD appointments of the day (this IS a typical day for me). Before we leave I wanted to say for taking the time to answer my question. It helps to know as much as possible in advance.

Blessings,
Judy

 

[Corrine 1973]

Hit enter before I was done, OOPS!

When Mila was 1, no one but me knew she was sick. I'd been taking her to the doctor for a YEAR almost weekly. I knew there was something wrong, and all i got from everyone was that she looked okay, they didn't see anything. It got to the point where I broke down and thought " Am I doing this to her? Am I making her sick somehow? Is the problem... me?"

Just a few days later, I took her to the hospital ( again ) for a fever and dumped it all on the doctor. I told him I couldn't take her home if he couldn't find out what was wrong. They admitted us for " observation " ( pretty sure they were observing ME )... and found that she was in heart failure and close to death. I wasn't the crazy one. I was the one who was saving my child. I was her only advocate. If I hadn't pushed, and pushed, and pushed... she'd be dead.

When I hit rock bottom ( we've had two brain surgeries, rock bottom is my second home ), I try to remember that feeling. Standing in the hallway, saying " I saved her. Not them. Me. I did this. I saved her. I am her only advocate and I must be strong. " While it doesn't fix anything, it does help a little.

Thinking of both of you ( and everyone else)....


Sarah K

Went through a very similiar experiance with my son. I knew something was wrong and kept bringing him back to the doctor. They would give me medications for his cough but nothing seemed to help. After having enough I did my own reserch and asked about Cystic Fibrosis. The doctor treated me like I was insane and wanted my son to be sick.Well, four months later, and requesting to see another doctor, we finally got the diagnosis that I thought it was. I was mad at the doctor for not listening, I was mad at god for letting my son have this awful disease, I was mad at myself for being a carrier, but after some time I relized that I did the right thing. I fought for my son. If I didn't, who knows what would have happened.

 

[HeatherSP]

We were back at the ER tonight due to Madison's cast being to tight. We were already at the hospital for her immune system doctors appointment and they noticed that her fingers were swollen and discolored and sent us down to the ER after our appointment. They ended up having to cut her cast on both sides and spliting it open some so that the swelling had somewhere to go. After splitting it they put tape around it in three places, so the cast won't come off. Now we have to be extra extra careful that she doesn't bump it because the bones can slip very easily. At least that is what the doctor said. So something else to worry about.
I am so drained and tired and can not sleep. You know when people say they have hit rock bottom? Well, what is below rock bottom? What happens when you feel like you have hit bottom and something else happens to knock you down further?

I am so sorry that you are going through so much. I wish I were there to give you a big hug in your time of need. I know you are fustrated right now, but please call on God to be your rock and your strength. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. I am praying for you, your daughter and your entire family

 

[HeatherSP]

Today is Feb 15! Exactly 2 months from today we will be at GKTW! Our whole family is sooooo excited.
I hope you all had a wonderful valentine's day!

 

[jwallaceent]

I can't believe that tomorrow at 6pm, Abby's MAW volunteers will be here for her send off party!!!!

Can someone please tell me what happens at the send off party.

I know they are bringing pizza and a cake

I am not sure, we have not had ours yet...but wanted to say YAY and Have Fun! HOW EXCITING!!

 

[jwallaceent]

Dear Katie,

We are on our way to the first of three MD appointments of the day (this IS a typical day for me). Before we leave I wanted to say for taking the time to answer my question. It helps to know as much as possible in advance.

Blessings,
Judy

Just wanted to wish you all the best with those appts! Hope all is well!

 

[blessedmom4]

Just wanted to wish you all the best with those appts! Hope all is well!

You are very kind, Thank you!

 

[kailatilear]

Does anyone know where I can get autograph books for the kids. I totally forgot about these. We do not have a Disney store anywhere near us and I do not want to pay a fortune for them at the parks.

 

[Corrine 1973]

Liam had a doctors appointment today. Unfortunatly his lung functions are lower than usual and he has lost 2lbs in 8 weeks. Right now my 5 year old daughter weighs more than my 8 year old son.

Hopefully it is nothing, but the doctor has put him on anitbiotics and wants to see him again in 3 weeks.

It sucks that these things seem to pop up and I don't have any control over them.

 

[Glo's wish]

I just updated Glo's PTR on todays bone marrow biopsy and Friday's wonderful BIG GIVE!!!!!!

 

[MitoDadMO]

Hop over to Kade's ptr to the Cares Harness that the UPS man delivered today. Now Kade will have support while flying!!

 

[Mom2Miracles]

I am cross posting this from my PTR since not everyone reads it (which is cool ). I heard from our wish co-ordinator today, and she is mailig out all the release forms tomorrow. She said there is quite a bit of paperwork and it can be quite overwhelming. Does anyone know what it all entails, and what we'll be filling out?

 

[brookerene]

We had to have birth certificates and drivers licenses but otherwise it wasn't too bad. I don't remember all of the details of what we had to fill out but those were the things that took more time ....

 

[syammt]

I want to take a moment and thank everyone for the prayers and wonderful, heartfelt support. It is nice to know I can vent here and someone is listening (or reading). We were back in the ER yesterday because her cast was to tight. They had to cut it on both sides and split it open to loosen it, then they just put tape around it to hold it in place. The doctor said that we needed to get into her ortho doc asap so they could make sure her arm was still in place. This was the worse break she has had and they tape the cast closed - really? I was not happy, but that is just par for the course with me these days. So we have an appointment in the morning with her ortho doc and I am hoping that everything is ok and she doesn't need surgery. Oh to top everything off her throat has been hurting for a couple days. The first swab was negative for strep however her immune doc said it may be to early for a positive so we will also be going to the ped doc tomorrow so her throat can be reswabbed. Busy day and at some point I have to fit in doing my work.
It just doesn't seem to be getting better. Not sure if I should still go to California.

 

[syammt]

Liam had a doctors appointment today. Unfortunatly his lung functions are lower than usual and he has lost 2lbs in 8 weeks. Right now my 5 year old daughter weighs more than my 8 year old son.

Hopefully it is nothing, but the doctor has put him on anitbiotics and wants to see him again in 3 weeks.

It sucks that these things seem to pop up and I don't have any control over them.

So sorry he isn't doing well. I totally get the whole lake of control thing. Will keep you in my thoughts. Hope he gets to feeling better soon.

 

[CeraMomof3]

Hope Liam recovers quickly

Is there anything at GKTW for " downtime "? My kids colour, play playdough, draw, play dolls, beyblades, zoobles etc. Should I bring stuff? Do they have anything?

What do you wish you had brought?

 

[Mom2mitokids]

Does anyone know where I can get autograph books for the kids. I totally forgot about these. We do not have a Disney store anywhere near us and I do not want to pay a fortune for them at the parks.

Ebay? I got Kylee's from there. I had them make it to say Kylee's MAW trip 08