Make A Wish Sends Lauren to Disney World! * IT IS FINISHED...* *Updated 1/28/09*

[TarzansKat]

So glad William is okay! Migraines aren't fun, but at least they can be mangeable.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

All caught up.

And so glad to hear that William is OK.

Thanks for this piece of advise Maroo:

I feel for ALL families that have to spend time up there. I hope that EVERYONE that reads this will go and VISIT and take FOOD and fun stuff to anyone that is in the hospital...not just to the patient, either! Caregivers need some lovin, too!

I certainly will remember that for the future!!

Can't wait to hear the rest.

 

[loralie]

Great TR...Lauren is beautiful and William is an amazing brother to not get jealous by all the attention Lauren was getting. They sound like a wonderful family and you are a wonderful friend to help them so much. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like you to help them in their time of need. I can't wait to read the rest.

Loralie

 

[hematite153]

I'm glad to hear that he's got a diagnosis and is heading back to school.

I've also known a person who gets seizures that don't show up on an EEG. (They actually took him off of his anti-seizure meds because they thought they had gone away and then he ended up having a couple of really serious seizures.)

On the other hand, I also know a person who gets optical migraines and what you describe for William matches his description of what happens for him.

Good luck (to William, his family and doctors) figuring out what comes next.

 

[eyor44]

I am so glad William has a diagnosis and can go back to school. I agree Migranes are NO FUN. I have sinus ones and some days are almost unbearable. Hopefully they aren't that bad.

 

[lazydoxy66]

I'm so glad for William!!

 

[iluvmyfamily]

Hello...just thinking about you guys. Wondering how William is doing? Was he glad to be back at school? Waiting for the TR. I know you have been busy with Lauren and her family....but I have a bowl of waiting

Take it easy!!!!

 

[maroo]

So glad William is okay! Migraines aren't fun, but at least they can be mangeable.

Yes, they are!! Thanks for hanging in there with us!

All caught up.

And so glad to hear that William is OK.

Thanks for this piece of advise Maroo:

(My advice was to take food and good stuff to people in the hospital! And to the caregivers! )



I certainly will remember that for the future!!

Can't wait to hear the rest.

Thank you! I think a lot of folks think that people don't want visitors, because they are sick...but it is so great to have someone just drop by...and bring some snacks or drinks...even if they don't stay long. Snacks and drinks get so expensive in the hospital. It is like you are eating out for every meal!

Great TR...Lauren is beautiful and William is an amazing brother to not get jealous by all the attention Lauren was getting. They sound like a wonderful family and you are a wonderful friend to help them so much. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like you to help them in their time of need. I can't wait to read the rest.

Loralie

Lauren is a beautiful girl! And William is a good sport, most of the time. He does get his feelings hurt sometimes, especially since he has also been sick. He has been in the hospital a few times, too. So he sometimes thinks that he should get a wish trip! But, his stuff is chronic, but not progressive, so he obviously doesn't qualify! His parents do a GREAT job of spending special time with him...taking him on short trips with just them, etc, since Lauren does take so much of their time...especially her Mom.

It is so cool to be a part of their family! I get to hang out with them instead of sitting at my condo by myself! So it is good for all of us!

I'm glad to hear that he's got a diagnosis and is heading back to school.

I've also known a person who gets seizures that don't show up on an EEG. (They actually took him off of his anti-seizure meds because they thought they had gone away and then he ended up having a couple of really serious seizures.)

On the other hand, I also know a person who gets optical migraines and what you describe for William matches his description of what happens for him.

Good luck (to William, his family and doctors) figuring out what comes next.

Thank you so much for the info!!! So far his vision has gotten better with the medicine. He only made it to a day and a half of school. He got a bad headache on Thursday and had to come home. But, he did make it all day on Friday.

I am so glad William has a diagnosis and can go back to school. I agree Migranes are NO FUN. I have sinus ones and some days are almost unbearable. Hopefully they aren't that bad.

I used to have sinus headaches real bad...and those are no fun at all!!! I did finally have surgery. And that was the best, most painful surgery, I have ever had! I don't have those headaches anymore and get sick so much less!

I'm so glad for William!!

Thanks!!! We are, too!!!

Hello...just thinking about you guys. Wondering how William is doing? Was he glad to be back at school? Waiting for the TR. I know you have been busy with Lauren and her family....but I have a bowl of waiting

Take it easy!!!!

William went back to school on Thursday, but called his mom during the day because he had a bad headache. But he did stay all day Friday. And I assume he went today. He was feeling so good yesterday that he went outside and played!

I ended up re-doing Lauren's MAW video this weekend. I spent a lot of time on it! So I didn't get to update my TR.

Hopefully this weekend or this week!! It is going to be cold down here (for us...18 degrees is COLD!!!!!)...so I plan to stay indoors!

 

[darlabru]

It took me 2 days to read up on your trip and am awaiting your next installment. It sounds like you all are having such a wonderful magical time in spite of a few bumps in the road.I hope your back got better enough for your drive home.

 

[maroo]

It took me 2 days to read up on your trip and am awaiting your next installment. It sounds like you all are having such a wonderful magical time in spite of a few bumps in the road.I hope your back got better enough for your drive home.

Thanks for reading!! And thank you SO much for posting!!!

Yeah...an update is coming...right...up!!!!

 

[maroo]

At this point, we all had a different idea of what we wanted to do next.

I really, really wanted to see Spectromagic and Wishes – yes, our last night, and I have yet to see Wishes! I knew the kids would really like the night parade. But William didn’t want to see it. Lauren didn’t really know what it was, so she had no preference either way. And Rick and Lisa, well, they were ready to get back to the hotel... I am sure it was because they were so tired.

So, we compromised. We decided we would stay for the parade only. We went back to the Contemporary and all of us rode the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Lisa told William that he had to stay 5 minutes, but if he hated it, she would take him back to the room. Fair enough. Because I was SURE he was going to LOVE it!

But…alas…in the distance…you could see LIGHTNING! It was not that “heat lightning” you get in the summer. This was a full on thunderstorm! You know, cloud to ground lightning (actually, it is ground to cloud…but I will stop with the science lesson!) and rain…does not look good for an electric parade! Ya know what I am saying?

But we kept going. We decided to stake out a spot toward the entrance/exit so that we could make a run for it if it got too bad. Lauren’s wheelchair really doesn’t need to get soaked, ya know. We had her joystick covered, because that really can’t get wet, but if it pours, we would be in trouble!

Aren't we cute...That's me...in that hoopty wheelchair! Right next to my friend in the Mercedes!

I thought that the parade would start in Frontierland and end in the front/exit of Magic Kingdom. So we figured we were in for a long wait. William asked us if we could switch it around…so it would come to us first. No, baby, not even on a wish trip!

Rick went to go grab a snack and ran into a CM while he was gone. He asked the CM about the parade route and what they do when it is lightning and raining. Rick explained that it was our last night and that we were afraid they would cancel the parade before it got all the way to us.

Well, guess what! It starts at the front of MK, not in Frontierland! So we were in the PERFECT spot! Rick was so excited! So the CM walked over to us with Rick and at some point saw Lauren’s wheelchair and her button and got an idea. He presented us all with “Congratulations!” buttons and explained to us (and those sitting around us) that they were going to “start the parade from here tonight in honor of our special guests.” Everyone around us clapped. (Although I am positive that they had NO idea why they were clapping!) William was elated . Lauren was totally in awe. “Did they really change it?” I am not sure, to this day, if they realize that the parade was NOT actually changed for them that night.

Here is a picture of all of us (minus Lisa...camera shy!) after our coronation!

It continued to rain and the lightning was amazing, really. And we loved it…it was so fun…to be out there with all of those people when it was raining. Some of us were singing the song “Singing in the Rain” and kids were jumping in puddles.

Just enjoying our night.

Our last night in the World.

Our last night ever to be the “special guests.”

One special night, indeed.

We did watch the parade. It seemed fast and short…but I am sure they were in a hurry to get off of those electric floats in the lightning.

And the crowd thinned out. And it was time for us to leave. But Rick was talking to this other family and before I knew it, we were all talking to them. Sweet Mom, Dad and daughter. The Dad had just lost a friend of his to muscular dystrophy (which is how the conversation got started, he thought Lauren might have muscular dystrophy) and talked about how his friend did a wish trip a number of years ago. After talking a few minutes, we figured out that we shared the same faith in God with very similar background in denomination and worship style.

Their little girl was so sweet. She had an autograph book where she was getting all of the “Princesses” autographs. Her mom introduced her to Lauren as a “special princess” and the little girls’ eyes got so big. And then…out of nowhere…she asked Lauren for her autograph! Aw…Aw… Ok, I lost it. That little girl was so sweet. Lauren signed her book using a pen with her mouth because we didn't have her tray. Everyone who saw that was in tears…

Then William started talking to this little girl. And they hit it off quite nicely. They ran around a played together for a little while. We looked over and William was holding her hand. So sweet.

I did get permission from this family to show her picture on this TR…so don’t panic on me. She is so darling.

To end this special evening, we all walked back to the Contemporary. Our new friends were not staying at the Contemporary, but the monorail line was long, so they walked with us so they could catch the monorail from the Contemporary to get back to their hotel. We had the neatest time, just talking with this family and sharing our stories. As we were saying goodbye, the Mom in their family asked permission to pray for Lauren. We had the sweetest time…she prayed for her and we all talked. A magical, refreshing, and energizing night for all of us!


The rest of the night was spent packing. Although, I have to admit, I went right to sleep when we got back. With all of the lights on and everyone in our room. I was so beat. And my back was killing me! And I had a long, long drive the next day. Yes, I know...Rick and Lisa never made it back in time for date night. But I keep their kids all the time, so I was forgiven!


It is finished...http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=29936257&postcount=479

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

I love how the guy in the background is waving in your group pic! LOL! what a magical night...the perfect way to have your last night in 'the world'.

 

[iluvmyfamily]

Yahoo!!! An updated TR How nice that the evening turned out great for all of you (except for the thunderstorms!)...especially for William. Oh, that got me with the little girl asking Lauren for her autograph! I bet Lauren felt honoured! I am anxious to hear about the next TR....

 

[mrsksomeday]

What a wonderful night. That little girl and William look so cute together. I love you and Lauren in your ponchos.

You didn't get to see Wishes? Oh sweetie you have got to go back some time, it is truly magical.

 

[TarzansKat]

Just enjoying our night.

Our last night in the World.

Our last night ever to be the “special guests.”

One special night, indeed.

That says it all right there.

What a wonderful memory!

 

[maroo]

I love how the guy in the background is waving in your group pic! LOL! what a magical night...the perfect way to have your last night in 'the world'.

Gosh, I had not even noticed the background. Looks like the person with him did not want his/her picture taken! Covered themselves up with a poncho!

Maybe the guy thought we were "special guests" and were waving to the camera!

Yahoo!!! An updated TR How nice that the evening turned out great for all of you (except for the thunderstorms!)...especially for William. Oh, that got me with the little girl asking Lauren for her autograph! I bet Lauren felt honoured! I am anxious to hear about the next TR....

Thanks!!

I have one more installment for this Trip...then maybe some closing thoughts...then, hopefully, I will know enough about my next trip to start some sort of pre-trip report!!

What a wonderful night. That little girl and William look so cute together. I love you and Lauren in your ponchos.

You didn't get to see Wishes? Oh sweetie you have got to go back some time, it is truly magical.

Nope...didn't get to see Wishes. Which DOES require a trip back!

Actually, I did see a little of it from the 4th floor balcony of the Contemporary...but everyone out there was talking and I was behind a bunch of people...so I didn't get to take it in, ya know.

But I will be able to this next trip!! For sure!!

That says it all right there.

What a wonderful memory!

Yes!!! It sure did...It was one great last night in the World!

I want to go back so bad!!!!!!!!

 

[hematite153]

She could dictate to you as you write your TR and that would be so cool to look back on over the years! I should have done that with Lauren...because she saw some things differently than I did!

Ah ha! You wrote it in a different thread, but, I found it anyway....

Now we know how you can keep this TR going! When we're done with "your story", we can hear "Lauren's story," then, "William's story," etc.

 

[mindymouse1]

It all sounds wonderful..... I can't wait.

Glad to see William is doing better.

The comment about food in the hospital is dead on. I cannot tell you how much it sucks to be there with your child all alone, with family about two hours away and you can't leave your child in the room to go get something to eat. You can't leave them by theirselves and of course they don't do "mommy trays' anymore so what do they want you to do??? That is one of my biggest complaints with hospitals. I am really lucky... usually I know some of the nurses real well and Clint will let me leave for a few minutes to run to the cafeteria where I buy tons of sodas and snacks so I don't have to leave him again. What if some poor mom is stuck there without a dime to her name--- what's she gonna do??>> SORRY about that--- It just makes me real mad to think about it!!

LOVE YOUR TR!!!

 

[All7OfUs]

okay, Maroo, you have me blubbering like a baby again, right here in front of my computer!! I can't help it, that is just about the coolest story yet! I can't believe it, we are to the end of a most awesome trip to the World!

Love you,

Liesa

 

[Khalana]

Aww, that was such a special ending to a magical trip! I got all teary eyed too when I read about that little girl really believing Lauren was a true Princess. Too cute!