Rolling thru the WORLD in a wheelchair on a WISH trip! 8/12 NEW UPDATE*CR CAPTIVES!!

[kindakrazy2]

No tears now..

No go.....I've got tears....happy ones though!

 

[rentayenta]

Love the pic of the boys with the pilots! Great report!

 

[wendygrace]

Hey! Stop leaving me hanging! Don't you know it drives me crazy! LOL

Loving the report. I'm reading fast because I can feel how crazy and stressed you are feeling. Too funny!

 

[Trentmom]

Awesome update LeeLee

I love your cliffhangers. You are getting so good at them

I konw it was not funny at the time, having to go back to the room like 10 times to get things, but read it was makimg me crack up

Sorry

Sounds like you all got some great gifts from Make a Wish in your goody Bags. that is so awesome and they are such a great foundation

How special is that that the boys got to meet the pilot. That is such a great pic

I hope Braeton temp is not that high....

 

[Disneymommom]

Look DOWN and you will see..................


an update...................

coming soon............

I'll try to get one on today... It may be brief but something will be on!!


Yours was the report that made me research to see what was a GAC! Kinda sounded like a mix between YACK and GAG to me so I had to check that thing out!!!
I had written it down to get one based on your report and then started reading conflicting messages regarding WISH trippers!!! Ya'lls TR really helped me out a lot!

Disneymommoms here!!! I have the royal family!!!!
Thank you for the compliments!! I couldn't make the pics of Matt any bigger Oh Well!! Yes He was on a 2 week leave and had to go back. He originally left last Nov for a 4 month tour which stretched to 6 months then to 12 months. Now he just got extended to March and even that is not a guarantee he'll come home then . We appreciate all the prayers we can get. Matt is more like a younger Bro to me than a nephew.


Howdy. Well yesterday was an off day. His sensory disorder was in full effect! Then last night was pretty rough. We cam home last night to try to sleep here and Well let's just say I'm going back to my Mom's tonight!! He is feeling more like hissself so he's trying to act like normal which includes sleeping on his side. With dome like bandages on your head that gets a wee bit uncomfortable. Also something happend and his ears bled a little bit more, but since they havn't in the last 5 hours we are just watching to see what happens. He has a great surgeon and I have his cell phone # to call after hours or on the weekend so that makes me feel a little bit better. I haven't used it yet, but I have it if I need it!!!
So my Dad cam and got Braeton for a few hours so I could clean house, rest or whatever untill I have to get Tyler and take him to the DR for a nasty cough he's had since we came back. Am I resting????? Am I cleaning??????? Am I getting clothes together for tonight???


I'm DISsing!! That's mental rest ya know!!!

All this and you still had time to update, I see one and am heading back to read it!!! I hope Braeaton is feeling better and the bleeding has stopped on his ears!

 

[Disneymommom]

O.k. so where was I?? Oh yes we are in the Lobby at the Marriot. So we take some great pics, which I don't have and you'll find out why later!! And some not so great pics which I''ve posted a few. We head for breakfast. Now coming down the glass elevator that morning we could see the Buffet all set out and smelled it coming off of the elevator. UMMMMMM it looked and smelled wonderfull. So we go and fill plates. sit down to take a bite. "Mommy I need to go Potty" O.k. Braeton and off we go. Come back and Mom I've gotta use the Bathroom! O.k. Shannon?? Yes Huff Huff Come on Tyler I'll take you. So I go sit down and try to help Braeton . At this time I didn't have a plate yet I was trying to help Braeton and he was determined he was going to walk around and do it his self!!! Tyler was being very picky and I think all he got was a bowl of cereal and then I convinced him to try the french toast. Anyway Tyler and Shannon comes back. I go to try to get something to eat. Braeton is falling down in the booth. It's important to mention that Braeton had started feeling bad Sat night. I was very nervous. YOU CAN"T GET SICK It's your WISH TRIP!!!!!!! He has an unknown metabolic disorder that causes him to get extremly fatigued and very, very floppy. The whirlpool and the swimming helped him a lot and if I had it to do over I think I would just climb in the pool skirt and all where we could have really done his exercises!
Anyway Between bites it was up and down. Mommy I forgot juice, Mom I don't like this I want to try this. Shannon was on the inside of the booth so it was more convenient for me to jump up and get it plus I'm WAAAY faster than my poor DH so I was just gonna "Git it done"
I take a bite of mky now cold eggs and I hear "MOM MOM MOMMIE puncuated my the kicking under the table. What's wrong Braeton???
I gotta GO!!!
And off to the Bathroom we went wher he
didn't do anything

Again!!
This happend 5 times. So now it's an hour and 15 min later. I still haven't managed to take more than a couple of bites and we really need to be loading the van.
Moooooom


and my DH says here I'll take him!

Sweet right?

Yeah I think he interrpreted the harassed look on my face correctly!!!

So I quickly eat. All I can remember is the cantaloupe wasn't the best, but the strawberries, oatmeal, eggs and biscuits and gravey were good and the potatoe whatever was reeeaaallly good. Of course I only got a few bites of each!!
I grab the boys each an apple and off we go to the room.
I'm throwing things into the bags and trying to seperate what we need on the plane and what we can check. I only took in what we had to have that morning, but some stuff we didn't have to carry on and I knew that the WISH foundation was giving the boys some stuff for the plane.
Out the door we go.

OH NO!!!

We go back in the room where I grab Braetons stuffed dog!

Out the door we go again!

AAAAGHHH!

In we go and I grab the forgotten meds that I had taken out of the refridgerator and placed on top of it!

O.k. look around do we have everything? Check under the beds! O.k. Let's go!!

Open the door and I proceed to drop everything. Pop goes my purse and boy oh boy do I have a lot in that little ole thing!

Pick it up, out he door down the elevator, back up the elevator, pick up the meds that I had put by the TV when I dropped everything. Out the door we go! Throw th stuff in the van buckle everybody up. Take the stuff I need out of my purse put itin the back pack, seperate everything and Shnnon starts to drive out.
Mooooom I don't have my camara!!!

Bak in the Hotel to the desk, get a key and up the elevator we go. AHHa the camera is inbetween the folds of the bedspread!!!

Back to the van, where Braeton is frantacally kicking the back of the seat. Yep he had to GO!!

So off to the bathroom we go
where
he
did

YES! YES!! HE DID!!!

Run to the van and the phone rings.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention that 30 min earlier Mr. Frank calls to tell me they were runnig late! No problem we are a few min. behind our selves. We're just walking out the door!
Well we did walk out the door several times!!!

Ok. so we are dashing tothe airport and we turn the wrong way!

O.k. so we turn around and Yes there is the airport. Now which parking garage did he say to use???

I'll have to leave off here. Got to run Tyler to the DR. More later So please stay tuned to find out?
What kind of gifts did the boys get?
The Ice cream Party
And Going throu security!!!!!

Lee Lee I am loving your updates, your style of writing, the humor in between all the mix ups, and yes even the mix ups are amusing as you tell them! I'm hooked on the cliffhanger, will be waitng!

 

[Goofyluver]

SO...first, how are Braeton and Tyler? Hope they are both doing better!

2nd...great update! Of course I"m in tears. I will blame the PMS... How did the fever end up? Hope he wasn't getting sick!

B and Jon must be having sensory days!!! Jon is out of his mind today. We went to OT this afternoon and the OT is a friend of mine. Jon said: "I thought since Mr. Rafael is our friend he wouldn't make me do a lot of work."

 

[Disneymommom]

O.k. So the phone rings again...It's...................Yep you guessed it Mr. Frank By now it's 10:15 Our flight was scheduled for 11:35 and we were supposed to have an ice cream party WISH sendoff and tirme for the dreaded security . Now I believe I should mention that I am the only 1 of us 4 that has flown before and the last time I flew I believe I was 18 So it had benn a few years. Anyway Yes Mr. Frank we're here, trying to find the parking garage.
"Make sure you park in, such and such garage. We parked on the 4th floor. 3rd looked like it had some handicapped parking and 2nd was full. O.k. Now where is that garage???
Shannon this is where he said to park, but I don't know it's short term parking with hourly fees.
So where do we park Leah?
I don't know Long term parking is down there.
RING RING Yep Mr. Frank
Yes we are parking now.
O.k. So we park in the garage he had said. On the..............
2nd floor In a regular spot that a security lady who had been trailing us flashing her lights led us too. Yep that's a whole story in itself, but If I don't hurry up I'll never get us to Fl. Of course that is how I felt!!!!
Anyway we park in this really wierd spot with our tail end hanging out and right on a curve. Oh Lord please protect this van. We reaaly need it to be just like it is now when we come back Unless of course Lord you'd like to send anangel or 2 to fill it up with Gas and detail it for us. But Lord i'd really be happy if you could just surround it by an army of angels and keep it from being crashed into while we are gone>


Uhhh Leah? WHat are you doing?//

I'm praying!

O.k. Can we unload noow or do you need to annoint it with oil?

That probably wouldn't hurt but Let's unload!

So here we go into the airport. I wish I had a pic but just use your imagination. We have. Braeton in his wheelchair holding his backpack and everpresent stuffed dog Katie with his piggie neck pillow around his Well around his neck!!
I've got bvackpacks, other purse and small backpacks hanging off the wheelchair with me pushing it and pulling a large Duffel suitcase. Dh is pulling 2 suitcases on top of each other w/ another one and his dialysis bag. Tyler is pulling the 2 small carryon type suitcases tied on top of each other and his backpack.
We come pusffing in the airport and there at the main door is ...........Mr. Frank so we have to take some pics
Braeton and our wonderfull wish giver Mr. Frank!!!

Mrs. Rebecca The co founder of The Texas Wishing Well and Mr. Franks wife

[/IMG] And then pics of the family. The extra girl in this pic is Mr. Franks Daughter. She is a sweet heart!!

[/IMG]
And then my batteries finally die!!! And we took some more pics on the disposable camera, which I will explain

Later!!!

O.k. why The pic w/ Mrs Rebecca is sideways I don't know. I obviously did something to it before I uploaded it into photobucket. I was going to change it, but you know it kindof explains how my day was going!!!!

O.k. I don't have the pics but next they hand over a huge giftbag to Braeton, then a tad bit smaller bag to Tyler and then Yep me AND Shannon recieved to med. gift bags!!!! Now I wasn't expecting that how sweet.
I have a pic I will post later of all our stuff spread out on the bed when we get to our room.
So we have 2 shirts each plus buttons. then we have magazines for me and hubby. Disposable cameras plus a waterproof one for the waterparks which we didn't go to!! handheld elctronic games for all of us. 2 cd players for the boys, one of which was an mp3 player. A portable DVD player, a ton of DVDs, a ton of CDs and GUM in all the bags for both plane rides. They give us our Disney packet with our luggage tags and tickets. Yep I didn't have any of that yet. Then they proceed to give us our spending money in


CASH!!!!

O.k. The amount was GREAT and I was very relieved because there were things we needed for this trip but were not able to buy until we recieved th money and you know Disney prices!!! but I'll just say the all cash scared me to death. I just knew someone was going to pick my DHs pockets. I tried to get him to put it in his underwear, but he wouldn't!!!


O.k. I really didn't try to get him to put it there, but I did nag him to divide it and don't you dare lose it!!!!

Anyway Mrs Rebecca looks at her watch and says it's 11:00 We got to go!!

So nope no ice cream, but that's o.k.
The vollunteers had ended up in Austin Texas for another childs fundraiser and not all of them were back and I was really scared of hyper kids on the plane!

So we rush to drop our luggage off and off to security.
Take the shoes off. Oh yeah Everrybody take off those buttons I just had you put on!!
Tyler stay next to your Dad, AAgghhh Where's Braetons Katie Dog. On the Floor. OH THE GERMS!!!

Open the DVD player. Get out my quart sized bags. Oh The Liquid meds. AAAGGGG Braeton. Take off his shoes and braces Roll him through. Ma'am you can just walk through with your son. No Ma'am you need to walk through here and then walk with your son. No Ma'am you needto stick with your son.

Yep that was 2 people talking and then they ended up arguing. Well she can't leave him. We have to get a male cavity searcher. BLAH BLAJH BLAH

UmmmYa'll Can't I just let him walk through the detectors and ya'll can check out hte wheelchair??

NOO!!!
YESS!!

He can walk???
this from a 3rd person.

Yes if I get him out he can walk the short distance under.

Anyway we FINALLY get through and we have




10 min till departure!!!

So we rush to our gate and get put in line. 2nd family on!!

The flight was prety good. We had a little turbulence but we had a great captain and the stewardess' were great. Tyler poor thing had a lot of trouble with his ears and despite the Gum chewing and constant swallowing had tears in his eyes from all the pressure. Braeton was not feeling good and fell asleep in my lap. And then OH NO "Shannon"... I turned my head as he and Tyler were behind Braeton and I. Yep 2 people had sat beside me and Shannon leaving us blocked in our seats, I was buckling Braeton when a lady just kind of bumped me and sat down in the aisle seat. While Shannon had sat beside Tyler and a lady asked him if she could sit on the aisle. Anyway he leans up
"What's wrong??"
Braetons runnig fever!!!
How high?

I don't know the thermometer is above my HEAD!!!!!

So after a few sips of sprite, Braeton falls asleep untill right before we landed!
YES!!
Right before we landed the flight attendant asked us to wait while everyone disembarked so they could get the wheelchair. No problem

Then when there were about 10 people left on the plane they come ask us to follow them and said leave your stuff we'll help you get it. The captain would like to meet the boys. So off we go to the cockpit! They make a big deal to the boys about the honor of flying Braeton on his wish trip and how the Boys made this trip special and then they gave them their WINGS. No tears now..All right Now the DISNEY magic is going to begin!!!

Right????

[/IMG]

Now you tell me no tears! Too late Lee Lee, I am already crying. I am a big softie and your story is warming my heart like you wouldn't believe. The kindness of everyone is heartwarming except of course the security people, that must have made you nuts! Apparently they have no set rules since they couldn't agree on anything!

 

[Bill_Lin]

LeeLee you crack me up. I am you tell the funny parts so well. It is amazing, isn't it, how many things are funny now looking back that panicked us at the time? God really has a sense of humor.

I love the pilot picture. I wish we had kept some space on our camera for a picture like that on the way home. Our pilot was so nice, coming to chat with Lysi, then announcing her on the p.a. system.

I can't WAIT to hear what comes next.

It is really richer reading a report from someone you have actually met and shared Disney magic with, don't you agree?

 

[alizesmom]

I'm caught up now and can't wait to hear the next step. Karen

 

[Bill_Lin]

Now LeeLee, I am still laughing about your trip mishaps and you haven't even written about Florida yet. You know how there are special Angels for wish trips? I don't think any of us would deny that. Well... perhaps there are mischievous wish trip elves also who delight in creating these little humorous (in hindsight) crises along the way... or maybe the Angels just need something to fix. My main theory is that God has a Great Sense of Humor.

I can just picture you running back and forth to the restrooms and to the hotel room and doing your best to keep everyone on schedule. You sure hung in there and kept a good attitude (or did you?).

 

[Bill_Lin]

Oh yeah, I forgot to say, your story about the security screeners is a classic. You really need to make your trip into a comedy movie. Now who would play you?

I will give you some insight into the Transportation Security Administration. After 911, there was a big push to improve airport security. Now before the T.S.A. was formed, there were only undertrained security people who made minimum wage or slightly more. So the T.S.A. was tasked to get higher paid, more qualified people. Well.. they did the first half of that pretty well... but as for the second part...

I went through the application process when they first started up. There were a lot of questions that they asked about education, experience and judgment. Here is the clincher though. If you were not ALREADY working as a baggage screener or had not been one very recently (my experience was way back in college) you were ruled out in the initial group of applicants. No wait a minute.... if you only take the existing people as applicants how are you going to get more highly skilled, qualified and trained people? So they ended up with mostly the same folks doing the same job for a lot higher pay. That is a typical government solution to a serious problem, don't you think. Your security checkpoint story kind of suggests that there hasn't been a whole lot of improvement.

 

[LeeLee2U]

O.k. I was wondering about the response to NO Tears Now??? I was thinking who posted that??? And then I saw Dmommoms response with my post in quotes and I reread the bottom. OH I said that!!! I was actually meaning the boys had no tears now, but hey If ya'll are crying happy tears that's great. Goodness know I cried a ton of them on WendyGraces!!!!
You know the funny thing is at the time I didn't feel too stressed until about that 10th trip to the BR!!! I was just feeling HUNGRY!!! Of course the funny thing is I usually don't eat breakfast unless it's at night or I've been up a few hours!!!
Anyway reading back on our trip and talking with my husband about it. I've said whew that's enough to make you feel stressed!!! And then was like wait it's us we're talking about!!!! I guess when you live this kind of life you just get used to it!!
But you know what I wouldn't trade a single moment of it!! Now of course I would trade the sickness and pain for both Shannon and Braeton, but if it meant not having them No I wouldn't trade it. I believe that God doesn't put more on you than you can bear and that HE helps you bear it! Now have there been times when I felt like it was almost too much?? LIKE DUH!!! YEP!! In fact I've been know to tell God that I knew he wouldn't put more on me than I could bear and He must know how much I could bear, but would he tell whoever kept putting that extra stuff in my load!!! And Hey God one more straw on me and I'm gonna topple!! And you know sometimes I have toppled, but I've always had the strength to get back up. I know I keep those angels working overtime!!
Anyway back to the stress feeling. Last year I was having some health problems and I only had a few months and I knew I wouldn't be able to have Ins any longer so I was trying to get everything taken care of while I could Anyway I was in my GPs office and while setting me up w/a specialist for some other probs she's asking me different questions and Headaches came up. At that time I was suffering from headaches quite a bit. In fact I had a major one right then. anyway they had all the symptoms of migraines and what they were were..............

Tension Headaches!! I thought she was Crazy!!! Why would I have tension Headaches??????????????? Now this was back when Braeton had suffered a major setback. Dhs health was rapidly declining and they told us maybe 2 monts to live if he didn't get the transplant and to top it all off we had only been back together for I think 5 or 6 months. Back to living together and all. We had been seperated for over 3 years. I couldn't fathom why I would have tension!!!!??? She said roll your neck. And then she had me feel the tendons and muscles @ my neck and shoulders. Tight??? I just thought that was good muscles!!!

I come from a family that has always had GREAT faith in God and believes in being there for each other and we all have a warped sense of humor and have been taught to LAUGH!!! I think laughter truly is the Best medicine and there are times when Nothing is funny that day So you know what we do. After our night time story and prayers and the lights are turned out. I sit on Tyler and Braetons bed and just start HA HA HA HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA and pretty soon we are all HAHAHAHAHAHAing and then it gets funny and it's even funnier cause we don't know whats funny!!!!!!!!!!!!! But we feel better anyway!!!!!!
So on a final note (for right now anyway!! ) Thank you all for sticking with me and being here!! Writing this TR is really helping me right now and when I see all the responses I just feel like I'm getting a real big
Oh yeah Tyler just has a major sinus infection, AND RINGWORM!!! How he got that I have NO clue. It's on his chest which is always covered except for a bath of course!! Anyway Braeton is feeling much better tonight. So much better that he's awake and wanting to put icons in. He likes the pictures!! So this is from Braeton........

goodvibes

 

[Goofyluver]

Writing is so therapeutic! And I looooove hearing about your debacles! This is already one of my very favorite TRs!!! I check here first. Shhhhh...don't tell anyone else!

 

[rebecca06261]

bumping Can't wait to hear more!

 

[Trentmom]

Awww....your last post...brought tears to my eyes. You are an amazing women and your family is so blessed to have you by their sides


I love all of Braetons Smiles... Ds likes to do that when I am on Yahoo Messenger....


HI BRAETON!!1

THESE ARE FOR YOU!!

 

[LeeLee2U]

SO...first, how are Braeton and Tyler? Hope they are both doing better!

2nd...great update! Of course I"m in tears. I will blame the PMS... How did the fever end up? Hope he wasn't getting sick!

B and Jon must be having sensory days!!! Jon is out of his mind today. We went to OT this afternoon and the OT is a friend of mine. Jon said: "I thought since Mr. Rafael is our friend he wouldn't make me do a lot of work."

You got to wait and see about the fever!!!!
That is too funny about Jons O.T. !! Braetons is co-owner of our local Christian BookStore and one day she was in there while I went to brouse and Braeton brightend all up. There's Ms. Amy!!! And she's not at school!!!
And then his face fell and he said AWWW Man I don't want to do more work. I'm all worked out!!

LeeLee you crack me up.

I can't WAIT to hear what comes next.

It is really richer reading a report from someone you have actually met and shared Disney magic with, don't you agree?

Yes I do! I really enjoyed reading your report. (Especiially since i'm mentioned in there!!) I am so glad I was able to meet ya'll there!

Writing is so therapeutic! And I looooove hearing about your debacles! This is already one of my very favorite TRs!!! I check here first. Shhhhh...don't tell anyone else!

Awwwwww Thank YOU Jen!! That's so sweet and I really needed that today!! and YOU CAN COUNT ON ME I WANT TELL ANY ONE WHAT YOU JUST SAID IN THAT POST I QUOTED OF YOURS!! NOPE NOT ME IT WILL BE OUR LITTLE SECRET!!!

bumping Can't wait to hear more!

HI!!! THANK YOU!!! And there will be more either late tonight or early tomorrow!!!

Awww....your last post...brought tears to my eyes. You are an amazing women and your family is so blessed to have you by their sides


I love all of Braetons Smiles... Ds likes to do that when I am on Yahoo Messenger....


HI BRAETON!!1

THESE ARE FOR YOU!!

Thank you TMOM I will show Braeton as sonn as I can!!! We are fixing to go back to the Drs so toodle loo for now and I'll see ya'll later!!!

 

[DisneyJo]

What great goodie bags and to meet the pilot too, I must admit to tears too!!!!

 

[kindakrazy2]

Just strolling by looking for an update.

 

[dismom9761]

Hi! I just read your update and wanting to let you know I am here reading. I hope Braeton wasn't too sick and the fever goes away.Looking forward to reading more...