Should roll out the driveway in 10 days

[brat]

Will come back and fill in details of the last few days.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Found ya!! Have a good sleep tonight!

 

[JKMJ441724]

As we left I noticed a "Freeians" bumper sticker on one of their vans and a pop-up.

I saw a bumper sticker this morning that said "My child is inmate of the month at county jail"

What a loser.

 

[JKMJ441724]

Wish we could bring you guys along with us.

Oh but you ARE!!! Told you I wouldn't get any work done this morning!!!!

 

[letthewookiewin]

You have such an amazing sounding family. I truly hope the time at WDW is very magical. I hope that all the troubles with the trip are over and it's nothing but smooth sailing from here on out. I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!!

 

[brat]

Everything it magical here!I will give you guys the run down in trip report.

Now to fill in some details of pre-trip report.

I will do this in sections as I just typed it once but too slow so lost it.

So where does a family our size with power chairs stay when they need a room?

We found a motel that only had one handicapped room, it had one queen size bed. No room for enough cots to sleep our family even with some of us sleeping in our chairs.

Owner did not want us going someplace else and he came up with an

His meeting roomis big and nobody rented it, it has two bathrooms each with a wheelchair stall and a shower.So when he showed it to us empty he said he can put beds and a crib in the room.

So long and short of it, beds, a crib and a table were added. They helped get our food from the crunched RV along with everything still in one peice. Since there already was a kitchen set-up for meeting caters to use we could fix food and store it in the full size room fridge.

 

[brat]

Moving on, our shuttle van was sent to us by train. We had shipped it to Orlando. Since I had my boss picking it up at the train station to drive to WDW for transport while at Disney.(Buses do not hold nine power chairs and if they did someone else could be using those tie-downs)

We got our shuttle van before it was decided where we would stay, so an extra night at motel while that was ironed out.

In the morning we knew where we were going, had a way to get there and on the road we were.

We decide to drive longer than plan had been so we can get to WDW sooner.
Do not worry this did not cause any issues.

After a long drive we arrive at the hotel we booked.DH stays with the kids while I go in to see if the rooms will work.(really multi-chair friendly since we are not just a one chair per room family) I look around thinking this will work.
As I brush past the bed to look at the bathroom the bedspread slips off a corner of the bed.On the way back out of the bath I go to fix it
I see tell tail brown spots around the binding of the bed. A closer look has me itching just thinking about it.

BED BUGS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[brat]

Took the keys back to management, told them about the bed bugs and was told I was wrong and that the only wheelchair rooms were the ones I had keys for in my hand. While I was talking with him two more families came up wanting a different room because of bed bugs, one with a child with a red welt on her arm.

Got my money back along with them and left. DH got out of our shuttle and helped me wipe off my chair before loading it on our shuttle.

Thank God our kids and stuff did not go in with me there.

Back on the road to find another place to stay.

 

[brat]

DH drove another hour before we stopped to see another set of rooms.

I went in again, talked with the night manager asked if they had rooms that would work for us.The young man said that he did have 3 wheelchair rooms left. Would I like to look at them to see if they would work? I go off to look at the rooms. This time adding bed bug watch to my list of what I am looking at in the rooms.

Get in the first room, looks cleaner than the last one. So I go to the bed and start looking at it. Spotless under zip-up mattress pad.matteress pad also looks spotless. Look behind the edge of the headboard and slip a white paper in there, clean. Look in the nightstand drawers and find some powder. Same with the other room.Both look good but it will be a tight fit. I go talk with the night manager.I ask about the powder and tell him what happened down the road. He admitted that they did pick-up some bed bugs from guests bringing them with from other hotels

 

[brat]

He asked if I had broght the suitcases into the other hotel room? I told him about wipeing down my chair before getting in our shuttle. He told me the powder was something for bed bugs. That they had pulled everything from there rooms heat treated and replaced all the beds, drapes and carpet.

We settled into our hotel rooms,since my transfer boards still needs to be replaced I slept in my chair again.

We get up in the morning to a call from my oldest Brother.Since MIL did not want to come on the trip with us my Mom also stayed home.Both are staying with my oldest Brother since normally DH and I are their caretakers.

His news was not the good news I was hopeing for.....
DHs Brother had passed away while waiting for a heart transplant
He had been waiting about a year.

DH is debateing just going home......

 

[brat]

Okay DH is still with us. He wants to comfort his Mom.We want to go home with him if he goes.The kids do not know about WDW.

MIL calls, she knows DH.Tells him not to come home till the kids have had a great time at Disney.Tells us BIL was so happy we were going, that he would not have wanted us to come home without going to his favorite place.

We stop an hour before Disney at Wal-mart to give DH time to think. Kids and I go in Wal-mart and buy t-shirts for the kids to decorate.

While the kids are decorating their shirts inside the shuttle van DH and I talk outside.

He agrees to stay at Disney a few days then if his Mom needs him he will fly home, and I agreed that I would stay with the kids as long as one of my friends can come help with taking the kids around.

 

[brat]

Okay,called some friends to see who is up to helping if DH needs to go home.I just do not want to stay without him.

Talked to my boss she gave me the idea of doing as many of the things BIL loved that we can, make it a way to honor him.

We will all get the T-shirt he wanted us to bring him. We will buy MIL the chocolates BIL loved and shared with her.

Back on the road, and the signs for WDW this way keep showing up.The kids are getting awful quite.

We enter the drive into the resort and the kids are just like statues.

We go check-in and as soon as the kids hear this they are all grins ear to ear.
Seeing this DH said he will stay as long as he can.

The folks here at Disney are wonderful so I will let you know everything in the trip report.

 

[CCIntrigue]

I'm so sorry to hear about your DH's brother. Praying for all of you.

 

[brat]

Thank you CCIntrigue.

 

[JKMJ441724]

Well, it wouldn't be morning if Brat doesn't make me cry.

So sorry to hear about your BIL. Sending prayers your way.

 

[mphalens]

I am sitting here crying both happy and sad tears for you and your family...

I am so sorry about your BIL and all of your troubles in getting to WDW ... and I think you have a wonderful idea of honoring him ...

Can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[brat]

Thank you guys. I really am not trying to make folks cry.

Talked with my Brothers this morning, they are bringing our Mom and MIL here.They were worried that DH would want to be with his Mom and worried that she needed to be with us.

Disney CMs have been wonderful.

BIL loved to fish so find a place to fish in memory of him.Since one of my girls worries about hurting a fish we will tie bait on the line for her instead of on a hook.

 

[Singledad]

*hugs*

I am sorry about the troubles you have gone through so far on this trip and even more so about the loss of your BIL. It is so sad how many lose their life waiting for a transplant. So much need, so few people who donate.

I am glad to hear you made it to Disney, and also glad that the rest of the family (MIL and mom) are joining you. I am not sure your religion but my belief is that BIL is smiling down on yall from heaven right now.

Everything happens for a reason. *hugs again*

 

[dbs1228]

Wow is all I can say! You have an amazing family and you and DH are amazing parents! I hope with all the obstacles you have faced this trip the kids walk away with a very positive experience! No doubt they will because you just persevered through it, not sure how many people would continue on after the RV incident! Enjoy your family and my prayers are with you and DH in this difficult time.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Speak the the CM's about sending over a request to let you fish at POR. They have poles and everything you need. I am sure if you tell the concierge at AKL is will not be a problem.

Love reading here, but wish I would have skipped the bed-bug posts. Yuck-o, and now I am itchy!