Day 8...One Final Day of Fun (Part 3)
Once we got back to the CSR, I quickly checked us in to our flight using on-site check in (very easy to use) and then we headed straight for the Dig Site and Siesta's Pool Bar. I got a heaping serving of beef nachos and a side of fries (nothing like two appetizers to fill you up
). I washed it down with a tasty strawberry daiquiri
Stitch dined on a hot dog and fries basket. He washed his down with a virgin pina colada. We had a very relaxing meal.
Once we were fed, we were up for some fun. We grabbed the volleyball located behind the volleyball court sign and played a game of sand volleyball. It was fun but maybe not the best idea. We were both hot by the time we called it a tie and it would have been a good time to go for a swim. However, our suits were packed and headed to the airport so we made do with another round of frosty drinks. While I sat and sipped, I once again pulled out my Kindle and started to get into a good book while
Stitch made himself at home on the playground. After a bit, he started swinging, this is where our relaxing afternoon took a turn for the worse. As he was swinging, sand somehow either blew into his eye or fell off of his hands or some other part of his body and into his eye.
The shriek that followed let me know that something was wrong. I jumped up and raced over thinking I was going to find a welt where a bee had stung him or a large pinch mark where he had gotten caught up in the chain of the swing, instead, I found my little man rubbing his eyes and in a tremendous amount of pain.
I spent about fifteen minutes trying to rinse his eye out/calm him down...it didn't work. Toward the end of that time, we started walking toward El Centro because I was realizing that I was (most likely) going to need to take him to a doctor.
Once we got to El Centro, a very sweet front desk manager noticed I was looking a bit worried and had a crying child at my side. She approached me while I was in line and asked if there was anything she could do to help. She listened to what happened and then guided us out of line and found us a quiet place to sit. She also called EMTs to come out and take a look at his eye. I assured her that level of care was not needed (I was just hoping for the address of the closest walk in clinic, urgent treatment center or hospital) but she insisted (my guess is that covers Disney's figurative butt) and said it we would not be billed (I would have had no problem paying if I thought he needed an ambulance, but I really didn't think calling one out was warranted in this instance). However, no matter why she did it, she did it in a very caring way. She was very helpful and instantly made me feel at ease...and just about then, I wasn't feeling very calm. My son was hurt (even if it wasn't anything serious, he was in a lot of pain), I was all alone without dh to help me take care of him, we had a plane that we needed to catch in about five hours and to top it all off, it was just breaking my heart to see him cry.
Within a few short minutes the wonderful EMTs from the Reedy Creek Fire Department were there. I instantly apologized for dragging them out for 'sand in the eye' but they assured me that this was just what they were there for and it was no problem at all. After taking a look at him, using an eye wash kit and asking us a few questions, they decided that there was nothing more they could do for him on-site. They thought he might have scratched his cornea and suggested taking him to an urgent treatment center not far from there.
The very wonderful CM who had been helping us the entire time now got one of the resort's vans to take us directly there. I once again assured her that Disney didn't do anything to cause him harm (people get sand in their eyes all of the time and nobody is at fault for it happening) and told her that I could be happy to just hail a cab if they gave me the address. She assured me it was 'their pleasure' to do this for us and sent us on our way with her business card (so we could call if we needed a ride or anything else at all) and with the promise to help us get to the airport should we not make it back in time for our scheduled town car pick up.
While I never want any of my kids to be in need of medical attention, I was very pleased with the caring helpfulness offered by the staff at the CSR. They made a bad situation better by just being as helpful as they could and trying to take away the stresses that went along with having an injured little one. I cannot put into words how grateful I still am to the wonderful CMs that helped us out that day. I thought that the staff at the CSR was helpful, kind, attentive, caring and quick when we found ourselves in need of a bit of help. I wrote two separate letters (one commending the special CM by name who was our main helper and another thanking them for the efforts of all of the CMs who stopped to help us that day) to WDW's guest communications upon our return home. I will always be grateful for their kindness when
Stitch needed help.
Turns out,
Stitch had three scratches on his cornea! Poor thing, no wonder he was in so much pain. We were taken directly back and seen immediately (I think a child with eye trauma and severe pain got us bumped up the triage list). As soon as the doctor put numbing drops in his eye, he felt MUCH better. And although we had a recheck once we got home and ten days worth of antibiotic drops...I was thankful that
Stitch's injury was so easily 'fixed'.
As soon as he was patched up (quite literally), we were able to grab a free shuttle back to the CSR. We ended up making it back to the resort with about 25 minutes to spare before our airport pick up. After thanking the wonderful CM who helped us (and reporting back to her about what was going on)
Stitch and I grabbed a very quick last meal at the Pepper Market.
Then it was off to wait for our town car to drive us to the airport.
We luckily had the same driver ("Jeeves") who picked us up in the limo on our way to the resort. He was SO good with
Stitch. He joked around with him and had him laughing in no time. He even took two quarters out of his own pocket and gave them to my little patched pirate "two bits for you cause every pirate needs a treasure". I cannot speak highly enough about Sir Randolph's Limo Service. We will be using them again in the future.
Once we got to MCO we even had a little bit of time to burn so we grabbed drinks at Starbucks and sat talking about all of the fun we had together. That time at the airport is one of my very favorite memories from the trip. The relief of him being okay, the excitement over the fact that I would shortly be seeing my other guys and the happiness I felt while we were talking about all of the special things we had done together mingled into one awesome feeling.
He may have been patched up, but he was still smiling.
A pirate face.
A sweet smile as he talked with me about our fun trip.
Finally, just before they called us to board, the day started to catch up to him.
Goodbye, Orlando...we hope to be back soon!
As we flew, I was on cloud 9 thinking about getting to hug my other boys and dh. I had really missed just as much as I had loved spending one on one time with my sweet
Stitch.
Sunset in the clouds.
Stitch giving me his smile at our layover stop.
About a half an hour after this picture, the numbing drops started to wear off and he was in a lot of pain (again). I felt terrible for him. I gave him some of his headache medicine (it was strong pain relief and sure needed it) and cuddled him up to me. We had a terrific gate agent who noticed his discomfort and told us to come up when he started to pre board our final flight. I was very grateful for being able to get him on the plane and settled before everyone else was jostling through the aisles.
A short flight later, we were finally home!
It was WONDERFUL to walk to the baggage claim area and find dh waiting there for us. I don't know that either of us has ever hugged him quite the tightly before...and certainly, not at the same time.
I wonder how he was able to breathe. I solidified what I had already known, I could happily stay for a very long time at WDW as long as my family was with me. Without them, nowhere really feels right.
UP NEXT: Final thoughts.
