Hi everyone,
16 DAYS FOR US--not that ANY of us are counting (with the exception of you CHUCK). Going to the TAs today and getting the Amtrak tix and
DCL package.
Making lists of who I need to call, final things to shop for, and at least trying to pack Kenna's things. With Kenzie (my fashion advisor), I just need to reming her to pack her shoes. This child has everything else packed. She is so fashion conscious at 8, I can't even begin to think what she'll be like as a teen.
I think I'll take the time now to explain a few things to you guys. Please bear with me for a few minutes. After you read this, you'll know what we are thankful for and why we have chosen this cruise.
As you know, Kenna is 3. When she was 5 months old, she became sick. She began losing weight. Every time I nursed her, she would have projectile vomiting. She was admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with "Failure to Thrive" She dropped to the 3%ile on the charts. We found out that she was allergic to my breast milk and I had to stop nursing. We ended up having to take her to Childrens Hospital in Washington, DC for evaluation. We had to go thru 4 formulas before we found the right one. We found out that she is lactose intolerant, allergic to peanuts and citrus. After all of this, she has been the healthiest one, except for the virus in early October.
Then on Sept 18, 2006, 9 days after my MIL turned 62, she had a severe bleed in her brain. She almost died that night and a few other times were so touch and go, that we had funeral plans made just in case. My MIL was one of those who wouldn't sit still, always had to be doing something. After 5 months in ICU and then a regular room, we were able to transfer her to a nursing home. We still have times where we wonder if she will make it. She has had both of her legs amputated due to decreased circulation, and mentally she just isn't here all of the time. She has days where she knows exactly who we are and days that she has no clue.
Oct 1, 2006, my 60 yo mom passes out at a festival. Goes to our local very small hospital, and is told that her blood count is low. She is discharged. I then take her to her doctor and she gets admitted to the hospital where Bob and I work. They persue the low blood counts and find that my mom had colon cancer.
3 major issues in 8 months--I should be done right---WRONG. However, we had already booked our 1st DCL cruise for the 1st week in May 2007. Felt that we deserved it.
The day before we leave, my 79 yo grandmother has her leg amputated because of a fall that left her in so much pain that she couldn't stand it. We almost cancelled the cruise, but she told us to go. She passed away 3 days after her 80th birthday. July 1, 2007.
August 1, 2007--Kenzie has her 1st of 4 kidney stones. Enough said about that.
August 26, 2007--Kenzie has a followup appointment with her Urologist regarding the stones. Bob is already in Winchester (he was working) and met us at the appointment when he got off work. I took both girls with me. We had the appointment and everything was ok. We stopped at McDonalds, just to get a snack. We have a 40 minute drive home. I put dinner inthe crock pot so we could eat when we got home. OF coarse with Bob already being there, we had both vehicles. We stopped for gas 10 miles up the road. While I was pumping gas, Kenna unhooked herself from her car seat which I didn't see until I was driving. Kenzie was with Bob (in the front seat of his vehicle). I had driven about a mile when I realized that Kenna wasn't strapped in her seat. I pulled over to strap her back in. Bob got out of hes car, and I told him we were ok and were leaving. He got back in, but didn't put his seatbelt on. I was in front of him. 10 miles up the road, traffic was stopped for a turning car at the top of a hill. The sun was going down and created a blinding light. Our van was gold, and got lost in the sunlight. Bob came around the turn and didn't see that I had stopped...........needless to say, a wreck, both of our cars. No one elses. I was fine. The impact broke my drivers seat and the middle van seat. My seat came back and stopped within a 1/2 inch of crushing Kenna. Kenna was fine. Kenzie was scared to death. Had a few bruises, but was ok considering she was in the front seat. She had just reclined the seat to take a nap on the way home. Bob was not so lucky. He spent 10 days in the hospital, almost went to ICU because he went into acute kidney failure and gained 40 pounds of fluid in 3 days. But we survived that incident. Lost both vehicles in the same accident (should have heard my phone call with the insurance company).
And then this summer with more hospitalizations with kidney stones and migraines and viruses.
Just wanted to share. ALSO, my SIL (Bob's sister) is slightly slow. Depending on the situation, she can be a perfectly normal 37 year old, but when she gets excited, she becomes a kindergartener. She has a hard time talking, so you have to try and listen well to understand her sometimes, she doesn't hold her fork correctly, and walks with a gimp. They grew up poor, and for many years, it was just her and mom at home. She has NEVER had a vacation. Her world was rocked when mom had her bleed. She is more excited that all of us about this vacation. There may be times when there are activities in the kids club that I want her to participate in. I have spoken to DCL, and they don't have a problem with this. So if the kids tell you that there was a lady in the club, it will be Melinda.
I know that there will be those of you who will snear and make comments, but I hope that youcan look deep within your hearts and think about what if WE were your family and have dealt with all of this. Please make Melinda welcome. If you choose not to, so be it.
Sorry to go on and on, but now you know what THE COOK FAMILY is thankful for.
Have a good day and make good choices.
Lora
I think it's incredible that you are sharing this vacation with her. I can't wait to meet her!
And as far as her speech goes, there are lots of ways to communicate, especially when you are on the happiest ship in the world.
It's almost time to pack. 
We've talked about GC and he ACTED like he was listening. Judy has talked to him about it too. Makes me wonder what else he's tuned out.
