We're Doing WHAT For My Birthday??? - Final Thoughts

[mnmrmustard]

It has gotten better and better as our departure has approached!

Wednesday, April 6th (travel day) – Sunny and 77 degrees

Thursday, April 7th (Universal Studios – Islands of Adventure) – Partly sunny and 83 degrees

Friday, April 8th (EPCOT) – Partly cloudy with isolated showers and 87 degrees

Saturday, April 9th (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – Mostly sunny and 86 degrees

Sunday, April 10th (Universal Studios) – Less humid with some sun and 89 degrees

Monday, April 11th (Magic Kingdom) – Mostly sunny and 87 degrees

Tuesday, April 12th (Animal Kingdom) – Mostly overcast and 89 degrees

 

[Marshay]

Marsha, I'm sure I must've seen those pics before but I don't remember them!

Actually, nope, you haven't. That trip was in 2004 BD (before Dis)

 

[cherbear]

Actually, nope, you haven't. That trip was in 2004 BD (before Dis)

well thanks for sharing them with us!

 

[Trentmom]

Weather looks gorgeous

You really lucked out.

I think last week it was like a week of non stop raining

 

[mnmrmustard]

Weather looks gorgeous

You really lucked out.

I think last week it was like a week of non stop raining

Yup, last week was lots of thunderstorms and it was looking doubtful for this next week when I first looked. But as the dates grew nearer the weather has for once gotten better!

Car is packed, we're about to hit the road for Portland - whoohoo!

 

[kaoden39]

Yup, last week was lots of thunderstorms and it was looking doubtful for this next week when I first looked. But as the dates grew nearer the weather has for once gotten better!

Car is packed, we're about to hit the road for Portland - whoohoo!

Oh this is great!! I hope you two have a great time!!

 

[Trentmom]

Have a good trip!!!!

Can't wait to hear all about it and see your pics

 

[cherbear]

Headed out??? Have a great trip!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Marshay]

Have fun!!!!

I can't wait to hear about it!

 

[mnmrmustard]

Oh this is great!! I hope you two have a great time!!

It was quite an experience for sure!

Have a good trip!!!!

Can't wait to hear all about it and see your pics

Finally getting things together for the TR - will have info soon!

Headed out??? Have a great trip!!!!!!!!!!

TY Cheri!

Have fun!!!!

I can't wait to hear about it!

Info coming soon - gotta get the thread moved over to the TRs

 

[kaoden39]

I am starting my own planning!! We are going in 2012 for our 20th anniversary!!

 

[Marshay]

I am starting my own planning!! We are going in 2012 for our 20th anniversary!!

Oooh, yeah!! I missed this on the other thread.

Are you doing WDW, too??

 

[kaoden39]

Oooh, yeah!! I missed this on the other thread.

Are you doing WDW, too??

Yes, Scotty and I decided that it would make a nice 20th anniversary!!

 

[mnmrmustard]

As you all knew this trip came up very last minute. The mad scramble was fun and the whole trip was quite an adventure. However we did not have an easy road as far as family goes.

For some background my wife is the primary caregiver for my mother-in-law (who I will refer to as “mom” from here on out). She has been living with us for several years now and can't get around on her own at all anymore. She has crushed vertebrae, sciatica, hip pain, knee pain (1 hip and both knees have been replaced), arthritis, breathing problems, and lymphedema. When she gets around at all it is in an ECV.

When we told her we were going she was pretty insistent that her and our daughters could handle the household by themselves. We told her as tactfully as we could that we didn’t want the responsibility for her care to rest on our 14 & 11yr old daughters and that we had arranged for our sister-in-law and 22yr old nephew to come up and help out. She was not happy about it at all and kept insisting that they would be fine. That was on the Saturday before we left.

Sunday morning dawns and my wife went in to give her morning meds to her and found her feverish and bouncing back and forth between being delirious and unresponsive We were able to get her cooled down enough to be coherent, but she was still feverish and having trouble breathing. We ended up having to take her to the emergency room. She was admitted later that day and was diagnosed with pneumonia. This is two days before we are set to leave town

I can’t even fathom what would have happened if one of my daughters had walked in on that situation We knew it was a possibility but mom just wouldn’t see it. I’m so very glad that we were there and that we weren’t leaving without adults there to take care of things. I spent Sunday working on packing and helping the kids prepare for the next week.

Meanwhile Roxy spent most of that first night at mom’s side, came home and slept a few hours, and went back to the hospital Monday morning. She wanted to talk to mom’s doctor when he made rounds. He was unfortunately late for rounds so she didn’t get to work until early afternoon on a day she had to do payroll.

Our helpers arrived Monday evening and we all went down to visit my MiL. She was doing a bit better but wouldn’t be going home anytime soon. We all grabbed some dinner at Matsukaze (Kyra and Roxy’s favorite place to eat) and then headed home. The next day we checked in on mom and Roxy and I both went to work. I worked until noon and then ran errands and finished packing. Roxy got off at 5pm. She was going to be off at noon also but due to missing half of Monday she had to work a full day - silly people wanted their paychecks We said our good-byes to everyone at home. From there we went down to the hospital and visited with mom until 7pm.

Then it was just the simple 4hr drive north to Portland for our 5:30am flight out the next day. The upside was that we left late enough to miss all of the traffic so we pulled in to the Portland Ramada near the airport at 10:30pm, 1/2hr early. We checked in and got settled in, getting to sleep around 11:30pm …wake-up at 3:30am and we’re off and rolling!

Click Here to view the next chapter: Day 1 Part 1 - Have We Really Escaped???

 

[mnmrmustard]

I am starting my own planning!! We are going in 2012 for our 20th anniversary!!

Cool, looking forward to hear what you have planned!

 

[kaoden39]

Oh wow what a bumpy start, I hope she is okay now. I can imagine it was hard for Roxy to leave with the situation the way it was. And at the same time I have to tell you the poor dear needed this trip for herself too. I look forward to reading more.


Yes, we decided yesterday to start planning our trip yesterday and I have no clue about WDW so this should be fun. I can plan a Disneyland trip with one eye closed. In this I am a naive soul.

 

[mermaid764]

I'm joining in

I missed seeing your PTR, but have loved your last TR's and can't wait to read along with this one as well

 

[I Believe In Magic]

wow what a couple of days you guys had before you left!! I hope the rest of your TR is filled with great news, and that you both had a great time for your birthday!!

 

[Trentmom]

WOW...what an eventful start

I hope "mom" is okay now.

Roxy really needed this trip I bet

Can't wait to hear rest

 

[mnmrmustard]

Oh wow what a bumpy start, I hope she is okay now. I can imagine it was hard for Roxy to leave with the situation the way it was. And at the same time I have to tell you the poor dear needed this trip for herself too. I look forward to reading more.


Yes, we decided yesterday to start planning our trip yesterday and I have no clue about WDW so this should be fun. I can plan a Disneyland trip with one eye closed. In this I am a naive soul.

Yes, bumpy for sure. She is okay now - lungs are clear and pain levels are down. And yes, Roxy very much needed the vacation too.

As far as WDW trip planning, you're surrounded by lots of experts here We really enjoyed staying at Pop, that's for sure!

I'm joining in

I missed seeing your PTR, but have loved your last TR's and can't wait to read along with this one as well

Glad to have you on board and thank you for the compliment! I'm hitting the ground running with part 1 in a few minutes

wow what a couple of days you guys had before you left!! I hope the rest of your TR is filled with great news, and that you both had a great time for your birthday!!

Thank you, mostly great news to come. Lots of smiles and fun.

WOW...what an eventful start

I hope "mom" is okay now.

Roxy really needed this trip I bet

Can't wait to hear rest

Yes, very colorful. And mom is home and resting well. Now off I go to start the fun