Wish Trippers...Unite!! Volume One

[bex271]

it took me a couple of days but i've finally read the thread and there is some good info and have already started righting them down.

Iluvmickeymouse, I'm sorry to hear about your dog.

Wendy, glad michael is out of surgery and praying the his recovery will be easy and quick

becca

 

[patticake3]

Wendy, saying lots of prayers for Michael's recovery. So glad to hear the surgery went well. Keep us posted and hugs all around to you and your family.

Queenie, I know the feeling of wanting to be patient but being so anxious for someone to call! My son put in his wish request for Disney (he put in a few others that they weren't able to grant) this past summer and we were told it was being granted in mid-January. We just found out the actual dates of the trip 2 weeks ago, and the hotel last week. I wouldn't use my experience as a guide, though. My son's wish is to go to Disney during ESPN weekend, and they consider that a celebrity meeting as opposed to just a Disney trip. Also, my son asked to stay on Disney property instead of Give Kids the World. From what I was told, a celebrity meeting means that the National Make A Wish organization does most of the planning, and for us, that seemed to slow the process way down. When you go to Disney and stay at GKTW, I think the process is much, much simpler for MAW because it's been done so many times before. I also thing that ESPN weekend isn't really nailed down, schedule wise, until the event is about to happen, so that adds to the slowdown.

I'm still anxiously awaiting details and am doing everything in my power not to call our coordinator because we leave in less than 3 weeks and I still have some big questions that haven't been answered yet. But I know it will all work out and it will be great! Keep us posted on your progress and ask any questions you might have!

 

[bex271]

i think the thing i'm worried about most i which rides are the easiest to do with a wheelchair. He's going to have a new wheelchair by then (crossing our fingers) but I just want to make sure he has the time of his life. He has a trach and g-tube and is visually impaired (very far sided and astigmatism) and is hearing impaired but with hearing aids he can hear at conversation level. He LOVES to be stimulated and what better place to be stimulated then wdw. I think the thing i'm worried about the most is going to universal and sea world with him since i haven't done much research on them. I feel pretty comfy with wdw because of all the info i've read on here. Any suggestions or places to look. We are sooooo excited about getting to go. We've been wanting to jonah for so long but between drs and surgeries it hasn't happened.

becca

 

[alizesmom]

i think the thing i'm worried about most i which rides are the easiest to do with a wheelchair. He's going to have a new wheelchair by then (crossing our fingers) but I just want to make sure he has the time of his life. He has a trach and g-tube and is visually impaired (very far sided and astigmatism) and is hearing impaired but with hearing aids he can hear at conversation level. He LOVES to be stimulated and what better place to be stimulated then wdw. I think the thing i'm worried about the most is going to universal and sea world with him since i haven't done much research on them. I feel pretty comfy with wdw because of all the info i've read on here. Any suggestions or places to look. We are sooooo excited about getting to go. We've been wanting to jonah for so long but between drs and surgeries it hasn't happened.

becca

How old is Jonah? His situation sounds very similar to Alize (wheelchair, trach, g-tube, visual problems). We didn't do a lot of rides out of choice but I found it easy to get on the ones we did. We had to carry Alize on a few but it wasn't hard since he's only 38 pounds. We used the MAW lounge and the first aid stations a lot for suctioning and feeds though we also suctioned him wherever we needed. If I can help with specific questions, ask away. Karen

 

[Queenie122]

Michael is out of surgery and doing well. The docs did a great job. Now we do the ICU/intubation waiting game. Thanks for all your thoughts.

Thanks for letting us know, I'm praying for your boy. I know know tough it is to watch our babies go through surgeries.

I'm still anxiously awaiting details and am doing everything in my power not to call our coordinator because we leave in less than 3 weeks and I still have some big questions that haven't been answered yet. But I know it will all work out and it will be great! Keep us posted on your progress and ask any questions you might have!

Thanks for the details Patticake! I can completely understand being anxious, I am a planner by nature and am certainly not used to waiting on someone else to get things done!

Luckily, the head of our team called today!!! She will be training two new people on my daughter's wish so she got availability from us and now she just has to go back to them and set it up. She said she wants to have the visit completed in 10 days. We're so excited, I hope they come soon. Of course, she doesn't know that I've read trip reports and have a lot of questions! lol. I did ask if it would be possible to pay for my Mom to come along, she mentioned that they have done it before and she would let the main office know. My daughter is our only child so I guess there is a chance they send Mom along too. My brother, who lives here with me, my husband and my daughter wants to come too but I don't know if they'll let us bring along two extra.

i think the thing i'm worried about most i which rides are the easiest to do with a wheelchair. He's going to have a new wheelchair by then (crossing our fingers) but I just want to make sure he has the time of his life. He has a trach and g-tube and is visually impaired (very far sided and astigmatism) and is hearing impaired but with hearing aids he can hear at conversation level. He LOVES to be stimulated and what better place to be stimulated then wdw. I think the thing i'm worried about the most is going to universal and sea world with him since i haven't done much research on them. I feel pretty comfy with wdw because of all the info i've read on here. Any suggestions or places to look. We are sooooo excited about getting to go. We've been wanting to jonah for so long but between drs and surgeries it hasn't happened.

becca

It's been a long time since I've been to Universal and Sea World. My daughter has a g-tube now and she had a trach, so I know what that's like. How old is your son?

Honestly, I was thinking of not bringing my daughter to Universal this trip. Universal has a lot of thrill rides (which I love but not so great for a three 1/2 year old. Actually, she would go on them if she could!). The few times I've been there were huge 2 hour lines for everything. But that was before IOA opened and that may have lessened the crowds.

If your son is older, I can think of a bunch of rides he can probably easily take his wheelchair on. Have you checked their website? They might have a guide of what you need to do on each ride. A lot of the rides there shake you up so he might like that.

SeaWorld is a pretty fun place. It's mostly shows and Aquarium like stuff. The shows are great but some kids aren't into sitting through show after show. Or leaning over a pool to feed the dolphins or sting rays might not be easy if he has to stay in the chair. It gets tough on a very hot day sitting around at shows all day though.

Hope that helped. Maybe trying contacting the parks and see if they have a disability guide?

 

[Queenie122]

I KNEW if I posted they could call!! Tuesday at 6:30pm

 

[bex271]

Jonah is 4 but we're hoping we get to go for his 5th birthday in november. I haven't been to universal in 14 years and i went with my high school band so i have no idea what they have for kids. I looked at their website but i'm so tired right now i can't make heads or tales of it.

We're hoping to his hearing aid surgery is going to happen before we go or right after. It was suppose to have been done in january but because of insurance stuff it didn't happen so now we're waiting for appeals and all that fun stuff. He has had at least 2 surgeries a year since he was 2 months old and this was going to be the last planned surgery until he was eight.

Karen i'm sure i'll have more questions as we go along. I've read some of your posts from the trach board too. I just haven't been there in awhile.

We want him to ride some especially if they are bouncy. He has the best head control when he's bouncing i can't figure it out. I guess he thinks still on the horse, but if we keep him still he flops over but bounce him and he can sit with little support. i'm babbling now and have no idea if this makes since at all

queenie hope you like your volunteers.

becca

 

[bex271]

just thought of a question since he's sleeping, do they have bed rails at GKTW

becca

 

[alizesmom]

Just ask and they will get you rails. We got the kind that fits under the mattress for one side and just pushed the other side against the wall. Karen

 

[LindaBabe]

Sending warm thoughts to Wendy and her family.

 

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

We just got our call from MAW and we are going to disney we don't have our dates yet but we requested towards the end of the year when it's not as hot. I'm so excited. I've been reading some of the trip reports and that makes me even more excited. I know i'm going to have lots of questions

becca

So glad you found us! Ask away...we like to help! Nov. Dec. time is awesome. DH and I went in Dec. of '05 and loved it!

Not sure if I mentioned it here, but we were told last Friday that we'll be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. I don't know anything about it, but it looks great on the Disney website! Excitement is building at our house!

I am so jealous!!!!! I have always wanted to stay there!!! Maybe now that they have the villas, we can rent points from a DVC member and stay there on our next trip!!!!


I just wanted to share that I FINALLY finished my TR!! Woohoo!!! It is very cold here today and we are staying inside! So, I got to work and finished it!! Yay!! I would be honored if you went and read it!

 

[wendygrace]

We did Michael's wish trip for his Fifth Birthday! It was awesome!!

Michael is doing well. He is still in ICU but hanging in there. If you want, you can check out his carepage. PM me for the name of it. Our biggest concern is the skin they used to close him up. Its not profusing as much as they'd like.

iluvmickeymouse, so glad you finished your report.

Oh, if there are any reports that are not linked on the first page, please PM me and I'll try and add them in soon.

Take care!

 

[LeeLee2U]

Wendy Praying for Michael

Becca We transferred Braeton for most of the rides but I do remember that Dumbo, Peter Pan, Jungle Cruise. Alladins Magic Carpet Ride whatever it's called all are wheelchair accessible and have some movement. The Magic carpets can be as smooth as you want or by moving the buttons you can have the ride go up or down and tilt. B really loved these due to the movements. Almost every ride we went on was wheelchair accessible but we did transfer on most for him. There was a thread that listed the rides I think on the disabilities thread. I will try to find it for you.
Does your son take hippotherapy? You mentioned the horses and I just wondered. B is 5 and he has hippothereapy every Tues. It has really made a difference.

 

[bex271]

Leelee,
jonah does take hippotherapy every thursday and really LOVES it. he's been going for 1 1/2 yrs now and it has helped a lot too. When we started he was sooooooo floppy and had the worst head control, but now he can hold up his head and is sitting with support when he wants too. His strength is getting better too. He gets speech, ot, pt, and hippo therapy. We're getting ready to do speech 2 days a week (hopefully). I'll have to try and post a picture of him later.

Wendy, i'm glad he's doing o.k. and hope the skin area is heals the way it's suppose to.

 

[bex271]

This is jonah in his swing yesterday. I'm looking for a better picture, please excuse the drool

becca

 

[alizesmom]

Becca, I love the picture and what's a little drool between friends? Karen

 

[bex271]

Karen thanks i think it's cute one. as long as he doesn't share to much drool we'll be fine. How's Alize doing?

becca

 

[LindaBabe]

Doesn't that child have beautiful eyes?!

fyi, There is horse riding at GKTW, too.

 

[bex271]

I'm so excited we just heard that insurance has approved jonah's hearing aid surgery. This was suppose to have been in january but it got denied a few days before it happened. Long story short the date is march 10th right now, i haven't spoken to the scheduling nurse yet but hopefully tomorrow it will be a more concrete date. i'm just about jumping out of my skin. We thought we were going to have wait a lot longer
I explain more about the surgery later but i've gotta feed jonah. I just had to tell someone since hubby isn't home yet to help celebrate

becca

 

[bex271]

Lindababe,
thanx for the compliment on jonah's eyes

becca