Trip Report **COMPLETED** 364 Days and 8 Canceled Trips Later !

HI EVERYONE!!! I AM BACK AFTER A VERY LONG ABSENCE FROM THE BOARDS!!! WOOHOO! (sorry to all the trip reports I missed)

There were many days when I did not feel like this day would ever come. I am very good at compartmentalizing my life and hiding my emotions - it’s a bad coping mechanism I learned in residency. However, COVID got to me. Every single day was exhausting. For months and months and months. I think there were periods of time I worked more than I even worked in residency. I could not even feel that sad about not being on vacation because I was so burnt out. AND, I don’t even work in a hospital so I can’t even imagine what those healthcare workers were feeling. For weeks (really months) I did not sleep. I constantly worried about my patients who were sick and after treating/testing my own COVID patients I was terrified I would give it to my family.
A3F8A3DA-B09B-4354-A58E-674021929BE9.jpeg

01D08CF0-281C-4091-96F1-319E1B8DA870.jpeg

The few times I would go somewhere that felt fun I stressed for weeks after that it was a mistake. I obviously did not plan on going into medicine and having to deal with a pandemic. There was no outlet and we talked about it at work over and over again how none of us could leave or escape because of all the travel restrictions. Even when we were “off” there was no true mental break. I tried to make my YouTube videos and work on my Instagram, but I just wasn’t really into it. I was angry at people who got to go to Disney. I was jealous but I also felt like it was so irresponsible to travel during the big surges. I had way too many patients who got sick after travel so it just made me anxious to see it more than anything. My Mom would constantly tell me she was depressed that she could not be in Disney and I just did not feel the same way. I knew I would be anxious the whole time being there. But…then a ray of light hit in the form of a vaccine. I was so happy to receive my first dose right before Christmas. It was truly the best Christmas gift.
4BE62FEF-1D8C-4DF2-9952-C538DCD2AADC.jpeg

Then - my Mom was able to get hers too because she works in the dental field. A few weeks after my first shot (and a very depressing holiday season because I was quarantined after a work exposure) one of my co-workers who runs all our COVID stuff told me we could go to Florida since we were both vaccinated (and fully vaccinated before we leave). It was a shock, but we were both so excited! I still was not 100 percent ready to go without doing my research. The UK strain made me super anxious so I studied the numbers, the data, the vaccine efficacy against it etc and I felt like it was OK to go. I also asked all my co-workers and did as much due diligence as I could. Everyone told me go!!

WHO?: The usual....my Mom (Mary) and myself (Megan)
Photo from our last trip before COVID
616D5A02-0E9B-47E4-9A24-6D7994E124EA.jpeg


When?
February 19 - February 27, 2021 (took me a bit to get this TR started)

Where?
Yacht Club :) Nice AP deal!

February 19, 2021 - Day 1
Our flight was not until a little bit later in the morning, but one of the few things that kept me sane this last year was working out so I kept on my regular schedule and got up at 5 am to work out.
Airport ready!
tempImageG4cVK9.jpg

Then I had a work meeting at 7 am so I listened to that while waiting for my parents to pick me up!
My meeting went extra long so it lasted the whole drive to the airport, but at least I did not have time to get nervous along the way!
Guys...we were so out of practice for travel. I do not travel lightly and usually my Mom takes some of my stuff but this time she did not since we really did not decide we were officially going until right before the trip. So, both of my suitcases weighed 53 pounds :hilarious:. I was honesty going to pay the fee because I was so embarrassed, but my Mom was like absolutely not so we shuffled some things around. Then I thought TSA pre-check was closed so I took out all my electronics but I actually just missed the sign pointing us to the new location. Lastly, I forgot to take my backpack off when going through security. My Mom and I often said to each other this trip "what are you new?!" which we ended up abbreviating to "WAYN." :happy::joyfull:
Anyway....we eventually made it through security. A lot of stuff at the Buffalo Airport is still closed, but thankfully our usual go to bagel place was still open.
I made us drink emergen-c (and I packed us full of vitamins this whole trip).
tempImageC9cCJ1.jpg

Look how cute this bagel individualized packet is! I am a germaphobe by nature (before it was cool to be one) so this made me giddy :p
tempImagela85RY.jpg

tempImagesQZzlK.jpg

Side note...I took a lot of phone pictures this trip because I got lazy.
Apparently I forgot to take a photo of the actual bagel but a bagel is a bagel!
After our breakfast we headed to the gate. Our plane was already there!
tempImage5sMMoA.jpg

Squished face from the N95 under my surgical mask :)
tempImage6yzKCu.jpg


Next up: more travel
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
I'm so glad you're back and that you were able to get away! I am so with you about traveling....I'm jealous of everyone who is traveling, but also think it's kind of irresponsible during the big surges. We went to Germany for a long weekend back in July/August when cases were at 60 per day, nationwide in the Netherlands. It seemed pretty safe then with such a small number. But now we're up to more than 6000 cases per day and everything is closed anyway....even if we could travel, where would we go?? All the museums, zoos, amusement parks, restaurants, movie theaters, and stores are closed. We aren't allowed to leave the country (or come back) without quarantining for 2 weeks. So there's no real break.
 

KellBelle

Well-Known Member
Sorry for being so late! It's great seeing you and your mom back home again! I've thought of you often during all of this. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made to help keep everyone healthy! Looking forward to the rest of your report!
 

Swissmiss

Premium Member
I’m so happy for you and your mom; I hope the break helped you to recharge after such a stressful year. Those of us not in the medical profession can certainly have empathy for those of you in it, but I doubt we can truly comprehend the daily stress you and others have had to live with. This was certainly a well-deserved trip 😊
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thank you for everything you and your fellow healthcare workers have gone through this past year +. My niece is going down In February with some of her coworkers in her hospital’s pharmacy.

I am excited to receive my second shot this Thursday. It’s been nerve wracking for me working in the higher education field.

Looking forward to the details after following along in Instagram.

Yay!!! Second dose!!! That's so exciting !!!

So happy for you ladies that you were able to return to WDW! Can’t wait to hear all about it!

Thank you :)
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Woo hoo! Welcome back! You truly deserved this trip. I followed along on Instagram, but am looking forward to seeing all the details. ❤️ Your mom’s Home Sweet Home shirt.

Thank you so much! I think I bought her that shirt for her birthday :)

Welcome back! I've been checking often to see if you started a trip report. I saw you and your mom on your last day heading into HS. We were headed to MMRR, and I'm assuming you were headed to SDD!

Aww really! I wish we saw you! And you were correct we were going to SDD as per usual :)
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Yay! I'm so glad you were finally able to return! I loved seeing your pics on Instagram and can't wait to hear all of the details!

Thank you so much :inlove:

I'm so glad you're back and that you were able to get away! I am so with you about traveling....I'm jealous of everyone who is traveling, but also think it's kind of irresponsible during the big surges. We went to Germany for a long weekend back in July/August when cases were at 60 per day, nationwide in the Netherlands. It seemed pretty safe then with such a small number. But now we're up to more than 6000 cases per day and everything is closed anyway....even if we could travel, where would we go?? All the museums, zoos, amusement parks, restaurants, movie theaters, and stores are closed. We aren't allowed to leave the country (or come back) without quarantining for 2 weeks. So there's no real break.

Ugh for sure ! The quarantining for 2 weeks was also a rule here in NYS too but yea I felt like why would I leave anyway and risk picking up something and spreading it! What is the vaccine situation like over there?
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Sorry for being so late! It's great seeing you and your mom back home again! I've thought of you often during all of this. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made to help keep everyone healthy! Looking forward to the rest of your report!

Not late at all !! Thank you for your kind words :inlove:

I’m so happy for you and your mom; I hope the break helped you to recharge after such a stressful year. Those of us not in the medical profession can certainly have empathy for those of you in it, but I doubt we can truly comprehend the daily stress you and others have had to live with. This was certainly a well-deserved trip 😊

Thank you so much! I was definitely recharged! It is still stressful now but at least I feel mentally like I got a break !
 

Pirate Magic

Well-Known Member
So glad for you and your Mom to be able to go!!! Can’t wait until my family and I go down in September. Coming from New York I feel the same way about the 14 days.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Thank you so much :inlove:



Ugh for sure ! The quarantining for 2 weeks was also a rule here in NYS too but yea I felt like why would I leave anyway and risk picking up something and spreading it! What is the vaccine situation like over there?
We started really late...middle of January. And they are doing it by risk groups, so first it was residents and staff in care facilities, then 90+ age group, then 80+, then 70+. High risk groups like diabetis or obesity are supposed to get it at the same time as 50+ I think, but Norway and Denmark had a lot of complaints of possible side affects, including trombosis with the Astra Zeneca vaccine, so they've halted that here for now just to be cautious, even though they found no link here. And they were running out of the other brands, so they were talking about skipping my province and using the vaccines for less populated provinces so they wouldn't run out midway through our province and have to wait on more vaccines. So we're behind. First, they said they thought they could start with the Diabetis and obesity in February, but I have diabetis and I'm really overweight, and I still haven't heard anything about my turn yet. And as far as I know, my BIL hasn't gotten his shot yet, and he had a kidney transplant, is morbidly obese, and I believe he also has diabetis...it seems unorganized here.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom