Here we go...The trip report I was not going to write, for the trip that I was not going to take. (And staying at the resort I never wanted to stay at.)
Warning: the first post is text heavy...
For the past two years now, Ross and I have celebrated our anniversary in Walt Disney World. We actually honeymooned there in 1992, so going back to celebrate our anniversary has been special to us. We made the bounce back reservation upon leaving last June for this year and we crossed our fingers that all would be OK for us to go.
Enter the drama...
My parents moved in to live with us in December 2023 and my world, as well as my entire family‘s world turned upside down. My dad passed in April 2024, just eight days before his 90th birthday. Once he passed, my mom went a little crazy. Life became very difficult, very chaotic, and very stressful.
My siblings splintered apart. My one brother who used to watch my mom when we went on vacation, sadly no longer wanted to have that task. So when Ross and I went away, it meant relying on Julia, Hope, and Nicolas to take care of a 93 year-old dementia filled grumpy lady who wanted me by her side 24/7. It was tough. But we did manage. We all worked together like a well oiled machine. And our love for my mom triumphed over all the chaos and insanity.
As much as Ross and I did not think we would have made this trip in June, we hesitated to cancel it. We were both hoping the kids could pull it off one more time for us.
My mom was doing a little better. I was able to get on a medication that helped calm her down a little bit. We all decided to head up to Lake George for a week in April. I thought it would be good to get her away. It was the 2nd anniversary of my dad‘s passing, and on a happier note it was Julia‘s birthday. So off we went. We had an amazing time!
The night we returned home, my mom complained that her foot hurt. The next morning, she wasn’t able to stand up. I had to call an ambulance to get her to the hospital to be evaluated because we couldn’t even get her into my car to drive her to urgent care.
Once there, they said that she had a broken ankle. Actually a hairline fracture. They didn’t think it was that big of a deal and would give her a boot and in a few weeks she should be healing. But that wasn’t the real problem.
She said she felt dizzy, so they ran a CAT scan, and then another, and then a different test. And after nine hours of being in the emergency room waiting for them to admit her upstairs, the doctor looked at me and asked if I knew about the mass on her lungs. I was speechless and in disbelief.
My mom, who had never smoked a day in her life, had cancer. It was all over. Everywhere!
Long story short. My mom came home from the hospital a week later, but then on May 9, she passed away at home. It happened so fast. I am still trying to process she is gone.
She never really knew what was going on- she thought she had a broken ankle and a bad cold. We didn't tell her anything else. For years, she thought she had a sinus infection, but could never bring up the congestion. And now we realize that it was probably never sinuses or congestion. It was a tumor that had taken over the entire inside of her body.
After my mom‘s funeral, Ross and I looked at each other. I didn’t want to go on our our trip. How could I go? How could I have a good time with all that just happened? Yet another part of me realized I had to go. I had to breathe. I needed time away. I had to try to get some time away and make sense of what happened. If that would even be possible.
So with the kids in control and taking care of the house, on Monday, June 15, after we got done with work, we headed to Westchester Airport, and boarded our flight to Orlando.
I had no intention of writing a trip report. I did not take notes and didn’t really take a lot of pictures. But I find writing helps me sort things out and feel better. So I’m going to do the best I can. Thank you in advance for all of you who come along for a very tough journey in my life.
(PS... I really will try to finish this one.)
Warning: the first post is text heavy...
For the past two years now, Ross and I have celebrated our anniversary in Walt Disney World. We actually honeymooned there in 1992, so going back to celebrate our anniversary has been special to us. We made the bounce back reservation upon leaving last June for this year and we crossed our fingers that all would be OK for us to go.
Enter the drama...
My parents moved in to live with us in December 2023 and my world, as well as my entire family‘s world turned upside down. My dad passed in April 2024, just eight days before his 90th birthday. Once he passed, my mom went a little crazy. Life became very difficult, very chaotic, and very stressful.
My siblings splintered apart. My one brother who used to watch my mom when we went on vacation, sadly no longer wanted to have that task. So when Ross and I went away, it meant relying on Julia, Hope, and Nicolas to take care of a 93 year-old dementia filled grumpy lady who wanted me by her side 24/7. It was tough. But we did manage. We all worked together like a well oiled machine. And our love for my mom triumphed over all the chaos and insanity.
As much as Ross and I did not think we would have made this trip in June, we hesitated to cancel it. We were both hoping the kids could pull it off one more time for us.
My mom was doing a little better. I was able to get on a medication that helped calm her down a little bit. We all decided to head up to Lake George for a week in April. I thought it would be good to get her away. It was the 2nd anniversary of my dad‘s passing, and on a happier note it was Julia‘s birthday. So off we went. We had an amazing time!
The night we returned home, my mom complained that her foot hurt. The next morning, she wasn’t able to stand up. I had to call an ambulance to get her to the hospital to be evaluated because we couldn’t even get her into my car to drive her to urgent care.
Once there, they said that she had a broken ankle. Actually a hairline fracture. They didn’t think it was that big of a deal and would give her a boot and in a few weeks she should be healing. But that wasn’t the real problem.
She said she felt dizzy, so they ran a CAT scan, and then another, and then a different test. And after nine hours of being in the emergency room waiting for them to admit her upstairs, the doctor looked at me and asked if I knew about the mass on her lungs. I was speechless and in disbelief.
My mom, who had never smoked a day in her life, had cancer. It was all over. Everywhere!
Long story short. My mom came home from the hospital a week later, but then on May 9, she passed away at home. It happened so fast. I am still trying to process she is gone.
She never really knew what was going on- she thought she had a broken ankle and a bad cold. We didn't tell her anything else. For years, she thought she had a sinus infection, but could never bring up the congestion. And now we realize that it was probably never sinuses or congestion. It was a tumor that had taken over the entire inside of her body.
After my mom‘s funeral, Ross and I looked at each other. I didn’t want to go on our our trip. How could I go? How could I have a good time with all that just happened? Yet another part of me realized I had to go. I had to breathe. I needed time away. I had to try to get some time away and make sense of what happened. If that would even be possible.
So with the kids in control and taking care of the house, on Monday, June 15, after we got done with work, we headed to Westchester Airport, and boarded our flight to Orlando.
I had no intention of writing a trip report. I did not take notes and didn’t really take a lot of pictures. But I find writing helps me sort things out and feel better. So I’m going to do the best I can. Thank you in advance for all of you who come along for a very tough journey in my life.
(PS... I really will try to finish this one.)
I am so proud of my girls and my soon to be son-in-law. They stepped up and were better caretakers than my siblings. I am glad we went, but it was bittersweet. Thanks so much for reading - I will keep going!
and asked another CM to put us on the right path. She not only told us how to get to our room, she walked us there! I was upset because I didn't get her name to give her a proper Cast Compliment!