I Am So Upset!

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UnbalancedLibra's picture
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I Am So Upset!

Some of you may remember my family's Disney Vacation in 2008- it was pretty much a disaster and to make it completely horrible, my poor grandma wound up being taken by ambulance to Celebration Hospital and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She is doing okay now - on the proper medications and still active, she goes on little bus trips with other seniors to diner/show events, she watches my kids once in a while, but she gets tired quickly these days.

Anyway - so now that we are Disney Vacation Club members I thought this would be the perfect time for a do-over. We plan on going to Disney next April/May and we are planning to stay in a 2 bedroom villa a BLT. I thought it would be nice if my mom and grandma came down for just 3 days. That would be long enough for grandma, yanno? They could fly down and back (about a 2 hour flight, if that) or the could even hitch a ride with us down and then just fly back.

I figured I would plan 3 relaxing days - not much running at all, maybe only go to the Magic Kingdom and then plan dinners out. Nothing overwhelming. I just really
feel horrible that my grandma's last vacation was such a bad experience
and I want to give her something nice, she does so much for me.

Anyway - I asked my mom about it and she was on the fence, saying that she
didn't think grandma would want to travel that far. Turns out, my grandmother DOES want to go and spend some time with the kids there. So my mom calls me today and tells me this but she won't be able to go. She starts giving me all these excuses about how she really doesn't have the money to go and she doesn't want to have to ask Frank (her boyfriend) to watch all the animals again - just all these crap excuses but she tells me that grandma is fine with driving down with us and
then FLYING HOME ALONE! WHAT?

So, my mom was basically offered a free trip to Disney and not only does she decline, she puts this on me by telling me my grandma wants to go but I have to put her on a plane alone to come home. My now 87 year old grandma, with CHF...

Thanks for the dilemma mom. mad

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admin's picture
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That trip sounds wonderful! What a great experience for grandma to be in Disney again with you guys!

Now, re: the dilemma, here are my thoughts (not knowing how mobile your grandma is, of course). In the same way that they do with small children, you should be able to accompany her to the airport gate and see her onto the plane. Once she's on, the airline staff can make sure all is well. If your mom can meet her off the airplane, everything should be fine! I wouldn't think twice about it! Is that a possibility?

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Admin is right, airlines are always happy to help people with special needs. I would be okay with this arrangement for my loved one. That said, I too, would prefer if mom thought a bit more of others. Who knows how many more chances there will be for grandma to have a nice trip like this. Not trying to be negative, but I think it's important for all of us to enjoy our time here (on this Earth); especially as we get on in years. Even if mom didn't want to go at all, I would hope she would at least consider it for her mom's sake.

And I'm sorry UL, I know that puts you in a tough spot.

UnbalancedLibra's picture
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admin wrote:
That trip sounds wonderful! What a great experience for grandma to be in Disney again with you guys!

Now, re: the dilemma, here are my thoughts (not knowing how mobile your grandma is, of course). In the same way that they do with small children, you should be able to accompany her to the airport gate and see her onto the plane. Once she's on, the airline staff can make sure all is well. If your mom can meet her off the airplane, everything should be fine! I wouldn't think twice about it! Is that a possibility?

Okay - the more I think on this, the more I think she should be okay. She is coherent and she has a cane to get around (of course in Disney she uses a scooter) and I could even bring the bulk of her luggage back so she'd only need her essentials in a carry on.
Now, April/May is a ways away yet, so anything could happen but at this point I want to give her a nice relaxing (last) vacation.

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UnbalancedLibra's picture
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LifeIsForLiving wrote:
Admin is right, airlines are always happy to help people with special needs. I would be okay with this arrangement for my loved one. That said, I too, would prefer if mom thought a bit more of others. Who knows how many more chances there will be for grandma to have a nice trip like this. Not trying to be negative, but I think it's important for all of us to enjoy our time here (on this Earth); especially as we get on in years. Even if mom didn't want to go at all, I would hope she would at least consider it for her mom's sake.

And I'm sorry UL, I know that puts you in a tough spot.

Yes, I agree - my mom is an asshat... waiting and I can't believe she is doing this!

Since staying at BLT, I thought one night we could eat at Ohanas (we LOVE the Poly) and then do a Wishes cruise, the next night eat at Biergarten (grandma still has a beer now and then laugh ) and see illuminations and then one night eat at 1900 ParkFare (killer buffet) - so not to much running around - we can spend the days just relaxing at the resort or a few hours at the MK

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cdub's picture
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She'll be fine on the plane. They'll even let her board first! You can take stuff down when you can or you can ship her stuff, much easier than traveling with it.

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UnbalancedLibra wrote:

Yes, I agree - my mom is an asshat... waiting and I can't believe she is doing this!

LOL; not a term I expected to see here. I think you've certainly got the right idea UL. I say make it happen and kudos for thinking of others.

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cdub wrote:
She'll be fine on the plane. They'll even let her board first! You can take stuff down when you can or you can ship her stuff, much easier than traveling with it.

I just spoke with her - she seems absolutely okay with flying home alone. She even told me she knows she can board first, laugh

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UnbalancedLibra's picture
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LifeIsForLiving wrote:
UnbalancedLibra wrote:

Yes, I agree - my mom is an asshat... waiting and I can't believe she is doing this!

LOL; not a term I expected to see here. I think you've certainly got the right idea UL. I say make it happen and kudos for thinking of others.


laugh after I posted I thought - oy! I just cursed! silly

My grandma is such a wonderful woman I am fairly certain this will be her last vacation so I am going to give her the world - literally!

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UnbalancedLibra wrote:
LifeIsForLiving wrote:
UnbalancedLibra wrote:

Yes, I agree - my mom is an asshat... waiting and I can't believe she is doing this!

LOL; not a term I expected to see here. I think you've certainly got the right idea UL. I say make it happen and kudos for thinking of others.


laugh after I posted I thought - oy! I just cursed! silly

My grandma is such a wonderful woman I am fairly certain this will be her last vacation so I am going to give her the world - literally!

I guess I'm checking in here a bit late, but I agree 100% with the whole Grandma going home alone. It sounds like she'll be fine, and if she says no problem, then it's no problem biggrin

Great idea about taking her luggage home for her! Never thought of that!

Now, is your MIL going, too?

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UnbalancedLibra's picture
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bali wrote:
UnbalancedLibra wrote:
LifeIsForLiving wrote:
UnbalancedLibra wrote:

Yes, I agree - my mom is an asshat... waiting and I can't believe she is doing this!

LOL; not a term I expected to see here. I think you've certainly got the right idea UL. I say make it happen and kudos for thinking of others.


laugh after I posted I thought - oy! I just cursed! silly

My grandma is such a wonderful woman I am fairly certain this will be her last vacation so I am going to give her the world - literally!

I guess I'm checking in here a bit late, but I agree 100% with the whole Grandma going home alone. It sounds like she'll be fine, and if she says no problem, then it's no problem biggrin

Great idea about taking her luggage home for her! Never thought of that!

Now, is your MIL going, too?


Well, I think so but if she is, she wont be arriving until later in the trip. We get there on a Friday and I say she could come on maybe Monday

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