August 4, 2019
I really enjoyed Disney World growing up (and all the other Central Florida theme parks as a Florida native). We would go several times a year to various theme parks, we would rotate season passes and we did end of year school trips. It was fun.
But I wasn’t really obsessed with Disney- it wasn’t a passion like it is now.
This changed because of my mother in law.
Months after my Husband I had married, my Mother in Law was in a life changing accident that left her wheelchair bound and with only one functional limb. In that same time span, We also welcomed our first child at our one year anniversary- and he was a medically complex baby that had a rare life changing allergy.
So where could we vacation?
Disney World.
I remember going to Mickeys Very Merry Christmas that next year- what a blast! My mother in law could ride in her wheelchair on many of the rides without having to transfer, my son could have safe meals prepared by caring chefs.
So we planned a trip to Disney World- like a two week trip. Something fun where we could spend our time together.
But shortly after the Christmas Party, My Mother in law, Marie, got very sick. We thought it was just a complication of the injuries she sustained, and so we pushed the vacation to the spring.
The Diagnosis turned Terminal, and that eventually was pushed to the summer… followed by the next summer as Marie would be going out of state for cancer treatment.
If there was one thing about Marie, it was that she loved her family fiercely. Some people have Mother in Laws that are absolute terrors, but Marie was a gem. From her encouraging me to ‘be more than a mom’ to always trusting my ‘mom instincts’, Marie was an important part of our family.
My mother in law was extremely optimistic despite the bad prognosis- she dreamed of a Disney trip with her grandson (and now granddaughter who was less than a year). And with lots of research, I was feeling better about navigating Multiple Food Allergies/Celiac for several people.
So we officially planned a trip with a travel agent and set it up for June 2018.
We were going! It was all set. I created this blog as a personal endeavor to upload things I found for Marie, and it would be easier to find than digging through text messages.
But she was sick, and she was worried. What if it’s too hot? What if the rides aren’t fun? What if we don’t find the right food. What if her wheelchair- her lifeline gets damaged?
So we pushed the trip back to August. (See the pattern here- year over year our Disney Vacation kept getting pushed back)
By August she was very sick, and we pushed it to October. She kept hoping she would feel better.
During that time we found out some good news! Her daughter was expecting a baby.
My mother in law was overjoyed. Both her kids would have grand babies and we could have such fun family Disney trips. She dreamed about it, and it was one of the reoccurring things we talked about. Disney world trips and Disney cruises! How fun! In fact, it was the only thing she really talked about, her personal escape from the cruel hand that fate had dealt her.
She couldn’t wait to see their faces when they saw Mickey, how much fun we would all have eating yummy treats and hanging out for a week straight. It really was a magical thought.
The story doesn’t have a happy ending though.
We never got our trip.
She passed November 5th and I turned this blog from a personal site to a professional one right after thanksgiving 2018.
Because I missed it- I missed the opportunity to go. I don’t even know why. Fear maybe? Stress? Anxiety? All of the above? Maybe I was too busy. I know she was stressed and worried about not enjoying the weather.
But those are silly reasons not to go.
Here’s to vacations with those you love, may they give you memories that last a lifetime.