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Mark Goldhaber
08-19-2005, 06:45 AM
It's been a heck of a back and forth in the last 12 hours.

My son developed a fever last night. We had no idea whether it was a delayed reaction to his allergy tests on Tuesday or if he was coming down with an ear infection. Of course, he was asleep so that we couldn't really tell how he was doing. We decided to wait it out and make a decision closer to the time that we would have to leave to make our 7:00 flight.

By 4 am, his fever had spiked and his ear was red, and we cancelled the flights. We got a couple of hours of sleep, and right about the same time as our flight left, his fever broke. His ear looked a little red, but we figured that with some antibiotics, we'd be OK.

We tried to get US Air to rebook our first-class frequent flier tickets for tomorrow, but they had no availability. We tried coach class, but they couldn't even sit two of us together. (Not good with an almost-7YO who is a little nervous about flying.) We were able to book seats on Southwest for tomorrow, returning a day after originally planned to keep the same length-of-trip, for only an arm and half a leg.

My wife has my son at the doctor right now to get checked out and to get a prescription for antibiotics.

The office at DLR reservations that can help us try to push back our entire hotel reservation one day (since it's on DVC points) doesn't open for another 20 minutes, so I'll have to wait a little longer to find out whether or not we'll have to throw more money at the problem for that last night.

With only getting a couple of hours of sleep, I've just really had it. We'd better be on that plane tomorrow.

Edit: My wife just called from the doctor's office. His ears are fine. The doctor thinks that the pain might just be a eustachian tube dysfunction. They think that he caught a gastroenteritis bug that's going around. Bottom line is that they cleared him for travel. Yay! One step closer to getting our vacation back on track!

Mommy2NicknMax
08-19-2005, 06:52 AM
Oh wow, I'm so sorry! I hope your little one is feeling better today! Hopefully you can get a break on the hotel! You all have been through enough! I hope you all have a great time on your trip.

disney jones
08-19-2005, 07:02 AM
i applaud you for putting your son's health above a cross-country Disneyland trip, especially as costly as this one is.

Hope all feels better with him and you enjoy a great trip!!

Hakuna Makarla
08-19-2005, 07:05 AM
Mark, I will be praying today all is clear and you can go with out any more problems. I know how it is to have a sick kids when going on a trip! Have a great time Mark!!!

nursemelis374
08-19-2005, 07:10 AM
Oh Mark, what a bummer! I am glad to hear he is doing better and I hope you guys have a wonderful trip!

3894
08-19-2005, 07:12 AM
Looking forward to reading about this trip! Have a great time.

JosieGirl71
08-19-2005, 07:44 AM
Sorry your trip was delayed but I am glad your son is okay. Be sure to post a trip report when you get back (some of us live vicariously through others). ;)

DisneyMomof2
08-19-2005, 08:08 AM
Have a great trip! Sorry it was delayed a bit but that's just one of the joys of having kids ;) They are priority... Glad to hear he'll be just fine!

Opus1guy
08-19-2005, 08:21 AM
Very sorry to hear about your son and your travel dilemma. :(

FYI (for perhaps next time), I think US Airways is partnered with United Airlines as far as frequent flyer programs go. If this happens again in the future, you might check with a US Airways agent to see if United has any award availability that might work out for you. I'm told that US Airways agents don't always voluntarily offer this as an option, and you often have to specifically ask them about it. On United, often at the last minute is when you find good award availability, especially in First Class.

Although if there is availability on United for you, US Airways may want to totally cancel your current reservation with them and recredit your miles before they issue the United ticket. And that might result in a mileage recredit fee. Or perhaps they can just reassign the award without a mileage recredit fee? Or perhaps there's no fee if you rebook under US Airways code-share flight numbers flying on United metal? I don't really know as I don't fly them much and am not familiar with their program rules.

But it might be worth an inquiry next time if something like this last-minute change of dates happens to you again.

Good Luck and hope your son gets well soon! And try to enjoy your trip despite going from First Class to Southwest!

Disneyfun
08-19-2005, 08:36 AM
One warning on gastroenteritis bug My daughter got it last friday! It came on pretty suddenly. THen we thougth it was a 24 hour thing. You know kids how they bounce back. Well it is a week later and she is still running a fever! NOt as high as that first day but it is still there. We also thought she had an ear infection but doc said she was actually just getting over it.
Be very careful not to give too assid like lemonaid or oranges. THat sent her doubled over on WEd.
NO I have it and I am not sick except if I eat anything more than toast I just get the worst pain in my stomach. NOw I understand what she kept saying.
ANd I have the fever HIgh first day and now just hanging on.
So My suggestion is pack and tyonal(Sp) ANd I-B and keep you kid on that with LOTS of water! That was the next problem she is no dehydrated! And this is a kid that only drinks water no soda or juices really.It is water all day and yet she is dehydrated. So while on your vacation keep that water going!
Good luck I hope this helps make your vacation better!

sleepyjeff
08-19-2005, 08:38 AM
Edit: My wife just called from the doctor's office. His ears are fine. The doctor thinks that the pain might just be a eustachian tube dysfunction.

As the reluctant owner of artificial Eustachianiary Tubes(left ear from 77' - 82') (Right ear from 77' to present) I would just like to say keep him out of the pools please.

Mark Mywords
08-19-2005, 08:46 AM
I'm so sorry, Mark. Hang in there! We had a tough night too (Colin woke up with croup at 1am).

Try to look at the upside: At least the illness seems to have come and gone before your time at DLR!

Mark Goldhaber
08-19-2005, 08:01 PM
Thanks for all the good wishes, folks. Disneyfun, thanks for the warning on the acidic foods.

Opus1guy, one of the flights that they tried to book us on in three different rows was a United flight. There was nothing out there. :( We've now got first-class credits for each of us valid for one year when we weren't planning any long trips in that time frame. We'll have to figure out how to use them.

Since we cancelled the first night at the hotel within 48 hours of arrival, we had to forfeit those points, but they're holding the rest of the reservation. I thought about trying to pay cash for the last night, but after paying an arm and half a leg for the new airfare, I didn't want to pay the rest of the leg for the hotel. So we bit the bullet and paid another 59 DVC points. We have a booking code, but the reservation hadn't hit their system by late afternoon. We'll check when we get there.

I'm only awake right now because I have to get our boarding passes at midnight (Southwest, you know). Thanks again, everybody, and I'll see if I can check in from the room while I'm there.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
08-19-2005, 11:52 PM
I am sorry that your son got sick, always happens that way, but glad he was cleared to travel and you didn't have to put the trip on hold even longer. Enjoy! I look forward to your trip report.

TowerofTerror
08-19-2005, 11:57 PM
best of luck on your trip

I Heart Disneyland!
08-20-2005, 01:32 AM
i applaud you for putting your son's health above a cross-country Disneyland trip, especially as costly as this one is.

Hope all feels better with him and you enjoy a great trip!!

I will 2nd these thoughts! :) I am so glad your son is okay, and will be able to travel. Have a WONDERFUL time!

Mark Goldhaber
08-30-2005, 10:47 PM
Well, we made it there and back, but he got sick again while we were there. I'll give a lengthy recap later, but it's taking forever just to catch up on what I missed while I was away.

3894
08-31-2005, 05:08 AM
Well, we made it there and back, but he got sick again while we were there.

Oh crum, as we say in Wisconsin. Here's hoping your son is feeling better soon.

SummerinFL
08-31-2005, 05:32 AM
I'm sorry I didn't read this until today. I hope your son is okay Mark, nothing is more heartbreaking than a child who is ill.

*HUGS*

Mark Goldhaber
08-31-2005, 07:07 PM
His fever broke early this morning, but it's a little elevated again tonight. We're hoping that tonight is an anomaly. We'll see when the Tylenol dose runs out in a couple of hours.

BWthespian
08-31-2005, 07:44 PM
this is why im not into the whole traveling/tourism thing lol stuff happens and money is wasted thank goodness dland is just over the freeway lol

Disney4Me
08-31-2005, 07:46 PM
Tough when the little guys are sick. Hope his fever stays down and for a speedy recovery.

mad4mky
09-01-2005, 08:48 AM
Opus1guy, one of the flights that they tried to book us on in three different rows was a United flight.

United did that to us one time, when we, a family of 5, flew to WDW from San Francisco.
They had cancelled our original booked flight, and put us on the next one out to Orlando.
But, they said 'no seats are together'. :eek:

'What?', I said. 'You are going to put a 8 year old, and a 12 year old girl with Down syndrome off somewhere in the plane without a responsible adult with them?' :mad:
They managed to get us together after that statement. :rolleyes:

I hope your little one is feeling better soon. I know all too well how awful it is when your kid gets sick on vacation.
It's a bummer. But, it's what parenting is all about... :)