Surprise! I’m Still Alive As children grow, it can be assumed that each one has a desire to visit Walt Disney World at one point or another. However, “The Happiest Place on Earth” is not exactly the sunshines and rainbows it is described to be. I had always loved Christmas time and the ardent feelings that characterized this time of year. My mom, my younger sister Allison, and I decided to plan a trip to the magical world of Disney with my mother’s best friend and her son to celebrate a successful year. My excitement level pushed the stars, and in December of 2013 we jetted off to a family friendly vacation- or so we thought. I had been mildly sick throughout the entire month of November and was diagnosed with a form of Bronchitis to monitor.
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The doctor from emergency room visit number two gave me permission to enjoy my vacation, citing that I may feel lethargic towards the beginning of the five day trip but should return to normal in no time. The American Airlines flight seemed brutally long and uncomfortable, for it seemed that my senses were heightened to the annoyances of day to day life. We touched down in Orlando, Florida, and I touched down in my hotel room bed not long afterwards. An entire day went by. The entire clan visited Downtown Disney as I slept for an entire day, completely unaware of the time passing around me. Upon arriving home, my mom tried to feed me my favorite cereal, and when my stomach threw it right back at her, she knew it was go time. She called to her friend, “Angie, I need a wheelchair now!” She wheeled me down to the lobby, where a taxi was waiting to transport us to the Arnold Palmer Orlando Children’s Hospital, one of the best in the country. I was zoomed in to the Emergency Room, where everyone else was put on the back burner to ensure that I would receive the medical attention I so desperately needed. Completely unresponsive and almost unconscious, I was checked into the room in which I subsequently spent the next ten agonizing days of my …show more content…
Oh, but not so fast. What virus had caused the near death experience for this young teenager trying to enjoy an innocent vacation? Out of all the doctors at this renowned hospital, not a single soul could figure it out. I am still in the dark about what I did to attract this disease. This inconvenience can be forgotten, however, because the growth instilled in my family was far greater. My parent’s relationship was strengthened as they could only cling to each other during this difficult time. With death as near as tomorrow, I could not help but think about how I had lived my life previous to that moment. The selfish attitude, apathy towards relationships not related to boys, and snippy comments were executed as I realized exactly how short life can be. Relationships between family members were fortified, and my newfound zest for life could be directly attributed to the pain I witnessed my parents walk through. I now enjoy the little moments and see the beauty in the struggle, because today could be my last
The doctor from emergency room visit number two gave me permission to enjoy my vacation, citing that I may feel lethargic towards the beginning of the five day trip but should return to normal in no time. The American Airlines flight seemed brutally long and uncomfortable, for it seemed that my senses were heightened to the annoyances of day to day life. We touched down in Orlando, Florida, and I touched down in my hotel room bed not long afterwards. An entire day went by. The entire clan visited Downtown Disney as I slept for an entire day, completely unaware of the time passing around me. Upon arriving home, my mom tried to feed me my favorite cereal, and when my stomach threw it right back at her, she knew it was go time. She called to her friend, “Angie, I need a wheelchair now!” She wheeled me down to the lobby, where a taxi was waiting to transport us to the Arnold Palmer Orlando Children’s Hospital, one of the best in the country. I was zoomed in to the Emergency Room, where everyone else was put on the back burner to ensure that I would receive the medical attention I so desperately needed. Completely unresponsive and almost unconscious, I was checked into the room in which I subsequently spent the next ten agonizing days of my …show more content…
Oh, but not so fast. What virus had caused the near death experience for this young teenager trying to enjoy an innocent vacation? Out of all the doctors at this renowned hospital, not a single soul could figure it out. I am still in the dark about what I did to attract this disease. This inconvenience can be forgotten, however, because the growth instilled in my family was far greater. My parent’s relationship was strengthened as they could only cling to each other during this difficult time. With death as near as tomorrow, I could not help but think about how I had lived my life previous to that moment. The selfish attitude, apathy towards relationships not related to boys, and snippy comments were executed as I realized exactly how short life can be. Relationships between family members were fortified, and my newfound zest for life could be directly attributed to the pain I witnessed my parents walk through. I now enjoy the little moments and see the beauty in the struggle, because today could be my last