Wednesday, April 29, 2009

I'm sitting in a beautifully appointed hotel room, overlooking.....trees. Lots and lots of trees with lots and lots of birds. Beautiful. Beneath those trees is Disney's Grizzly River Rafting ride. Right now, if I didn't know any better, I could think I was in a mountion lodge, listening to a majestic river running by. In a couple hours, when the park actually opens and people start screeming on that river, in regular, predictable intervals, it will sound more like I'm next to a natural disaster, or perhaps.....a Disney Theme Park.

Yesterday, day one on wheels, was bitter sweet. Getting to zoom to the front of every line sure changes your Disney experience. Stress is gone. Everyone knows they'll get to ride what they want to ride and when they want to ride it! Of course, as happy as that makes you feel, it never leaves your mind that you're also first in line for other things; things like pain shooting up your femur everytime you stand, waves of naseau the instant your medication wears off, and heartburn from taking all the other stuff. Without the chair, I would have probably made it about 90 minutes in the park, with the rest of the day spent on Mr. Oxycodone's Wild Ride.

So, I'm a more humbler mouseketeer now. I used to be impatient with people in personal wheeled vehicles....they always went so slow. But now I understand that slow means you don't run over people. That's a good thing. (not running into things is a good thing too.... especially the docking fence at "Small World"... going full throttle....it's not such a small world anymore when hundreds of people are wondering what's wrong with you....including the girl with the microphone...maybe she didn't know it was on)

To all those people I bypassed yesterday and will bypass today, who are tired, who have whinny little kids, who would like to go to the front of the line too.....I say this: I will GLADLY stand in line for you for a WEEK if you will go through chemotherapy for me once.

I've thought about it long, and have decided in this blog, that I'll spare you the gory details of all the side effects of having World War III inside my body. It would be too much like sitting down and reading over all the bad skits that didn't make it on SNL during any one of their bad seasons. There's just some stuff left better unknown. But I will tell you this, to quote my friend Wendy, "cancer stinketh"!

Now they've turned on the lyrical, gentle country guitar background music in the park. I'm liking this. Anyone for another great day at Disney?!

9 comments:

  1. It's a good thing I'm not there, because I'd have a neon vest and traffic cones and flags and a whistle to clear the way for you - no one would get in the way of my sister!

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  2. I hope you guys have a great time. We are all thinking about you.

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  3. Anna-Marie says: I am sorry you have to go through this pain. Another sister in the ward told me that there are a lot of people in our ward who are having problems with surgeries and job losses. I told her I am very happy being on the serving end of things rather than the receiving. I knew a lady who complained about not being able to park close like those who have handicapped parking. I thought to myself, I would much rather walk across a long parking lot than have a handicapped parking sticker. So I understand the wheelchair may be nice at Disney, but not for long. I sincerely hope you find yourself on the serving side before too long!
    we love you, Mark and your kiddies!

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  4. p.s. glad you are having a good time at Disney--with an awesome hotel room!

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  6. Have fun in California Jarman Family.

    Sharon

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  7. rose, my thoughts are with you daily, many many times a day. i send you and your family my love, jenny

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  8. You sure have a way with words. :) Your posts give great visuals. I hope you are able to have fun today and that if anyone else says anything rude to you a bird poops on them, lol. J/K

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