Still Fighting

by Lauren

Tonight I looked through some old pictures and found a bunch from the Make-A-Wish trip. It was interesting to look back on it all. I was so young then. I don’t remember a lot. I remember some things about the trip to Disney World. I don’t remember meeting any of the costumed characters I have photographs of.

The things I remember the most clearly from Disney World are a ride called Body Wars because it grossed me out and a ride called Space Mountain because it scared me to death. Body Wars was one of those motion rides and it was about traveling through the human body. To someone who’d just been through major surgery and who had a fear of blood, this was really truly gross.  I have motion sickness issues on top of that. I don’t think I got sick to the point of throwing up on that ride, but I sure was glad when it was over. By the way, the exit point of our “vehicle” was the heart. I still remember that. It was gross.

I remember the line for Space Mountain and once we got inside it was totally dark. I didn’t really want to get on the ride. Roller coasters scared me. Especially ones that went upside down like at Six Flags.  My favorite ride at Six Flags was the Runaway Mine Train. That was the only one at the park back at the time that was mild and not too fast. Mom and Dad  told me that Space Mountain was just like Mine Train but in the dark. To make me feel better, my Daddy would sit with me in my car and hold me tight.  I remember being really scared during the whole ride, but I felt better with Daddy there. And I didn’t get it on it again, either.  Once was enough for me.

I remember going to Universal Studios and getting to ride on this enormous bee. It was right after Honey, I Shrank the Kids came out to tell you how long ago it was and they were doing a special segment showing how they had made the scene where the kids fly on the bee. They asked for volunteers from the audience and Leah and I got picked.

I remember realizing how many people were watching us and having stage fright. We put up the best performance we could (which wasn’t much to say the least and is a bit embarrassing to think about) but hey, we were kids. And it is a pretty nifty memory to have, even if a little on the embarrassing side.

I also remember the place we stayed at. It had a bed that folded up into the wall like in the Jetsons. Leah and I thought that was so cool. I remember going to the pool to swim late at night because our parents believed in us being modest at the pool. That was the only time the pool wasn’t busy.

I remember standing in line at Burger King and Dad being exasperated because we could have eaten wherever we wanted. We had our meals paid for during the week due to the Make-A-Wish people and all I wanted was to eat at Burger King. Poor Dad.

I remember we went to Sea World and we got to see Shamoo. We even got stuffed toys that looked like him and I got a dolphin one, too. I don’t remember Sea World as much as Disney World, though. 

It’s funny looking back on it all. It seems like another lifetime ago. And in a way, it was. I’ve married since then. I’ve moved since then. I’ve even had another heart surgery since then. Pets aren’t the same,  friends aren’t the same, and even family isn’t the same.

I had some friends at the reunions that I met that I think about now and then. Part of me wonders if I should look them up on Facebook. Some part of me wants to know how they are. We had a lot of fun together. It would be nice to have fun together with them again.

But part of me doesn’t want to know. A lot of children from Make-A-Wish lose their battles. I’m not sure if I’d want to know that my friends lost theirs. It would make me sad. So far I haven’t lost mine. I’m still fighting and God willing, I’ll be fighting for a long time to come.