Trip to ABR - Day 1
April 29, 2008 | Updates
Today was the first day of our trip – Friday, April 18th. We had to be up early to be at the airport in time for our 8 am flights. I had received so many concerned phone calls and emails about Samuel and I making the trip alone, that we arranged things at Tom’s work so that he was able to go with us. That decision would prove to be a very good one several times during the trip, so I thank you all for your generosity because without your support, that would not have been possible.
We left the house together around 5 am for the 1 ½ hour trip to the airport. Once we arrived at the airport, we were able to check our bags at the skycap and then Tom went to park the car. In the meantime, Samuel and I got in the security check line knowing that we would probably have a hard time getting through and would need more time than Tom would.
I have not been through an airport security check for probably 15 years, so I was not sure what would come of it. We were put in a shorter line for strollers and the handicapped, so the wait was short. When we got to the checkpoint, I had to remove all my jewelry, watch, belt, shoes and cell phone and put them on the moving belt for the scanners. I then had to put my purse through, the diaper bag (after removing all of Samuel’s medication and formula and putting them in a separate bin) and my laptop computer and Tom’s laptop computer. Each computer also had to be in a separate bin from the bags to carry them. At that point, there were about 6 bins of my things floating down the moving belt.
Then, I had to remove Samuel from his stroller and while holding him, show the airport security how to fold it up so it would fit on the moving belt. Then he and I had to walk through the metal detector and, of course, we went off. We tried it again with no luck. So, they moved us aside and scanned me with a wand. They couldn’t find what was beeping, so they scanned me again. Still, nothing. Then they scanned Samuel. As they scanned his stomach, it hit me – he has a metal pump implanted in him! No wonder we were setting off the detector! (Kills me that I missed that!) After that, they let us through. I had to try and get Samuel back in his stroller while hoping no one ran off with anything out of my 6 bins STILL sitting unattended on the moving belt. It was really freaking me out as my cell phone and purse and all of Samuel’s seizure meds and our laptops and passports and money sat there with people walking by for about 15 minutes until I could get back to gather them all up. Why nothing disappeared from the pile, I will never know, but thank goodness it didn’t!
The first leg of the plane ride was difficult. Samuel was upset so I gave him some medication to calm him. He stayed awake for another hour and then finally fell asleep. Despite my pleas for a bulkhead seat for more room for his feet, we ended up on the very back row where our seats wouldn’t even lean back and there was no room for stretching out his legs. He does not understand that and would push his legs with all his might against the seat in from him while crying to get out of his chair. The biggest problem with that is he gets his feet in weird positions before he pushes and I’m so afraid he will break his ankle.
We made a connection in Minneapolis. Tom was not able to be on our same flight because we got his tickets so late, so Samuel and I had to make the connection ourselves. The airport had concourses A thru G with scores of gates in between them. We got off at a G concourse and were given tickets that indicated we needed to go to gate A4 (pretty much as far away as possible). And, the airport tram was down. So, I started walking pushing Samuel in his carseat/stroller and carrying our 40 lb. diaper bag. This is the bag that when I handed it to our first male flight attendant who offered to carry it, he literally lost his balance and almost fell over because it surprised him how heavy it was!
Twenty-five minutes later, we reached gate A4. But, the flight information at the gate looked wrong so I asked if we were in the right place. They said the gate had been changed to gate C4. I nearly passed out. Who does that?! So, back we went the other way. When I finally got to that gate, I pleaded for a bulkhead seat. They said we were too late to request one. Aaaaauuuuurrrgggghhh! So, I asked how long I had until boarding…12 minutes. What?! I found a bathroom, grabbed a snickers bar for lunch and on the plane we went.
This plane was a bit larger and although we were again on the back row, this time, the seats leaned back and there was more leg room and they had moved the person next to us so we had an empty seat for more room. That proved to be invaluable at the end of the flight. Samuel slept for the first little while and then woke up. After a while, he grew impatient and finally started to get upset. I was able to take him out of his seat and lay him across my lap because of the extra seat next to us. He was soaking wet as I had not had time to change his diaper in between flights. I had to change his diaper and clothes in the seats on the plane, but it worked out at least.
When we arrived in Hartford, we met up with Tom and went to get our rental car. After haggling with the lady at the counter about trying to double the price of the car simply because I wanted to add Tom as a driver, we finally chose a car and went to the hotel. The hotel turned out to be very nice and was a really good price. We then found a place to eat. Samuel was not happy and I put him across my lap while I ate my dinner. He eventually fell asleep at the restaurant and slept well that night.
It was a long first day, but we were happy to have at least made it halfway to our final destination!
I’ll post more tomorrow.
Love,
The Jewkes
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