Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Our Trip to Dublin, Ireland (first UK Cherubs Conference) and celebration of my birthday

August 8 -10 my parents invited Josh, Gracie, and I to St. George.  It was a big deal because we had been band from the house.  We left on the 8th as soon as Josh got off work in the morning.  We had packed for Ireland.  Our flights were from the Las Vegas Airport.  Thursday night my mom got us tickets to The Little Mermaid at Toucan.  I loved it.  It was so much fun.  Lots of swimming and fun.

Saturday we booked a shuttle to take us to the Last Vegas Airport. Our flight was at 10 am. We flew to Philadelphia and then to Dublin.  Our flight to Philadelphia was good all but the Paramedics having to help a passenger before we could exit.  The flight to Dublin was not. It was an overnight flight and the people in back of us wouldn't let us put our seats back.  Not a very fun 6 hour flight.

Sunday we got a bus to take us to the hotel.  Our hotel was gorgeous.  Looked like an old caste.  We hug out Sunday with the US people that had arrived the day before.

Monday we walked around Dublin. I loved it.  We went to and around lots of churches, saw many old mediaeval sights.  We took a hop on and hop off bus and learned all sorts about  Dublin Ireland.  We ate and our first pub. . Just a day in the city.  Monday night we had the pizza party.  Everything in Ireland is so much better that the US.  Drinks and food.  We met tons of old friends from other CDH conferences and lots and lots of people from Ireland and the UK.  We ate pizza and told our stories of CDH.

Tuesday was awareness day.  Dawn the President talked about ways to bring awareness to our Cherubs charity.  We talked about fundraising and helping with costs of things.  We are the Largest CDH charity in the world. I think some of the Irish people were a little taken back.   Our Hop on Hop Off bus ticket was good for two days so back to Dublin.  We didn't go on the bus just walked for ever to see the sites.

Wednesday was research day. We had two researchers from the Dreams CDH study and the MAS General Hospital CDH study. Doctor Kays came and told about his CDH clinic in Florida.  He the best survival rate of CDH babies in the world.  He told all about it techniques and ways to help babies with CDH survive.  The UK people were amazed.  They had no idea that there were so many treatment options for there children. They had no idea about ECMO and lots of other things.  There were tons and tons of Questions for Doctor Kays.  After  the meeting Josh, Brandon, Tara. Dr. Kays, his wife, Dawn and Laura went to the Gunnies Beer Factory.  One of the beers only made in Ireland.

Thursday was round table.  One table for non survivor Cherubs and one for survivor Cherubs.  After Josh Tara and I went to the book of Kels.  A book from 800 AD that is in color.  After we went the the Jameson Whisky Factory.  Josh had a sip of a whisky cocktail. This tour was much better that the Gunnies Factory.  Much more historical.  Thursday night was the Disco dance.  So much fun.  Our last day to see everyone.  Josh danced with a Cherub named Charley. She is 4 and loss the use of her legs with a surgery.  She loved Josh and wanted to talk to him the whole conference.  After the dance Josh got emotional and he and I went outside for some air.  We were both sad that we were not able to dance with our Cherubs.

Friday was our tour bus to Giants Cozway.  I didn't have time to eat breakfast because we left to early.  The first stop was a bathroom stop at a gas station. I got something to eat in the bus.  I ate my breakfast and threw it right back up.  I was nauseous the whole bus ride.  We stopped for lunch I took about 5 bites and promptly threw it up again.  All I could drink was water.  One of the stops was the rope bridge.  I thought I could make it.  The path was down a stone maid stair case.  I did cross the bridge but had a really hard time walking back up the stone steps.  I made it finally.  last stop was Giants Cozway.  This was much better because I could take the bus down and back.  It was so beautiful.  I didn't really walk around I just sat and admired the scenery.  Back on the bus to home.  I was finally able to keep a salad down with a ginger ail.

Saturday we had another bus tour for Cliffs of Moar.  I told Josh I couldn't do another day like Giants Cozway again. I was going to just send him by himself.  He asked me if I would be ok with out him.  I told him that I would really like him to stay with me.  He asked me if I knew the name of our hotel. I didn't know.  He then said that he would stay with me.  We had a lovely time shopping the whole day.  We had to go to O'Connals for there Shepard's pie.  Josh wasn't leaving until he had some.  I had some very good food but felt nauseous the whole time and almost threw up.

Sunday was flights home.  Made sure that I had barf bags on each plane ride,  It was much longer getting home than getting there.  We flew from Dublin to North Carolina and for North Carolina to Las Vegas. The flight from Dublin was a night mare.  We had an Irish family play musical chairs the whole flight.
Las Vegas and shuttle and shuttle to my in laws.  We stayed monday and left Tuesday for home.

So Much Fun!






































































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