Getting on and off a plane is slightly more complicated for me. I take my wheelchair to the doors of the plane, then I make my way onto the plane with the help of the crew while my husband removes the batteries from the wheelchair and then folds it for the baggage people. He then has to grab our carry on’s and batteries and make his way onto the plane as well. All the while we are dealing with children.
Upon landing I have to wait until everyone is off to get help and wait for my wheelchair.

This time around one of our carry on’s got forgotten. It turned out to be my daughter’s. We were all seated in different areas, I was way in the back* behind a group of students who were going on some mission of sorts. They were asked to stay behind to take pictures or something which meant I was mixed up with this group and the crew forgot I was there, way in the back.

I managed to make my way pass the group of students who clearly didn’t care I was struggling, all the while carrying my very heavy backpack of camera gear. A crew member finally sees me and comes to help where he brings me to my husband who is waiting for me on a special elevator. My first thought of course is “where are the children?” And he tells me they are at the bottom of the stairs. This remains my concern until we are reunited. Never once noticing Dean has no luggage with him. By the time we do realize the missing luggage we are in the airport, waiting in the customs line. Panic and stress sets in.

We never did find the luggage. Audrey was very upset, my son was starving, and I was trying to soothe them both until frustration set in.
I understand why Audrey was upset, so was I. And I understood that Julien was tired and starving, so was I. But there’s only so many times you can try to comfort someone before you realize it’s pointless, there was nothing else I could say to ease their worries. This moment would pass and we would be ok. We would eat, we would rest, and we would either find the luggage or replace the contents. Until then, they would be hungry, tired, and frustrated.
This was a good lesson for Audrey I think. It was, in the end, just a bag filled with clothes. We were all together, and we were all safe. That’s what matters