World 1-2: What is CPR?

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Hello, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

Last week, we learned about the lungs and how we breathe. Today, we’ll learn about a way we can help someone in case they suddenly can’t breathe on their own. At least, until emergency medical personnel arrive.

Cardiopulmonary means relating to the heart and lungs.

Cardiopulmonary means relating to the heart and lungs.

This process is called Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR.

Cardio means heart.

Pulmonary means lungs.

Resuscitation means to resume or revive.

Sometimes, a person can collapse very suddenly. Because of an accident or physical problem, their heart can stop beating and their breathing will pause as well. This can be very bad because the reason we breathe is to exchange carbon dioxide for fresh oxygen. And oxygen is essential to creating energy in our bodies.

In World 1-1, we learned that the lungs inflate and deflate when we breathe. This allows air to travel into our bodies from our nose and mouth. Muscles move to expand the space in our chest and exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen.

The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body and is very important!

Resting in our chest along with the lungs is the heart. The heart needs to be close to the lungs because it’s the muscle that needs fresh oxygen the most. It pumps and pushes blood to the rest of the body and has the most important job ever.

The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body and is very important!

Thanks to the heart pumping oxygen rich blood in our bodies, we can do things like dance, walk, work, play with our family, and sleep soundly.

So, when there are problems with our hearts, there are very serious problems with our bodies.

Modern CPR as we know it was introduced to the world in 1960 by Dr. William Kouwenhoven, Dr. James Jude, and Dr. Peter Safar. Thanks to the work of this team, they made it possible for everyday people to help those that collapse and need help.

“…anyone, anywhere can initiate cardiac resuscitation procedures. All that is needed are two hands.”

– Dr. William Kouwenhoven

According to the American Heart Association, there are two types of CPR.

Some people trained in CPR carry special one time use mouth guards to make mouth-to-mouth resuscitation safer.

The first is known as conventional CPR.

Some people trained in CPR carry special one time use mouth guards to make mouth-to-mouth resuscitation safer.

It’s the kind of CPR usually shown in TV shows and movies. Chest compressions are done along with mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths. It’s a multi-step process and one that you can get certified in after taking a CPR class.

This type of CPR is performed by healthcare professionals and others certified in CPR. It’s used to help people of all ages in an emergency situation.

The second type is called compression-only CPR or Hands-Only CPR.  

This kind of CPR doesn’t require any mouth-to-mouth. Since there is no mouth-to-mouth, Hands-Only CPR is a great way to help in an emergency if direct contact with the other person’s mouth isn’t advisable.

This type of CPR can be performed by anyone and is recommended only for adults & teenagers who suddenly collapse in out-of-hospital situations.

Unlike conventional CPR, Hands-Only CPR is made up of 2 steps.

  • Step 1: Activate the emergency response system.

    • Call 9-1-1 or have someone nearby do that.

  • Step 2: Push hard and fast in the center of their chest.

    • The best way to keep track is to push to the beat of a fast song like:

      • “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees

      • “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

      • “MMMBop” by Hanson

      • “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga

      • “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira

If you still have the model lung we made in World 1-1, you can see how Hands-Only CPR works to inflate our lungs. The movement of chest compressions also helps mimic the way the heart beats and keeps the blood moving in our bodies.

Hands-Only CPR Example Using the Model Lung Experiment

According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR can double or triple the chances of survival after cardiac arrest. (Cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions or stops working correctly.)

In fact, another study showed that sixth graders are able to perform Hands-Only CPR correctly once shown how to do it. CPR training is a high school graduation requirement in 34 states so far. In our home state of California, it’s been a requirement since 2018!

There are several different jobs that require CPR certification besides healthcare providers. Firefighters, police officers, child care providers, and flight attendants all need to learn CPR in the event someone collapses.

But Hands-Only CPR doesn’t need certification!

There are even kiosks that give a quick lesson on Hands-Only CPR located in different airports across the US. The lesson includes a video introduction and tutorial. As well as an interactive practice session on the manikin attached to the kiosk. A list of airports with these kiosks can be found here.

Watch below for a quick video on how Hands-Only CPR works. So easy, even Ken Jeong can do it!

Don't be afraid to use Hands-Only CPR, you could save a life!

Getting CPR training is a useful skill for everyone to have. In person classes might not be available right now, but once they are, we fully encourage everyone to get CPR certified.

After learning how the lungs work and how important oxygen is for us, knowing how to give aid in an emergency is a great way to help save a life.

So, remember to stay safe and stay brave, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

The journey continues next week on…

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World 1-1: How We Breathe

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Hello, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

I’m Nurse Leah and I’d like to talk about breathing. Why do we do it? Why do we need it? How does it all work?

The answer to the first two questions is simple: we breathe in to get fresh oxygen into our bodies and we breathe out to get rid of carbon dioxide and other waste gases.

Oxygen is an essential part of the process our body’s cells use to create energy in the most efficient way. A byproduct (or result) of that is carbon dioxide (CO2)—which is dangerous to keep in our bodies and that’s why we need to breathe it out. The process of using oxygen to make energy in our cells is called aerobic respiration.

There’s a way for our cells to get energy without oxygen, but it actually takes more effort and the byproducts of that process can be more harmful to your muscles. That process is called anaerobic respiration.

So, oxygen is really, really important for our bodies to work at its absolute best.

And the place where our body exchanges carbon dioxide for fresh oxygen is right there in our lungs!

That brings us to the third question I started with: How does it all work?

The parts of the body responsible for breathing are collectively called the Respiratory system. That’s because it’s a system of organs and parts of your body that work together to get some of the materials needed for aerobic respiration.

David, from A Kyle Adventure Book 2: Signs of the Season

So, let me introduce you to the parts of the Respiratory system, starting at your head with the nose and mouth.

When we breathe, air usually comes in through our nose or mouth. The truth is that the passages that make up the inside of your nose and mouth are connected. That’s why liquid comes out of your nose if you laugh too hard while drinking.

Have you ever gone out when it was especially cold and every time you breathed, it hurt your chest a little? Or has it ever been so hot and dry that you can practically taste the heat?

It’s because the difference in air temperature from your own body temperature contrasted a bit too much. Your body likes everything inside to stay pretty much the same temperature and works hard to maintain that. The inside of your body also likes to stay moist and doesn’t like to dry out too much—think of the inside of your mouth—and so one job of the mouth and nose is to warm and moisten the air entering your body.

Another job is that they keep particles that don’t belong in the body out. Things like dust and pollen get stuck in our nose hairs and sneezed out. Or the back of your mouth catches the bigger particles and you can cough them out.

Just a quick reminder to please cover your nose & mouth when coughing & sneezing, use tissues to wipe your face, and wash your hands afterward. Doing these things can help keep yourself clean and prevent the spread of diseases that take advantage of how our Respiratory systems work.

After our nose and mouth, the next part of the Respiratory system is the trachea.

The trachea is tube that runs alongside and in front of your esophagus. The esophagus is a soft, flexible tube that food travels down to get to the stomach. The trachea is more rigid and keeps its shape a lot more easily to allow airflow to travel properly.

The easy travel of airflow is why another name for the trachea is “The Windpipe.”

The trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and the lungs.

The trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and the lungs.

As it goes down into your chest, the trachea branches off into two bronchi—which are smaller tubes—and from there bronchioles—which are the smallest airway tubes of all.

At the end of the bronchioles are small clusters that look like tiny, tiny balloons. These clusters are called alveoli and this is where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide take place.

The alveoli are covered with the smallest blood vessels in the body and the red blood cells in the vessels are the ones that trade the carbon dioxide they hold for new oxygen. They then take that oxygen to the rest of the body.

But more than the lungs—and all they hold—are needed to take a breath.

This is where muscles like your diaphragm and those in your rib cage come in to play.

The diaphragm is a muscle that sits right below the lungs and is the major muscle used in breathing. This boss muscle is dome shaped and when it contracts, it flattens. This makes the space inside your chest bigger and causes the lungs to inflate and expand.

The muscles in your rib cage—right in between your rib bones—also help expand your chest whenever you inhale.

When the space inside your chest gets bigger, air is sucked into your lungs and the alveoli fill with fresh oxygen. That is what happens when you inhale.

When the diaphragm and rib cage relax, the space inside your chest returns to it’s resting size. The air you just breathed in is released through your nose and mouth. That is what happens in your body when you exhale.

Breathing helps everyone race around and have fun!

And the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide happens in millions of tiny alveoli during that short time between inhaling and exhaling.

Our bodies automatically know how to take a breath. People like singers, dancers, actors, and athletes all learn how to control their breathing and use their respiratory muscles to improve their performances. It’s really amazing how our bodies take so many separate parts and use them together to do something like breathing!

If you want to get a simplified visual of how your body breathes, then here’s an experiment that adults and kids can do to make your own “mini lung”!

Make your own model lung at home!

Disclaimer: This experiment is relatively well-known and available online through multiple sources. Always be sure to be careful and have an adult handle the scissors. Safety is always important!

How to Make a Model Lung

Materials Needed

  • A plastic bottle

  • A straw (we used a wide, reusable boba straw)

  • 2 balloons (regular party balloons)

  • An elastic band or tape

  • Play dough or something to seal the bottle top (we used half of a balloon and tape)

  • A marker

  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Mark the bottle halfway down and have an adult use the scissors to carefully cut the bottle at the mark. You can use the bottom half as a planter or decorate it to hold pencils. We’ll be using the top half for the experiment.

  2. Get one balloon and tie a knot at the opening. Use the scissors to cut the top off of the balloon.

  3. Take the top half of the bottle and stretch the tied-off balloon around the bottom of the bottle. Tape in place, if needed.

  4. Put the straw in the other balloon and secure in place with an elastic band or tape. Be careful not to crush the straw! Air needs to travel through it. You can blow gently through the straw to check if the balloon inflates to be sure.

  5. Put the straw and balloon into the neck of the bottle so that the balloon is inside the bottle near the center.

  6. Now, you have to make an airtight seal at the top of the bottle. There are two ways I know how to do this depending on what materials you have:

    1. You can use play dough to secure the straw at the top of the bottle where the cap usually goes. Make sure the straw isn’t crushed and that no air can escape through the play dough.

    2. Take the other balloon piece and have an adult cut a small hole in the center. Slide the top of the straw through the hole and bring the balloon piece down to the bottle opening. Secure the straw to the balloon with tape. Tape the balloon edges to the bottle, or you can use an elastic band to seal the balloon at the bottle opening.

Presto! You’ve made your own mini-lung!

You’ve probably figured out how the different materials make up the different parts of the respiratory system, right?

  • The bottle = your chest and rib cage

  • The straw = your windpipe

  • The balloon inside the bottle = your lungs

  • The balloon at the bottom of the bottle = your diaphragm

But how do you see it in action?

If your lungs inflate because your diaphragm makes the space inside your chest bigger…

What happens when you pull down on the balloon at the bottom?

Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work the first time. Just re-check for any holes or leaks in the tape or play dough to make sure everything is sealed and there are no leaks.

In fact, problems like small holes or leaks in our respiratory system can keep our own lungs from inflating properly. And it’s things like that that doctors and healthcare professionals look out for when treating patients who are having trouble breathing.

Knowing how our bodies work is important for us to know how to take care of ourselves. And especially important so we know how best to help those who might need it.

The human body is intriguing and amazing to learn about. There’s always more to learn and share.

Join us next week for another installment of…

The Science Saga of SuperCaptainBraveMan!

Until then, stay safe and stay brave!

Join our mailing list and don’t forget to like & follow SuperCaptainBraveMan on social media to hear all about it!

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Going on a Disney Cruise (Part 2)

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Greetings, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

Before we get into the nitty gritty, I want to say that even though we’re talking about going out with family and friends in this blog series, these are all fond memories of past times that we hope to recreate soon. But not just yet. Remember to mask up, socially distance, and wash your hands faithfully to stay safe. Stopping COVID-19 means slowing it’s spread. It starts with you.

Also, please be aware that the information below is based on our own experience and, to our knowledge, correct as of January 2020. Procedures and amenities may change when cruise lines relaunch.

Last week, I talked about what steps we took to make sure we could safely navigate a cruise experience with Kyle. Today I’m shifting away from sharing information to sharing our story.

So…

A long time ago, in the year 2019…

‘Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems…

Once upon a Mother’s Day Sunday…

We all converged at Kyle’s house to start our vacation. And by “we all” I mean 11 of the members of Team Kyle.

With Kyle’s personal travel list checked twice by his parents and perhaps a few more times by yours truly, we went over our own individual preparations one last time.

“Everyone have their passports, I.D.s, and credit cards?”

                                                                                                          “Yup!”

“Did you all remember to fill out the online embarkation forms?”

                                                                                                           “Yes!”

“Did everyone pack sunscreen?”

                                                                                               “You betcha!”

Kyle & his self decorated autograph book

We were packed and ready to convoy to port and the cruise ship, the Disney Wonder. With one final addition, the vans were loaded and we were on the road. What is that addition you ask?

Autograph books for Kyle, Jax, and Remy, of course!

We arrived at the port in no time at all and we were through with check in & customs very quickly. The Disney Cruise Line sent out luggage tags for each of us and we gave them to the cast members before boarding the ship. The only things we didn’t check in were our personal belongings and the more fragile of Kyle’s equipment.

The kids were awed at the size of the ship and, honestly, a few of the adults were as well. The joy and magic of a Disney experience began the moment we set eyes on the Mickey silhouette painted on the bow. And so, Team Kyle made its grand entrance and embarked on the Disney Wonder.

“Believe it or not, my favorite memory of the cruise was when we were boarding and ‘Team Kyle’ was announced over the speakers in the ship lobby. It was so exciting!” ~ Superb Sis Honour

Looking out of the porthole

As mentioned in the last blog, we needed to get an extension cord for Kyle’s stateroom. Paul went in line at Guest Services to request one while the rest of us wandered around the main lobby and waited for our staterooms to be ready. The kids looked outside the giant portholes and towards the ocean. While the adults smiled indulgently and snacked in one of the ship’s many lounges.

Once we got the ok from the ship crew that our staterooms were ready, we headed there and settled down. Inside, all of the moms in our group--Samantha, Jenn, and I—were surprised with small bouquets for Mother’s Day. All signed with love from Team Kyle. Though my sneaking suspicion still believes it had more to do with a certain man named Paul.

Remy claimed the top bunk in our stateroom and hurried over with Jax to see Kyle. I had one more thing to do though. With the decorations I made in hand, I went to everyone’s room and began slapping magnets on each stateroom door. Everyone had a Mickey head decorated with their favorite Disney/Pixar character and a special vacation mode version of themselves drawn by Victor.

And every door had a special magnet with Kyle’s name on it.

I saved Kyle’s stateroom for last and as I did, I passed a nice couple on the way. One was in a wheelchair and was accompanied by a ship crewmember with a portable oxygen concentrator. Much like the one we have for Kyle. We all headed towards the handicap accessible staterooms and I waved a quick bye before heading into Kyle’s room.

Inside, Victor and Brigette already beat me to helping put some of Kyle’s things in drawers, shelves, and in the fridge. Honour was entertaining Jax and Remy out on the small veranda attached to the stateroom. And Kyle was relaxing on a very spacious bed.

As I looked around at the familiar controlled chaos, I noticed that something was missing.

When we booked the cruise, we were told that we could only bring one of our own tanks of oxygen with us. Going for three days, we brought our own portable oxygen concentrator. But that alone wouldn’t be enough for Kyle’s needs. So, we filled out the proper forms and arranged for a third-party company to deliver extra oxygen tanks to the ship and have new tanks brought to the stateroom every day of the trip.

We got on the stateroom phone with Guest Services and asked them when the tanks would be coming. After much back and forth, we learned that the company received two requests for supplemental oxygen on our floor (or deck as it’s called on a ship).

Remember that nice couple I mentioned a few paragraphs ago? Through a clerical error, one of the requests was assumed to be a double booking and subsequently cancelled.

The ship hadn’t left port yet and the Disney Cruise Line did everything in their power to fix the error. And fix it they did. A new oxygen tank was delivered just in time for everyone to join the mandatory ship safety meeting. We were promised a new tank every day of the cruise and the cost of the tanks would be taken care of by the cruise line.

One hour on board and we were already blown away with how the Disney staff went above and beyond for their guests.

“I felt like whenever I asked, they were able to deliver.” ~ The Victor Soldier

Mandatory safety meeting done; the ship began its journey out of port. And Team Kyle headed up to join the Sail-A-Wave Party.

Now, I’ve only ever been on Disney cruises, but I imagine that other ships have nightly entertainment, too. But being a Disney cruise, the expectations of our first-time cruise goers were high. And they were not disappointed.

Every night on board there was a show at the Walt Disney Theatre. Seating was great and there isn’t a bad view in the house. The first night was a show called The Golden Mickeys. Then on Pirate Night was a short stage version of Frozen. And on the third night, we saw the show Disney Dreams—An Enchanted Classic.

“The entertainment quality was truly outstanding. Loved every moment!” ~ SuperCaptainBraveMama Jenn

There aren’t themed nights every night of the cruise. But we all decided to try and dress up for at least two of them. Those two turned out to be Pirate Night and the last night of the cruise became our informal Formal Night.

Every day we’d spend time together & apart, dress up, meet up at the theatre, take in a show, and then head down to dinner.

Ah…dinner. How can I describe the wonder of the meals aboard the Disney Wonder? I think I’ll have to start with how the meals at the different restaurants are set up.

When you book a trip, your party is assigned a dining group. Each group eats at a certain time and at a certain on-board restaurant each night. This allows guests to experience every restaurant. There is a more upscale restaurant geared toward adults, but it requires advance reservations and we all wanted to eat as a family.

On Night One, we ate at Triton’s which is a fancy Little Mermaid themed place. Very seafood heavy in terms of the menu. Our waitstaff introduced themselves and explained that they would be with us each night. You see, as you rotate through the restaurants, the staff rotates with you. So that they know your drink preferences, your seating needs, and any allergy considerations.

In our case, we needed a chair removed from our table to accommodate Kyle’s wheelchair. And we were given advance menu options for the next night’s dinner for the people in our group with allergies.

“The ship never stopped feeding us. It was so great. I wanted to eat more, but I was always full!” ~ Captain Corey

“I really really liked the food. Seriously. I ordered everything on the menu.” ~ The Marvelous Miss Brigette

Our servers also quickly learned that we could, would, and did order everything on the menu and eat our way happily through the meal. Some of us ordered more than one entrée and perhaps more than one dessert each. But we were on vacation. Calories don’t count on vacations, right?

But that’s just our early evening and dinner experiences. The days were just as exciting.

While at sea, there are plenty of activities for guests to enjoy. There’s the pool and lounges, of course. At the main pool, there is a large screen that plays Disney movies and cartoon shorts throughout the day. As well as a below decks movie theater that played movies nonstop.

“Kyle and I watched ‘Cinderella’ on deck.” ~The Victor Soldier

“We checked out the movie theater and saw that they were showing ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ but decided to go join the animator’s class instead,” ~ Leah the Wordsmith

Winning 2nd place in Movie Music Trivia got us some nifty hats!

The kids enjoyed the on-board kid’s only club and activities. And we all tried our hand at drawing at one of the many art classes hosted throughout the ship. The different lounge areas and club rooms had all kinds of trivia, family games, and dancing activities. Sometimes there was so much to choose from that we had trouble deciding where to go!

There was even a scavenger hunt for the kids. One night, after we came back from dinner, there were papers in our staterooms with the Scavenger Hunt rules and clues.

“Jax and I helped Kyle with the Scavenger Hunt! We had to go all over the ship!” ~Rambunctious Remy

Going all over the ship with Kyle was an experience.

He has a very sturdy wheelchair in order to accommodate him and all of his equipment. I learned very early on to not fight the wheelchair. For 9 times out of 10, you will lose and the wheelchair will win.

By virtue of being a cruise ship, the hallways in the stateroom decks are narrow to begin with. Add in a 13-year-old in a wheelchair and at least 2 other adults with him at all times, and a narrow hallway becomes difficult to navigate.

We prefer not to dwell on the negative aspects of living an adaptive life. But it would be a disservice to our readers to not point out that a pet peeve of ours is the indifference or obliviousness of the general public to the difficulties of those with limited mobility.

The Disney Wonder cruise ship has 3 sets of elevator banks with 4 elevators each situated across or near a staircase for guests to use. Each elevator on the ship is large enough for about 8 adults to stand comfortably.

We’re used to waiting for elevators and the occasionally tricky process of maneuvering him into the relatively small space. But sometimes, the wait for the elevators on the ship strained the fortitude of even the seasoned members of Team Kyle.

And while we appreciate the patience of the Disney crewmembers and cruise line guests who vacated the elevators to allow Kyle into the car and then re-entered after he was settled, there were instances where excited guests chose to take the elevator instead of the stairs despite the long wait time.

“I think there should be a dedicated elevator for those with mobility difficulties. One you can access with your room key or something.” ~Sensational Sam

A possible solution is having a crewmember stationed at one elevator during high traffic periods and areas to conduct guests into the elevators. We experienced the longer wait times after the shows at the Walt Disney Theatre and during the dinner rush.

Waiting for Kyle’s first moments in another country, however, took almost no time at all.

Ensenada, Mexico is an amazing location filled with many activities & excursions for those who book them early enough and are willing to spend some extra money on the third-party companies running them.

Kyle, Jax, and Remy showing off their new bracelets.

Taking Kyle’s mobility and equipment needs in mind, Team Kyle chose to discover the streets of Ensenada on foot, instead. We were assured that a wheelchair accessible bus would be available and once everyone ate breakfast, we were off. Thanks to years of considerable practice, Kyle was secured on the bus quickly.

The kids were amazed at the musicians and artisans we saw as we strolled by. We took the time to learn about some of the history of Mexico. Brigette, Jax, and Remy especially took in the sights in honor of their half-Mexican heritage.

As we finished a leisurely lunch, the cloudy skies gave way to sunshine. We made our way back to the ship and scattered to our own devices until the dinner show.

And to prepare for Pirate Night.

Now, I haven’t gone into much detail about the handicap accessible staterooms because, although I visited Kyle’s room, I didn’t spend enough time there to comment on what it was like to care for him in the space.

But I can share what Paul and Victor had to say about it.

While there was space for the wheelchair, the amount of equipment added to the fact that three of our group was staying there made the spacious room a bit cramped at times. ~ SuperCaptainBraveDAD Paul

Kyle had a bath every day we were on the ship and it was definitely a two-person job. Paul and Victor would—in their bathing suits and with swim shoes on for traction—take turns holding Kyle steady while the other bathed him.

The bathroom was large. If we wanted to, we could have brought the wheelchair in there and still have room to move around. But it was more like a locker room shower area—tiled with a drain in the center, a pull-down bath seat, and a detachable shower head on the wall. I wish there was a small tub in the corner. It wasn’t ideal, but we managed. ~ The Victor Soldier

Oh, a quick PSA. Sunscreen doesn’t work if it stays in the bottle. Please remember to apply liberally. Even during overcast days. Sunburns can happen anywhere. As we all remembered when we saw Kyle’s face in the pictures. He was ok, just flushed for the next few days.

Team Kyle likes to dress up. And we like to surprise each other. So, when given the chance, we went all out. From drawing scars on cheeks to wearing fake tattoo sleeves, eye patches to stuffed parrots on Kyle’s shoulder…to Paul sauntering to our table with a head full of Captain Jack worthy hair.

We ate at Animator’s Palate, which in itself is a spectacle of color and movement. Our party of particularly playful pirates took tremendous delight in devouring each and every mouthwatering morsel on our plates.

After dinner, there was the Party Like a Pirate event up on deck. It included watching Pirate Mickey zip line over our heads and the entire gang dance to some great tunes. The night came to a wonderous close with fireworks over the water.

It’s was especially great for Kyle. Because although we’ve visited the Disneyland Resort, we always leave before the fireworks. Being on board the ship meant that we didn’t have to worry about travel time home. His room and bed were a short elevator ride away. He could enjoy the fireworks and music for as long as he wanted.

Our last full day at sea started with some morning yoga at sea for the girls and some cartoon watching on deck for the guys. We all ate at the buffet, named Cabanas, for lunch. Then watched Remy good naturedly sass me at the How Well Do You Know Your Family game show over at Azure.

The ladies of Team Kyle with the man himself.

As the last night, it was our Formal Night. And we all dressed up. Hair done, make up on, and flashy clothes pressed for impressing the masses. The show of the night was Disney Dreams—An Enchanted Classic, which is Victor’s favorite show on the cruise.

Afterwards, we had some time before dinner. Some of us stayed in the lounge near Tiana’s Place to play some music trivia. And others headed back to Azure and the Silent Dance Party taking place there.

If you’ve never heard of a silent dance party—I didn’t know what it was until the cruise—it’s a party where each person is given headphones that are connected to a few wireless music stations. All the music is played through the headphones and the dancing and shuffling and singing happens in a mostly music-less room.

Kyle with big sis Honour and dad Paul

Kyle loves music and enjoyed every moment of dancing with his sister and dad.

Dance party done and trivia medals won, Team Kyle sat down for our last dinner aboard the Disney Wonder at the liveliest restaurant on board: Tiana’s Place.

Tiana’s Place is exactly what I imagined eating at her restaurant at the end of The Princess and the Frog would be like. But on a boat. There was a live jazz trio playing covers of classic Disney songs. Tiana stood on stage and welcomed us all. She even came to our table and signed a few autographs.

The waitstaff—who’ve been with us the whole trip—led a quick promenade through the tables, complete with purple, green, and yellow Mardi Gras beads for everyone.

But my absolute favorite moment was when we got to sing “Happy Birthday” to Kyle.

We were that loud family over by the windows. Cheering and hollering. Holding up phones and getting in each other’s shots.

Kyle Celebrates his 13th birthday

“It was all great. Knowing that we could all be together to celebrate Kyle’s birthday and to provide a memorable experience to all of my kids, and their kids!” ~SuperCaptainBraveDAD Paul

Paul calls all of the adults in Team Kyle “his kids” and we’ve become family to each other over the years.

Although we were there to celebrate, there is always a key part of us that is always in “Nurse Mode.” Whether it’s unconsciously checking the numbers on Kyle’s pulse oximeter to reaching for the suction machine before his parents can when he needs it. On this vacation, more than any other day trip, we were able to relax.

“The Disney Wonder put a lot of my worries to bed. So much so, that I was genuinely able to enjoy the cruise without worrying too heavily about the concerns I typically have when traveling with Kyle.” ~The Victor Soldier

We were able to focus on everything a typical family focuses on when on vacation. Thanks to the work of the crewmembers aboard the ship who went above and beyond to see that our needs were met, we relaxed. We had fun.

We could joke about who ate the most at lunchtime; who sang the loudest along with the band at dinner; laugh at the sight of the stylish pedicure Paul sported when he sauntered on deck.

We could and we did. And it was a blast!

For a more colorful retelling of our days at sea (videos included), check out the SuperCaptainBraveMan YouTube channel here!

Stay safe and stay brave, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

Sea you later! 😉

Join our mailing list and don’t forget to like & follow SuperCaptainBraveMan on social media to hear all about it!

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Going on a Disney Cruise (Part 1)

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Hello, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the information below is based on our own experience and, to our knowledge, correct as of January 2020. Procedures and amenities may change when cruise lines relaunch.

It’s Nurse Leah here on another Monday. Last week, I talked about how—before the pandemic—we used to go on short day trips with Kyle. (If you haven’t read it, you can click here to do so!) It’s a list of “must haves” for traveling with Kyle. Over the years, he’s also gone on overnight and multi-day trips to the Disneyland Resort, San Diego, Hawaii, New York, and Baltimore. The trip I’m about to share with you is our most ambitious to date.

In May of 2019, Kyle spent three days at sea aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship.

When the idea of taking a short, three-day cruise down the California & Mexican coast came up, you can bet that Team Kyle had to put our collective heads together to find out if it was even possible. Jennifer Norman, Kyle’s mom, spoke to his team of doctors to ask if traveling was advisable for him. Once we got word that as long as reasonable precautions were taken, Kyle could go on the trip, Team Kyle started researching the process of taking a person with adaptive needs onto a cruise ship.

Travel agents are a great resource and avenue to use when you can. Lots of times they have exclusive deals and information for families looking to enjoy every second of their vacation.

Team Kyle wanted that too. But we wanted to research everything ourselves and sometimes questions that come to mind when talking directly to the source don’t occur to you when talking to a liaison like a travel agent.

We looked into every aspect of the cruise. From scouring travel blogs and YouTube reviews of the wheelchair accessible staterooms; to contacting the Disney Cruise Line directly and asking questions that catered to Kyle’s specific needs, we poured months of research into ensuring that if we went on this trip, Kyle would be as safe as possible.

We were in uncharted waters and looked for information where ever we could find it.

Since the cruise would take us down to Ensenada, Mexico, the first order of business was getting Kyle a US Passport. Well, passports for all the kids coming on the trip. When I say that Team Kyle was going on this cruise, not only did I mean Kyle and his family. The nurses dedicated to Kyle’s care and their kids were invited, too.

It was a celebration, after all. In 2019, Kyle turned 13. After all of the hard work, setbacks, and triumphs, our Bootie-boy was now a teenager.

The Disney Cruise Line has a section on their website dedicated to answering the questions of guests with disabilities and what accommodations are available for them and their needs. This was way back in 2019 and the information might be different when the cruise line relaunches. The site only answered so many questions, Jenn and I spent quite a while on the phone with a Disney Cruise Line cast member to get clarification on several key areas.

Their Request for Special Services form covers requests that include:

  • plans to bring specific medical equipment

  • a request for distilled water (which we absolutely need for Kyle and was provided every day by the cruise line)

  • a need for electrical power and supplies deliveries

  • the need for a wheelchair accessible room

  • wheelchair accessible ground transportation when available

  • trained service animal notification (Permits are required for every country and port you’ll be sailing to and can take weeks or months to complete, so be aware of that. Also, the animal needs to be trained with the proper documentation for their roles.)

  • plans to travel with an oxygen concentrator and other oxygen related needs

  • requests for guests who have hearing disabilities like stateroom smoke detectors with strobe lights, and an American Sign Language interpreter for select shipboard shows & entertainment.

  • requests for guests with visual disabilities like audio descriptive devices and enlarged print formats for dinner menus.

  • severe food allergies like the ones Nurse Victor and my daughter, Remy have

As mentioned in The Adventures of SuperCaptainBraveMan books and on this blog, Kyle is oxygen and ventilator dependent. The process of having oxygen tanks on board the cruise ship was both straightforward and complicated.

Straightforward because the forms needed were easy to access and fill out.

Complicated because…well…they were forms and red tape is red tape.

We were informed that we sadly could not bring our own oxygen tanks. But they provided us the contact of a third-party distributor that had a contract with our port of departure. We secured the correct forms and received confirmation that the requested oxygen tanks would be delivered to the dock and placed in our stateroom.

Along with the oxygen tanks, we wanted assurance that the equipment we needed to bring could charge safely. Without going into specifics, there are at least 5 pieces of equipment that need to be charged nightly for Kyle’s care. All staterooms have outlets, but none have power strips.

And you can’t bring your own from home due to cruise line regulations.

But what you can do is request an extension cord from Guest Services the moment you board the ship. Unfortunately, when we went, you couldn’t reserve one beforehand. Paul Norman, Kyle’s dad, was unanimously volunteered to be the one to brave Guest Services when the time came.

Every stateroom has a mini-fridge and bathroom with sink. So, Kyle’s medications and feeding supplies had a place to chill—ha ha—and get cleaned every day.

The Disney Cruise Line website has floor plans and pictures of the wheelchair accessible staterooms. But pictures can only tell us so much. That’s where Nurse Victor came in with his obsession for travel vlogs and did some research.

YouTube became a great tool for use to see the accessible staterooms from a guest's perspective and one of the most informative videos that we watched over and again was the Disney Wonder Handicapped Accessible Stateroom 7138 Tour by RaeTravels.

And by coincidence, Kyle’s stateroom number on the Disney Wonder was 7636—on the other end, but the same floor as the room in the video. More video travel vlogs and online ship diagrams prepared us for the general feel of where and how Kyle could navigate the ship.

My favorite thing...was how incredibly accommodating the Disney Wonder staff was in regards to what it means to travel with a person with special needs. There wasn't a moment I felt: "Kyle can't do this."

Nurse Victor

The practical components taken care of, Team Kyle could focus on the traditional aspects of going on a cruise and a Disney cruise in particular. One of the best parts of going on a Disney cruise is the themed nights and the dining experiences.

This cruise in particular had a Pirate’s Night scheduled on the itinerary. And if you need to know anything about Team Kyle, you need to know that we love to dress up. We also like to surprise and prank each other, so we kept our individual pirate get ups a secret.

Originally, we were assigned the second dining group seating—where dinner service started at 8 pm. Having 13-, 9-, and 8-year-old kids in our group meant that an earlier dining option was preferable. We put in a request for the main dining group—where service started at 5:45 pm. The day we left port we were told that our request was granted and our first dinner would be at the restaurant, Triton’s.

One tidbit that we stumbled on when researching for Kyle was the fact that many people decorate their stateroom doors with magnets. Cell service is spotty even with the onboard app available to the people in your party. A lot of guests have whiteboards with dry erase markers on their doors so they can leave notes for their family.

When I saw how amazing these decorations were, I knew that we had to create something special for Team Kyle. Nurse Victor did an amazing job drawing everyone in “vacation mode” and I did what I could with MS Paint and printed out some Mickey head decorations and stuck them on magnet sheets I got online.

Some guests even take part in a small gift exchange. But with everything else going on, we couldn’t contribute to the idea. Next time, we definitely will.

So, we had costumes and we had decorations.

What comes next…? It was a Disney cruise. What came next was autograph books, new swimsuits, and lots of packing and repacking!

Join us next week where I get into the actual story of our trip and not just the practicalities of planning our possibly perilous passage into the unknown…otherwise known as a Family Vacation.

Check out the vlog we made outlining today's info (with extra pictures and video) below!

Stay safe and stay brave, SuperCaptainBraveFAM! Sea you all later!

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Going on a Day Trip

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Hello SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the information below is based on our own experiences and, to our knowledge, correct as of January 2020. Procedures and facilities may change when locations re-open.

Once upon a time, and in a soon-to-be time once again, we went on day trips with Kyle. Living in Southern California, there are many sights to see and places to visit.

Learning about the space shuttle Endeavor at the California Science Center.

We’ve been to the Getty Villa and learned about Greek and Roman artwork. We’ve taken Kyle to the zoo, the Natural History Museum, and our local outdoor theater to watch “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

But it’s not just about trips that make any school field trip planner proud. It’s about pure fun, too.

We visit pop up art locations, local amusement parks like Universal Studios and the Disneyland Resort, and—more recently—drive through exhibits like the Holiday Road light show this past Christmas.

Visiting Disneyland in 2018

But for all of these trips, research had to be done to find out the usual details. Where is it located? How much are tickets? Are there tickets? Will we have to pay for parking? Where are the First Aid Stations? Where are the elevators? Are there elevators? Will there be grounded outlets available in case our batteries need to be recharged?

Every family has a checklist. And yours might not include the last 4 on ours. But if it does, I’m here to share some of the tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years to make day trips as fun and safe as possible.

The question at the top of our travel list is always: how long will we be out?

As a ventilator and oxygen dependent child, the amount of battery life and oxygen in his tanks is limited. We’ve definitely had to brush off some math skills to calculate how long an oxygen tank will last on a trip and how many tanks we should bring with us. Along with how many tanks are allowed at any particular venue.

Our rule of thumb is bringing at least 2 extra oxygen tanks when we go out for the day. Depending on where we’re going, oxygen tanks might not be allowed. So, we’ve had to check online and call different locations if we have any questions.

Nurse Brigette with extra oxygen tanks for the day.

Luckily, this information is relatively easy to find out. The majority of locations—museums, amusement parks, even pop-up exhibits—have a “Contact Us” page with an email and phone number. All we have to do is ask our questions.

I can only remember one instance where having an oxygen tank with us posed a bit of a problem. And the issue had to do with a pyrotechnic aspect of the show we watched. The team member I spoke to was extremely helpful in explaining what alternatives were available to us. And we all got to watch the show—with Kyle using his portable oxygen concentrator for a short while in lieu of his oxygen tank.

Another question we need answered when we go out is: how accessible is the location?

Watching The Nightmare Before Christmas LIVE! @ the Hollywood Bowl, Oct. 2018

Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, many buildings have wheelchair access. Disabled parking spaces, ramps, and elevators are among the things we look for when considering a place to visit.

A prime example of how different locations adapt to these accessibility concerns is the movie theater. Kyle loves watching movies and live shows in the theater. And of all the theaters we’ve visited, several are definitely higher on our list of “theaters to visit”.

In the age of online ticket purchasing, I’m sure many of you have had to pick your seats among a grid of colored squares. And on this grid, you’ll find specialized wheelchair and wheelchair companion seats.

Some movie theaters might have these seats on “ground level” or the same level as the entrance to the theater. Some have them in the back row—if the entrance to the theater is near the back row of seats. Some have the seats at or near the very front right by the screen.

And some—like Kyle’s favorite movie theater—have seating near the top of the theater and is accessible through special elevators and hallways.

There were a few times the elevators malfunctioned. These things happen. And each time, the staff at the movie theater did their best to offer us alternatives ranging from ticket vouchers to another showing, to ticket exchanges to a different movie in a theater we could access, to the option of an escort for using the service elevator instead.

Excited to watch Black Panther at our favorite movie theater

Using the service elevator was fun. Every kid has a dream of exploring a cave system at least once in their life. And travelling the echoing, bare cement back hallways of a movie theater was definitely the 21st century equivalent of a cave system. One that smelled of popcorn.

These options were offered to us when we asked what we could do next. So, don’t be afraid to call your local movie theater—when it’s safe to watch movies in theaters again—and ask any questions you have.

Question 3 on our checklist is: where are the First Aid Stations?

It’s along the lines of knowing your fire exits. If you need emergency care, or a quiet place to care for the needs of your child, or a place to store medication that needs to be refrigerated, then knowing where the First Aid Stations are is an important part of going on a day trip with a special-needs member in your group.

When visiting places like museums or theaters, there might not be a dedicated area for first aid that has a qualified employee that can help. In that case, we make sure that we have what we might need with us and that it’s stuff we can carry comfortably.

Jennifer Norman and Kyle at KCON 2017

Being half-Korean, Kyle and his mom, SuperCaptainBraveMan author Jennifer Norman, attended KCON in 2017 with some of his nursing team. KCON is the world’s largest fan celebration of Korean culture and music. And was held that year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. While there, the staff showed us to the First Aid room and were very responsive to our questions during the K-Pop performances at the nearby Staples Center. (The elevators used to get to the seating area are pretty cool.)

Amusement & theme parks, convention centers, and sports complexes often have dedicated First Aid Stations staffed by qualified employees like EMTs, LVNs/LPNs, or even RNs.

The Disneyland Resort, for instance, has a First Aid Station in both parks staffed by Registered Nurses. Universal Studios Hollywood also has one adjacent to the Animal Actors amphitheater in the Upper Lot and a second one in the Lower Lot. There is also an active LAFD Fire Station on the Universal Studios property.

In both cases, we stopped by each First Aid Station and filled out paperwork outlining our equipment and supplies. In the case of Disneyland, we were allowed to store our extra oxygen tanks at the First Aid Station. While there, we were also given a list of rides/attractions that were wheelchair accessible—which was a longer list than I’d anticipated, TBH. (More about that in a future post.)

These stations were also a good place for some quiet when the excitement of the day came close to overstimulating Kyle. But I wouldn’t recommend camping out on a bed when it might be needed for another person. Heat stroke is definitely no joke.

There are usually several semi-hidden spots in theme parks for overstimulated kids and their parents to hang out and rest. Be sure to ask at the ticket counter or guest services and they’re sure to offer a few suggestions. Facebook groups and similar online forums are a good place to ask for specific attractions and events local to you.

Now, it seems like it’s been ages since many of us have gone on a vacation or even a day trip. For many, it was as simple as picking a place to go, making sure we were dressed correctly for the activity, pack a snack, and getting in the car.

For those living adaptive lives and their families, a day out might have a few more steps, but those steps lead to a heap of fun.

What tips and tricks do you use when planning day trips with your family? Comment down below or share them with us on our Facebook page.

As always, stay safe and stay brave, SuperCaptainBraveFAM!

Kyle's decorated stateroom door on our 2019 Disney cruise

Blog preview:

We are a big Disney family. And Kyle has visited Disneyland on multiple occasions and even went on a Disney cruise in 2019! I’ve got a whole blog series planned about our trips, including how we managed a 3-day stint at sea.  

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