Birthday Trip Recap: Two Points of View, One Post.
Cassidy’s Version
We just got back from Los Angeles for my birthday trip and it’s time for round 10. That was the trip of a lifetime and I’m going to remember it that way too.
We started off going to DisneyLand for the Galaxy’s Edge park so I could get my fix of Star Wars. We visited Oga’s cantina and I indulged a bit for the lightsaber creation experience. If you’re a fan and you get the opportunity, take it! They even let me mail it to myself from there so that I didn’t have to worry about getting it back on the plane. The rest of the park was very realistic and immersive, they do a good job of making you feel like you’re in a real spaceport. A big shoutout to our friends Elsa & Ben for helping us navigate everything about Disney that day. It was an awesome time.
We spent the next two days doing baseball stuff and I couldn’t have been happier. We toured the Angels stadium and Dodgers stadium. Both are pretty amazing in their own way. Angels stadium has a few more modernities so it’s a really unique aesthetic from the fan perspective. Dodgers stadium has sooooo much history that it was hard to experience it all in one trip. For that tour, we got to go down to the dugout! The Shohei Ohtani effect is very visible, and Japan’s baseball culture has a strong influence in LA. Personally I think it’s a great thing for the sport and a good blend of both worlds.
We also spent the last day there going to Hollywood and seeing all the big celebrity hot spots. We didn’t go see the big sign, but we did walk down Sunset Boulevard and pop into some of the fancy stores. Leah was able to see the star for her Dad’s band on the Walk of Fame. That was really neat, she hadn’t ever seen it either!
Now that we’re back home, it’s back to the routine. Back to work and being strapped to the little take-home pump for the 5FU drug that requires it. Back to the reality that I have cancer, but it’s vacations like this that make it all worth it.
Leah’s Version
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I hate traveling. I hate airplanes. I hate not being in control. But I love Cassidy. So off to Los Angeles we went.
We flew into Santa Ana and stayed two nights in Orange, CA. Tuesday was Cassidy’s birthday, and we started the day early at Disneyland with our friends Elsa and Ben, who were such a help in making the day a success. Cassidy has always loved Star Wars, so of course we made a beeline for Galaxy’s Edge. Watching his eyes light up, seeing happiness take over his body—it was everything.
I don’t necessarily understand Disney or theme parks, but I deeply appreciate how serious Disney takes their job. The staff made it feel so real, like we’d been dropped into another world. Watching Cassidy build his lightsaber brought me to tears. As if that wasn’t enough, we had the funniest run-in with R2D2. Cassidy called him “short” and apparently offended him, because he rolled away from the crowd of people waiting to see him. Don’t worry—I sweet-talked him back into joining us. We rode rides, ate snacks, took photos, and just let ourselves be in the magic of it all.
That night we went to Angels Stadium for the Angels vs. Twins game and even got to do a pregame tour. Our tour guides, Eddie and Jordan, were amazing—Jordan ended up being our Dodgers tour guide later in the week too. Small world!
Wednesday we took the train to Los Angeles and saved our energy for the Dodgers vs. Rockies game that night. Dodger Stadium felt like stepping back in time—surrounded by palm trees, rolling hills, and drenched in that iconic baby blue. We were some of the only Rockies fans there, which was comical at best. The Rockies didn’t win, but Cassidy was in his happy place. And because it was Shohei Ohtani night, he got a special edition bobblehead that made the night even sweeter.
Thursday we went back to Dodger Stadium for a tour with Jordan again, and she surprised Cassidy with a birthday gift: a Dodgers bobblehead. It meant so much to him. She was joined by James, another guide from Colorado Springs, who made Cassidy feel right at home by swapping Rockies stories. The tour itself felt like walking through a museum—so much history packed into every corner.
After the stadium tour, we went to Hollywood. I finally got to see my dad’s band’s star on the Walk of Fame, which was emotional for me—standing in that exact spot felt significant. We rounded out the day with a trip to Amoeba Records, some shopping on Rodeo Drive, and a birthday dinner at a local Italian restaurant.
By Friday it was time to head home. Our flight was delayed, but I didn’t complain—not when it meant more time with Cassidy.
Looking back, the trip was a fine line to walk. On one hand, it felt like just a fun birthday getaway. On the other, I couldn’t escape the reminder that Cassidy has stage 4, incurable cancer. There were moments when it was just us, laughing and making memories, and then moments where the weight of our reality hit me like a wave. Was this trip because of that? Maybe. Maybe we’re leaning into every chance we get to celebrate because we know how fragile time can be.
What I do know is this: I’ll carry these memories with me forever. The laughter at Disney. The pride on Cassidy’s face in those stadiums. The sweetness of being together in a place we’d never been. I hate traveling—but I would do it again and again if it means seeing him that happy.
