Broken leg. Are we crazy?

[kitkat4622]

I know MNSSHP tickets are non refundable, right? If I have a doctor fax something does that make a difference? Just thinking if I have to postpone the cost of 6 tickets was quite a bit. Wonder if we are out of luck on that though?

If you are definitely going to reschedule and it falls within the time of the MVMCP maybe you can exchange the Halloween tickets for Xmas ones, I was able to do that. I had a wonderful representative on the phone for well over an hour when I had to reschedule my entire trip and she was able to even get my "non refundable" airline money from delta and booked us on a direct flight from Jetblue non stop.....Like I said it was a lengthy phone call but was worth it...we moved our trip from october to november and that was enough time for my grandson to be walking on both feet. However, you may need a lot more time than 4 weeks for your hubby

 

[wallawallakids]

If you are definitely going to reschedule and it falls within the time of the MVMCP maybe you can exchange the Halloween tickets for Xmas ones, I was able to do that. I had a wonderful representative on the phone for well over an hour when I had to reschedule my entire trip and she was able to even get my "non refundable" airline money from delta and booked us on a direct flight from Jetblue non stop.....Like I said it was a lengthy phone call but was worth it...we moved our trip from october to november and that was enough time for my grandson to be walking on both feet. However, you may need a lot more time than 4 weeks for your hubby

That is great!! I will ask about that. If we went towards the later end of December that would give him 2 more months to heal and might be enough time for all of us to get a better handle on the situation. And it might help the kids accept that we are not going to the Halloween party. I am so glad it worked out well for you.

 

[goofyintoronto]

No, we don't have travel insurance. I will call about MNSSHP tickets and just see what they say. And I will ask the doctor for sure about flying. I am working on hubby and trying to get him to agree to move the date so we can all go together when he is feeling better. I am not sure the pain meds right now are helping me to get him to see what I am saying! Lol. Hopefully the doctor can set us both straight on Tuesday and we will have a definite "maybe" or "no". I think he will listen if the doctor explains why he shouldn't risk it. Thanks again for the help.

@wallawallakids please don't forget to give us an update!

 

[wallawallakids]

@wallawallakids please don't forget to give us an update!

I will let you know what happens on Tuesday. Thanks.

 

[jerseygal]

I feel very BAD for your husband and your family and BEST WISHES for a MOST SPEEDY RECOVERY!
I understand how you have all looked forward to this family vacation, but keeping your DS best health prospects and quickest chance for recovery, perhaps a postponement would be best. As you have stated, perhaps your children could pick your next resort and do something extra special!
HOPE all works out for all of you!

 

[kathy884]

I broke my leg and went on a trip to Disney three weeks later. I was on crutches. I rented a scooter which was wonderful for the parks. The parks would have IMHO been horrible without this. For getting to and from the gates, they had wheel chairs around and people who pushed me at the airport. Silly me too -- didn't want to disappoint the kids and got a waterproof cast and did one day at a waterpark with them. Climbed up and down a bunch of stair on crutches. I was absolutely exhausted that night and certainly don't recommend that. I do though recommend the waterproof cast, even just for taking a shower -- so much easier. My insurance wouldn't pay the extra, but I asked how much extra it was and for me it was only $80 -- so worth it.

Do note though that I had a clean break -- no surgery with just six weeks in a cast on crutches and after that six weeks in a boot.

Our prayers for a quick easy recovery for your husband.

 

[allybabba98]

I am so sorry to hear about your DH. If you do have to postpone it maybe let the kids still dress up and put the Boo to You parade on Youtube and watch it. Maybe hide candy around the home as well so they find it. Then finish by watching the fireworks show. You sound so positive and upbeat...I wish you all the best and lets hope on Tuesday the doctor has "good" news.

 

[wallawallakids]

I am so sorry to hear about your DH. If you do have to postpone it maybe let the kids still dress up and put the Boo to You parade on Youtube and watch it. Maybe hide candy around the home as well so they find it. Then finish by watching the fireworks show. You sound so positive and upbeat...I wish you all the best and lets hope on Tuesday the doctor has "good" news.

This is a great idea!! Thank you so much. I would have never have thought of that and my kids would love a candy scavenger hunt/you tube video night.

And everyone else, thank you for all the well wishes for my dear hubby. It is going to be a long road for him so I appreciate all the kind words. Thank you again and I will update on Tuesday.

 

[SueM in MN]

If it was my family, I would personally reschedule. I would not plan on when to reschedule to until talking to the doctor.

Depending on the doctor, you may not get a clear yes or no answer - many doctors will just give some reasons not to go/possible complications, but are not going to say no, even if they think it is a bad idea.

Because of being immobile (just considering the laying on the couch for 2 weeks), he is at high risk of DVT, deep vein thrombosis. That can be a fatal condition.
Other parts of his situation increase his risk; having just had surgery, having a long leg cast, the severity of his break. Even without a leg cast, air travel carries a small risk of DVT. Because of the cast, he won't be able to do many of the recommended things for DVT prevention (foot circles, getting up and moving, etc).

As was mentioned, he may not fit on the plane. Depending on the exact equipment on the plane, he may fit in the bulkhead row. But those might be the only seats he would fit in. The airplane may also somewhat depend on the length of his legs (some 6 foot tall people have long torsos and shorter legs; some have short torsos and long legs).

 

[SueM in MN]

I thought I saw that you used a Dreams Unlimited travel agent. The travel agent will need to help with rescheduling whatever you booked with them. Even though party tickets are not normally refundable, this is an extraordinary situation and they probably will be able to do something for you. Given the situation, they may also be able to do something about the annual passes - actually, if what you bought are annual pass vouchers, they are not active when bought. Obviously, I can't promise anything since I do not work for Disney, but there at least us some hope.

Follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Much of the information in that thread will be helpful even if you postpone.
Post one of that thread is an index to what each post in that thread is about.
Post 2 is about renting equipment and includes links and contact info for ECV/wheelchair rental places.

An ECV would mean you would not have to push and would give him more independence.
But, ECVs are designed for people to sit with legs bent. There is very little foot room and if he has a leg cast, there may not be a place for him to prop his leg.
There may be only one position his foot/leg fit, which increases risk of leg cramps and DVT.
If his leg extends out beyond the ECV floor, there is risk of hitting into things and bumping his foot/leg.

You can get a wheelchair with an elevating footrest from an offsite provider. As others already mentioned, the extended leg is at high risk of getting hit into.
Post 31 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has information about attractions with extra foot room where someone with a long leg cast might fit. That might still be helpful if you postpone the trip - after the injury heals, he may still find that bring able to stretch out is more comfortable.

 

[jo-jo]

This has nothing to do with a broken bone, but yrs ago my DH and I went to disney after he spent a month in bed with a back injury. We sat on lots and lots of benches that trip. He tried to push himself for me and I tried to slow down for him. Neither of us has a good time. We agreed we should have waited with the trip.

Plus you said you have 4 kids, so you'll be taking care of 4 kids plus helping your DH at disney. You will be exhausted.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I'm so sorry to read about your husband's injury, & hope he heals quickly and without incident. Saying that, I think it would be an extremely foolish & dangerous decision to go ahead with this trip three weeks after surgery. As another poster mentioned, your husband is at an extremely high risk of DVT. Flying on a plane already increases the risk for everyone, let alone someone with an immobile casted leg. Also, he's not going to be on the pain meds he's taking now, most likely, so he doesn't even have a true sense of the discomfort he'll be in yet. I had a total knee replacement seven weeks ago, which was the quad sparing surgery, so I was up & walking on a walker a few hours after the surgery, and discharged to home the next morning, walking with a cane within three days, and walking on my own within a week. Still, the first two weeks were hell as far as pain was concerned, especially when trying to get comfortable to sleep. I can't even imagine trying to do Disney three weeks post surgery, and I don't think my surgery was any where near as traumatic as your husband's. In fact, we have a Disney trip planned for November, and I'm definitely getting a wheelchair, as I know I won't be able to do all that walking all the time. Please try to convince him that it would be a true danger for him to go on this trip, and you & the kids are more than willing to wait a few months. If his doctor doesn't give a flat out no about flying, I'll be extremely shocked. I've been an Emergency & Critical Care RN for more than twenty years, so I'm not just over reacting. Good luck with everything, and let us know how it all turns out.

 

[wallawallakids]

Op here. Thank you all for your responses. Today went well at the Dr. but Hubby did finally come around and admit that we should not go. Reality is setting in for him. I am thankful that he realizes this, but also completely bummed now that I know for sure we are not going. We haven't told the kids yet or tried to cancel anything yet. I will work on both of those things tomorrow. I am not sure when we will reschedule. DH thinks it should be around Christmas because he feels bad waiting too long because he knows how disappointed the kids will be when we tell them. I said maybe April would be good because he will be up and around more, but right now he thinks that sounds like a long time for the kids to wait. Which it is a long time away. Not sure what we will do right now.

Thank you for all your help and suggestions. Thank you also for the get well wishes for my husband. I appreciate that. Hopefully we can do something else fun for the kids and help them to understand why we can't go.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[kitkat4622]

DH thinks it should be around Christmas because he feels bad waiting too long because he knows how disappointed the kids will be when we tell them. I said maybe April would be good because he will be up and around more, but right now he thinks that sounds like a long time for the kids to wait. Which it is a long time away. Not sure what we will do right now.

thanks for the update. believe me if you reschedule until April that time will fly by. I don't know if you celebrate Christmas and Easter but you could work disney gifts into those occasions for the kids as something to keep them excited. Definitely get a disney rep on the phone they are really quite accommodating in situations like these.

 

[jerseygal]

Op here. Thank you all for your responses. Today went well at the Dr. but Hubby did finally come around and admit that we should not go. Reality is setting in for him. I am thankful that he realizes this, but also completely bummed now that I know for sure we are not going. We haven't told the kids yet or tried to cancel anything yet. I will work on both of those things tomorrow. I am not sure when we will reschedule. DH thinks it should be around Christmas because he feels bad waiting too long because he knows how disappointed the kids will be when we tell them. I said maybe April would be good because he will be up and around more, but right now he thinks that sounds like a long time for the kids to wait. Which it is a long time away. Not sure what we will do right now.

Thank you for all your help and suggestions. Thank you also for the get well wishes for my husband. I appreciate that. Hopefully we can do something else fun for the kids and help them to understand why we can't go.

Thanks again everyone.

Here's wishing your DH a FAST, FULL RECUPERATION and a great trip in your NEAR future!

 

[wallawallakids]

thanks for the update. believe me if you reschedule until April that time will fly by. I don't know if you celebrate Christmas and Easter but you could work disney gifts into those occasions for the kids as something to keep them excited. Definitely get a disney rep on the phone they are really quite accommodating in situations like these.

Here's wishing your DH a FAST, FULL RECUPERATION and a great trip in your NEAR future!

Thank you.

 

[lustergirl]

OP: rent a scooter and be on his merry way

 

[DisneyMandC]

Op here. Thank you all for your responses. Today went well at the Dr. but Hubby did finally come around and admit that we should not go. Reality is setting in for him. I am thankful that he realizes this, but also completely bummed now that I know for sure we are not going. We haven't told the kids yet or tried to cancel anything yet. I will work on both of those things tomorrow. I am not sure when we will reschedule. DH thinks it should be around Christmas because he feels bad waiting too long because he knows how disappointed the kids will be when we tell them. I said maybe April would be good because he will be up and around more, but right now he thinks that sounds like a long time for the kids to wait. Which it is a long time away. Not sure what we will do right now.

Thank you for all your help and suggestions. Thank you also for the get well wishes for my husband. I appreciate that. Hopefully we can do something else fun for the kids and help them to understand why we can't go.

Thanks again everyone.

I know April seems like a long time to wait, but we took our last trip in April the week after spring breakers left and had a fabulous time! Great crowd levels, we got to see Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, and not too hot at all. I do want to see Disney at Christmas, but it was nice not having to battle crowds. Just some food for thought!

I'm so sorry about your DH's leg It sounds like you both made the right decision. Disney vacations are magical, and it's not going to be very magical if someone is constantly in pain/potentially going to get injured. I'm sure your kids will understand, and while they may not realize it, they'll definitely appreciate getting to go when their dad is well and they can do Disney at full speed!

 

[Cecile716]

I just finished reading your post. So sorry about your husbands injury. I had a similar experience I will share with you. I had a dream Disney package booked for the end of March of 2015. My sister and I and our 2 adult daughters were so excited....CL Deluxe room at BWI and Deluxe Dining plan for a week! We planned it for an entire year down to every little detail. We had bi-weekly Disney Planning dinners and had so much fun talking about our upcoming adventures. Then "IT" happened....On the evening of December 27 I fell down the stairs in my home and fractured 3 bones in my right ankle. It was so swollen I had to wait 2 weeks for the surgery. My first question to my surgeon the day of surgery was..."Can I go to Disney in March? His response was..."possibly...but you will be unable to walk and will have to be in a wheelchair, etc." I wanted to enjoy the trip and all the walking involved. Luckily we had purchased the insurance and were able to reschedule our trip. We leave in 2 weeks on October 3rd!!

I had a lot of pain, swelling, etc. following the surgery. So I am glad I did not attempt the Disney trip. I will tell you that I made a work related trip to the Dominican Republic in April once I was out of my casts and the "boot" I had to wear following all the casts....I had a lot of swelling from the flight and a swelling during the entire trip due to heat and humidity. I did manage to enjoy myself though.

So I would most definitely talk to the doctor about restrictions, swelling, etc. prior to making your trip. I hope it works out for you. Best of luck!!

 

[disneygirl1972]

I have had to fly in a long leg cast up to the thigh. My accident happened while on vacation, & I had to get home. My seat in Coach Class was not spacious enough to fit the casted leg. I had to upgrade to First Class & use an ice bucket as a foot stool in the aisle seat.