A Question. . .

[nurse.darcy]

My boyfriend is an above the knee amputee. He has been this way since he was 27 (Now 52). I want to take him to WDW but he hasent used a chair sine he was 27 (a year after the amputation). I am a bit worried that all the walking will take its toll on him. Please forgive my naivety. He wears a traditional (not C-leg) prosthetic. I watch him limp and worry that it may be too much. How can I put my mind at rest. I need the peace. He is fine, and well adjusted

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You might want to discuss an ECV (as opposed to a wheelchair). Also, pick a place a couple of miles from where he lives. Ask him how he would like to walk there and back several times in one day. Most people tend to walk 8-12 miles per day at WDW.

Then ask him the following questions. Here are the suggested answers to go with them.

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are traveling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

 

[toocherie]

My boyfriend is an above the knee amputee. He has been this way since he was 27 (Now 52). I want to take him to WDW but he hasent used a chair sine he was 27 (a year after the amputation). I am a bit worried that all the walking will take its toll on him. Please forgive my naivety. He wears a traditional (not C-leg) prosthetic. I watch him limp and worry that it may be too much. How can I put my mind at rest. I need the peace. He is fine, and well adjusted

Darcy: I agree with Cheshire. Even if he doesn't want to use the ECV all the time it would be there for him--and depending on where you are staying for the long walk back to the hotel at night. I use an ECV because of stamina issues (replaced knees) and fibromyalgia, and often will park it in a stroller area in a certain land, walk around the land, and then retrieve the ECV and ride to the next land and repeat the process.

 

[mechurchlady]

We all know an ECV would help him out but convincing him maybe be hard.
He has spent nearly half his life toughing it out and not relying on a wheelchair to get around. It was an independence he fought hard to get and I doubt he will willingly give it up easily. It will depend on whether he is stubborn or is willing to changes.

At Magic Kingdom there is Main Street transportation and the train to help shorten the distance so I would start there and let him see how tired he gets. If he gets too tired he can have you rent a wheelchair or ECV. Good luck and have fun with the trip.

 

[bopper]

We all know an ECV would help him out but convincing him maybe be hard.
He has spent nearly half his life toughing it out and not relying on a wheelchair to get around. It was an independence he fought hard to get and I doubt he will willingly give it up easily. It will depend on whether he is stubborn or is willing to changes.

What does he want to be independent of?
1) Other people?
2) Assistive devices?
3) Pain?

Using an ECV will let him be independent of other people needing to help him and will give him more stamina.

He will not be independent of assistive devices. But a prosthetic is an assistive device. So is an ECV.

Using an ECV will most likely reduce the amount of pain experienced and increase the enjoyment of all people in the traveling party.

 

[zumbergc]

I would higly recommend and ecv.
ecv gives the user the ability to move and go where, then they want with a lot less energy expended. However, you are not dependant on someone pushing you, etc. You can get out and walk when you want, just park in a stroller area, make sure to take the key with you. You can walk thru the stores, and just park outside.

I would print from the sticky's at the top of the thread index, that has the ecv rental info. This way after day one, he figures out the hard way, that he does need an ecv. You can call the offsite rental places and have one delivered the next day to the hotel. That first day, maybe rent from onsite.

 

[ILuvMulan]

My son is an 11 year old below the knee bilateral amputee, who plays soccer and basketball. We have made two trips to disney since his amputations. While he rarely uses his wheelchair at home, we always take it (and a jar of Adaptskin) to Disney. It is soooooo much walking! Last year we were very glad that we had it. He developed a blister on his stump. The chair was a God-send. We will always take it just in case. I hope your boyfriend will at least consider "a back-up plan" of either a wheelchair or ECV. Have a wonderful time.

 

[sue and co]

As an amputee (of over 30 years) who now very, very rarely uses a wheelchair or ECV at home - I know I need one at WDW. This distances are huge and with the differing climate (I live in England which is very different) my leg will give me serious problems if I do not take appropriate care. For some rides I will leave it outside and walk through the queuing area for the experience of the theming but when I get back outside I have it to sit down on. If my family are riding something I cannot (such as duelling dragons at IoA) I have somewhere comfortable to sit and wait. I have tried the stubborn approach and all it leads to is agonising pain and a spoilt experience for everyone with me.

Please feel free to show this to your boyfriend if he is tending towards stubborn.