Back Problem

[rebster]

Hi everybody,

I am trying to convince my husband to get a wheelchair while we are at disney. He broke his spine in the military and though he can walk now, he can't be on his feet without having terrible back pain. If he is on his feet for more than two hours he has spasms.

However, he still believes in convincing himself that nothing is wrong and he "can do this." I don't know how to gently explain to him that he will enjoy it more if he can just take a seat whenever he needs one (but maybe he really won't enjoy it more because he believes he is showing some sort of weakness).

Thanks,
Reb

 

[BillSears]

Do you have a big museum, a zoo or an amusement park nearby? If so I'd take him there and run him ragged one day. If he's fine after that then he'll do ok at WDW. If not then maybe he'll be convinved he won't be able to handle a week at WDW.

It's tough to admit you're not as healthy as you once were but it's something we all face as time goes on. I used to ride Space Mountain and Splash Mountain but now adays I can't handle getting back into my wheelchair at the end of the ride without a heck of alot of effort and it's not worth the pain for me to ride them now. Like Dirty Harry says "A man's got to know his limitations."

 

[maestro]

Hi Reb, my DH too broke his spine in the military and will NOT no how no way use a wheel chair. His take is that it took so long to get out of the darned thing that there is no way that he will voluntarily return, so I do undertand your DH's stance on this.
We are currently planning trip number five to Disney and do not have plans to use a WC. We find that it is actually standing or indeed sitting for lengthy periods that is worse than walking so make use of FP as much as possible. We try to plan regular breaks into our day just to sit and have a soda, or find a smoking area for a cigarette. Also try to plan shows/ sitting attractions into the day. If you allow time to "stop and smell the roses" and don't plan a military march I'm sure you'll be fine.
Ceri x

 

[MotherOf2Princesses]

Funny I had this same problem with my mom. She refussed to get a wheelchair or a ECV.
She fell down her attick steps and broke several bones. Two breaks to her knee and it will always give her problems. She will probably have surgery.
We went to Disney 7 months after her accident. And she would not get a ECV. But after her first day she needed one.
She loved it! She said this is the way to do Disney and she got to go in the special handicap line. No more painful walking or standing.
When she got her cart for the first time there was a group of people standing in front of us. I yelled out "Crazy woman on an electric scooter get out of the way". She thought that was funny and believe me they moved.
Let your husband have a day with no assistance then he may change his mind.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Pick a place that is about four miles from your house that your husband is familiar with. Ask him to walk there and back; the eight mile round trip is about the distance an average person will walk at WDW. Once he has told you that you are nuts ask 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 travelling 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!