Broken Foot

[Trina7020]

I posted this on the disABILITIES board as well, but I am really concern about my kiddos and thought maybe someone here would have advice.

My two kids are a HUGE handful... adorable,... but very active little boys... my DH isn't good with dealing with them alone. (I am not sure I could do it alone in WDW!)

"I broke my foot last night and we leave for Disney in 10 days!!! Do I need to cancel my trip! I am more upset about the trip than I am my darn foot. I have a 2 and 3 year old that are very much looking forward to it, but well they are going to need chase after and/or pushed in a stroller and I am in no place to do that. Of course our flights are non-refundable and whatever part Disney won't refund! ACK!!! What to do? I am really devasted over this!"


Plus I am not sure about renting an ECV. It would add about $350 to our trip. That is a lot of money!

 

[thegrimdwarf]

Zoiks! I'm so sorry. I wish I had a solution for you!

I can say, if it happened to me, we'd still go and find a way to make it work (and I also have 2 little male handfuls). Your husband may surprise you by really stepping up to the plate and keeping the boys in line. If they're really out of control, just take them back to the hotel for a while. You're going to be out money whether or not you go, so I say take your chances and go.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Taja]

Discuss it with your DH. He has to realize that he is going to be in charge of your little guys and you are going to be out of commission.

Quite honestly, based on the leg and foot injuries I've had when visiting WDW--and depending on how your DH feels about being totally responsible for his sons--I would either cancel the trip and reschedule it for cooler weather (think November) or rent an ECV off site so you can use it as needed at your resort and at the parks.

I've visited WDW four times with injuries in recent years: August 2003 (fractured bone in foot); December 2003 (hyperextended knees); October 2006 (sprained ankle) and December 2007 (seriously injured quadraceps in both legs two days before departing for WDW). I was miserable on all of these trips, but particularly the last one. I really, really, really should have cancelled in December 2007, but it would have affected three other people--and we already had postponed the trip once (not due to me, thankfully!).

You'll be able to help your little guys and enjoy doing things with them. You're just going to have to take it easy--and you won't be the one chasing them down. You're going to be tired and irritable--if only because you can't do the things you normally can do. But, if your DH can't be the primary caretaker and disciplinarian, you're all going to have a thoroughly miserable trip.

Probably not what you want to hear--or read!--but a very realistic view of the issue.

Hope you recover soon. Good luck with your decision!

 

[dmccarty]

Right before our October 2007 trip the DW broke a bone in her foot. She could walk but it was not fun. If I had known about the ECV's I might have rented one.

Our kids were 4 and 7 on that trip and they could only handle 3-4 hours in the parks. We would return to the resorts for nap and pool time. The spring 2008 trip they could take 4-6 hours in the park before they tired. Then it was back to the resort for pool time. Not sure how they had energy for the pool and not the park.

Anywho, its all about having fun.

So if the kids want to go play in one of the kid play areas off they went while DW sat down and rested. We took the train around MK to minimize walking. At EPCOT we did the same with the boats. I would walk off and get FP's and meet the family somewhere else. Anything to minimize walking. Get a set of walkitalkies if you can't use cell phones at WDW. They really help if you have to split up.

Since you are going to be WDW when its hot I would think the kids are going to tire quickly in the park. We rode the boat from MK to Ft. Wilderness to let the kids ride the pony's. There is supposed to be hayride over there is well. Its a short walk from the dock to the pony ride. Short could be long depending on how hard it is to walk.

If ECVs are too expensive try a wheel chair. More work for DH though.

I think people, especially with kids, try to do too much at WDW. Its understandable given the expense. But you are there to have FUN. I see people pushing themselves and the kids and NOBODY is then having fun. Just yelling, screaming and crying which is not a way to have good memories. There is soo much to see and do at WDW and I think slowing down allows one to see many of the details at WDW that are missed when running to get on one ride after another.

We had a list of things we wanted to do. But we understood we could not do them all. We wanted to ride certain rides and we did. But we took the time to do this and that.

Remember you can't see all of WDW in a week or two week vacation. So don't try. Just go have fun.

Your kids are going to want to play in the playgrounds. Let them. Sounds like you have no choice but to slow down. So just go with it. Have DH push you around MK like a princess.

Go have some fun. A wheelchair or a slow walk around WDW is not a bad thing.

Later,
Dan

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

Taja - what are you doing that your always hurting yourself?? Are you a stunt double or just a clutz??

 

[JNorris]

We went last year right after DH broke his toe. He rented an ECV from an off-site company. We stayed at Shades of Green, and rode the busses back and forth. Of course, we didn't have toddlers with us, or DD was 8 at the time, but she loved riding the ECV with DH! Made me wish I had one too!

Maybe your DH could push one child in a stroller, and one could ride with you on the ECV?

Disney is very accomodating, but there will be some rides where you would have to transfer to a wheelchair that your DH would have to push through a ride queue. If he can't handle that along with keeping up with the 2 children, you might have to skip some rides.

 

[minkydog]

Discuss it with your DH. He has to realize that he is going to be in charge of your little guys and you are going to be out of commission.

Quite honestly, based on the leg and foot injuries I've had when visiting WDW--and depending on how your DH feels about being totally responsible for his sons--I would either cancel the trip and reschedule it for cooler weather (think November) or rent an ECV off site so you can use it as needed at your resort and at the parks.

You'll be able to help your little guys and enjoy doing things with them. You're just going to have to take it easy--and you won't be the one chasing them down. You're going to be tired and irritable--if only because you can't do the things you normally can do. But, if your DH can't be the primary caretaker and disciplinarian, you're all going to have a thoroughly miserable trip.

I second this. You and your DH need to have a heart to heart discussion about the ramifications of going or not going to WDW. It won't be easy either way. I would either postpone the whole thing or just re-work the present trip to include more hotel time and less park time. And get the ECV--your hubby can't push you and keep up with the two preschoolers.

Our last trip to WDW I had just gotten my cast off my left ankle. I knew I couldn't keep up so I rented an ECV off-site so I could have it 24/7. Good thing I did, because DH was hospitalized a WEEK before our trip, for a heart ailment! The only way his doctor would consent to clear him was if we 1) stayed on site , 2) got an ECV, and 3)limited his time to no more than 4hrs a day.Talk about lowered expectations.

Course, that meant I had to walk along and push DS in his wheelchair all day. We went in the winter so the crowds weren't bad and the weather was agreeable. This turned out to be the best trip ever. We stayed at our hotel, hung out at the pool, rode the monorail, ate dinner out, stayed up late and watched fireworks. We took in only 1 park per day and only stayed a few hours. Dh took a lot of naps and I iced my ankle regularly. Yeah, it was expensive, and it was also the first truly relaxing trip to WDW we ever had.

Good luck to you both. No one knows your dynamics but you. But I can assure you that if dad is not completely comfortable being the main caregiver this will not work.

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

Are you on crutches? Do you have a boot? How bad is the break, and how much pain are you feeling? I so understand feeling that DH can't take control.

I'd say if you feel you can go, be extra careful. Really think about the ECV rental. I know it's expensive, but you don't want to further injure yourself. Can the older boy ride with you to make it easier with strollers?

I broke my foot in early October 06, and I was on crutches and in the boot through Thanksgiving. I had fallen asleep nursing my little one at night, and I woke up with a start. My foot had fallen asleep, but I didn't realize it, and I managed to step down just the wrong way. OWWWWWEEE! It was all I could manage NOT to drop my baby! And of course, it was my right foot - I couldn't drive for 8 weeks!

 

[minkydog]

Just might want to check on this before you plan to use the ECV for you and a child: I *think* it's a safety violation to carry more than one rider on the ECV. I'm sure it seems like a great idea, but I have seen CMs speak to several people who broke this rule by allowing their children to ride along.

 

[Trina7020]

OK so last night they just told me they were quite sure it was broken and stuck a boot on me, but the Urgent Care place couldn't xray.


So today I went to another doctor and actually had an xray and it is not broken after all. I do have some tendon damage. This doctor seemed to think that I will be much better in 10 days if I take it really easy now. We shall see I guess!

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

OK so last night they just told me they were quite sure it was broken and stuck a boot on me, but the Urgent Care place couldn't xray.


So today I went to another doctor and actually had an xray and it is not broken after all. I do have some tendon damage. This doctor seemed to think that I will be much better in 10 days if I take it really easy now. We shall see I guess!

Great news, Trina! Please take it really easy over the next few days, and once you get to WDW. Take ibuprofen and ice your foot to keep the swelling down.