Convincing someone they need an ECV and also where to rent Offsite

[justkeepswimmin]

So my mom may be coming with us on our June Disneyland trip but she is resisting getting an ECV.

She has one of those "invisible disabilities". She has Pulmonary Hypertension, which is a terminal illness that is basically causing her heart to work overtime until it gives out. She has severe shortness of breath when on her feet for long periods of time but looks "normal" and therefore feels uncomfortable using a cart. Truthfully, she should probably not even be making this trip but it is likely the last summer she will be able to do so and she really wants to be able to enjoy seeing her grandkids at their (and their mommies) favorite place in the whole world.

So how to I help her get over her resistance to the cart and, where can I rent one offsite as we will need it in DTD and also for getting back to our hotel on Harbor?

Thanks for any help or words of wisdom anyone has to share. I feel bad insisting she use one but I just don't see any other way that this trip would be possible for her.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't have answers for you (haven't been able to convince my dad with no knee cartilage, my MIL with a heart condition, or my now late FIL who was just plain old *old* to use any sort of wheeled conveyance even at a zoo).

But I do have hugs.

 

[jemilah]

My dad swore once he say in one he would never be able to walk again, it took so long to get him to use even a walker . Our parents as they get older are harder to convince then our children are. Maybe she can test drive one at the grocery store and see how convenient they are , I needed to use one post surgery , it's kinda fun! make it seem like it is truly her best interest, not for anyone else's convenience.

 

[justkeepswimmin]

I don't have answers for you (haven't been able to convince my dad with no knee cartilage, my MIL with a heart condition, or my now late FIL who was just plain old *old* to use any sort of wheeled conveyance even at a zoo).

But I do have hugs.

Thanks. The hugs do help! I guess I need to start by accepting that her reaction is a common one.

 

[justkeepswimmin]

Our parents as they get older are harder to convince then our children are.

So very true.

 

[honeymom]

Also hugs. My parents are with me. My dad has mobility issues and refuses to use a wheelchair. I sometimes feel like I am chasing after a one year old to make sure that he doesn't hurt himself.

If I ever have mobility issues, I will never burden my family with issues based on pride. I will gladly use the electric vehicles.

 

[bethy]

The disAbilities section of this board has some great advice and support that applies to trips to both DLR and WDW.

My DH has a temporary disability (broken ankle) and is at the point where he doesn't need to wear one of those supportive boots all the time. But we are planning for the possibility that he might need to rent an ECV now and then. He's already decided that if he does rent one he's going to wear his boot at the same time so he feels more comfortable. In a perfect world he shouldn't feel he needs to care about other peoples' judgement. But if it works for him it works I guess.

Perhaps if your mom is really nervous about it she could wrap a bandage around her ankle so that it shows under her shoe or something. Again it's a shame she would have to feel at all embarassed . . .

Tell her also that just about every able-bodied adult would love to use a ECV at some point at DLR. It's tiring! My seven year old still perches on our double stroller to get breaks. It really saves her a lot of energy.

Best wishes for a wonderful, magical, precious trip with your mom.

 

[smilnjen]

lol, I saw healthy looking men riding on these electric scooter/wheelchair thingies (with his kid in his lap)....All I thought was "right on....WISH I had one of those" My mother also says she will never use one....but honestly some of the ones I saw looked much better than those old rickety wheelchairs....More "cool" looking....almost like a scooter...

 

[justkeepswimmin]

The disAbilities section of this board has some great advice and support that applies to trips to both DLR and WDW.

My DH has a temporary disability (broken ankle) and is at the point where he doesn't need to wear one of those supportive boots all the time. But we are planning for the possibility that he might need to rent an ECV now and then. He's already decided that if he does rent one he's going to wear his boot at the same time so he feels more comfortable. In a perfect world he shouldn't feel he needs to care about other peoples' judgement. But if it works for him it works I guess.

Perhaps if your mom is really nervous about it she could wrap a bandage around her ankle so that it shows under her shoe or something. Again it's a shame she would have to feel at all embarassed . . .

Tell her also that just about every able-bodied adult would love to use a ECV at some point at DLR. It's tiring! My seven year old still perches on our double stroller to get breaks. It really saves her a lot of energy.

Best wishes for a wonderful, magical, precious trip with your mom.

Thank you, I was just poking aroubd the DISabilities board an did get helpful information.

Thank you to everyone for always being so friendly, supportive and helpful. I really want her to come with us but I also worry about pushing her past her limits.

 

[kgwoozle]

Also she doesn't have to use it all the time. I went once with a person who used one and they didn't use it all the time. He would use it to get from area to area and then walked from ride to ride and on to the rides. That worked great. He had bad knees and it was a life saver for him.

 

[bouncy54]

I really do understand where your Mom's coming from. There's a kind of stigma about folks who use an ECV if you don't look like you need to. It's especially hard if you're overweight, like me, and you just know everyone is thinking that you're being lazy and don't want to walk the parks.

This is me with my grandson and grand-daughter at DCA last November.

I have cardio-vascular disease...an invisible disease from outward appearances. I've been lucky in that I only have one tiny blood vessel on the outside of my heart that's plugged, but it's big enough to give me spells of angina and shortness of breath when I exert myself too much.

I never considered using an EVC until we went to WDW in 2005. The sheer size of the park convinced me that I had better give it a try. What a blessing! It was simply the very best day of our entire vacation. My family didn't have to keep waiting for Mom. I wasn't in pain and could truly enjoy the park.

That experience convinced me to use an EVC when we went to DL last November. I rented one each of the 5 days we were in the parks. It made this vacation so much more enjoyable for everyone, but especially for me. Having the basket to carry things in was an added bonus.

Convincing your Mom that she has a disability that warrants the privilige of using an EVC is a toughy. (That's how I choose to look at it...it's a privilige) I resisted using one too until that day at EPCOT.

I don't use an EVC at stores here at home, but if I go to the zoo or any other place where there is a major amount of walking involved, I first check to see if they rent EVCs. If they don't, then I look around for another park that does. It's hard to admit that we have limitations, but once we do, a whole new world opens up.

 

[mlggator]

I understand your frustration. My mother also has an invisible disability. She had her colon removed and now has a J pouch. Not having a colon makes her have to go to the bathroom (number 2) constantly and it is not firm, so she can easily have accidents. Also, this need to go constantly causes severe cramping of the abdominal muscles. Any kind of extended exercise really brings these conditions on. I have tried over and over again to have her get an ECV or wheelchair when at the parks. She always refuses. By early afternoon she always returns to the hotels for the day because it has gotten so bad. I wish she would take my advice so we could all enjoy each others company a lot longer.

Michele

 

[samkj]

If you do convice her to use one I recommend renting off-site from Deckerts. They will deliver and pick up at your hotel and have much nicer ECV's than the ones Disney uses. Deckert's number is (714) 542-5607

 

[gramto2boys]

I have many disabilities, I have to rent one to. I am young, and do look fit, but with my 2 disintegrated discs, spinal stinosis, and diabetes and severe arthritis, with out one I am locked at home. No ones going to stop me from going and taking my kids! I get tired of folks saying how fat people, or lazy people rent them. some times you can not see what and why we rent. I say get it for your mom, park it at the hotel and when you arrive tell her its paid for and get on it and relax. Tell her that it will make the trip better for all of you, if she can keep up and on her because the park is exhausting enough.

Have a wonderful trip, I know I will and I am also renting from dekerts !!

 

[justkeepswimmin]

I really do understand where your Mom's coming from. There's a kind of stigma about folks who use an ECV if you don't look like you need to. It's especially hard if you're overweight, like me, and you just know everyone is thinking that you're being lazy and don't want to walk the parks.

This is me with my grandson and grand-daughter at DCA last November.

I have cardio-vascular disease...an invisible disease from outward appearances. I've been lucky in that I only have one tiny blood vessel on the outside of my heart that's plugged, but it's big enough to give me spells of angina and shortness of breath when I exert myself too much.

I never considered using an EVC until we went to WDW in 2005. The sheer size of the park convinced me that I had better give it a try. What a blessing! It was simply the very best day of our entire vacation. My family didn't have to keep waiting for Mom. I wasn't in pain and could truly enjoy the park.

That experience convinced me to use an EVC when we went to DL last November. I rented one each of the 5 days we were in the parks. It made this vacation so much more enjoyable for everyone, but especially for me. Having the basket to carry things in was an added bonus.

Convincing your Mom that she has a disability that warrants the privilige of using an EVC is a toughy. (That's how I choose to look at it...it's a privilige) I resisted using one too until that day at EPCOT.

I don't use an EVC at stores here at home, but if I go to the zoo or any other place where there is a major amount of walking involved, I first check to see if they rent EVCs. If they don't, then I look around for another park that does. It's hard to admit that we have limitations, but once we do, a whole new world opens up.

Thank you SOOO much for sharing your story and this picture! It actually brought tears to my eyes because I think it made me realize how much I really want her to come and create memories like these.

 

[justkeepswimmin]

If you do convice her to use one I recommend renting off-site from Deckerts. They will deliver and pick up at your hotel and have much nicer ECV's than the ones Disney uses. Deckert's number is (714) 542-5607

Thank you! I will give them a call!

 

[justkeepswimmin]

oops!

 

[justkeepswimmin]

I say get it for your mom, park it at the hotel and when you arrive tell her its paid for and get on it and relax. Tell her that it will make the trip better for all of you, if she can keep up and on her because the park is exhausting enough.

Have a wonderful trip, I know I will and I am also renting from dekerts !!

This is actually great advice. I just called dekerts and they were really nice. Thank everyone-I think this may be what I decide to do!

 

[CindyH]

Tell her I used an ECV last time I was at DL. I was under 40, in decent shape (okay, yeah I'm chubby but can walk around DL all day) but I had a stupid toe infection that hurt like h&ll. I'm sure I got looks from people wondering why I was using the ECV; I figured they could keep wondering!

 

[EmEyeSeeKayEeWhy]

If you do convice her to use one I recommend renting off-site from Deckerts. They will deliver and pick up at your hotel and have much nicer ECV's than the ones Disney uses. Deckert's number is (714) 542-5607

I used them in January. I ordered a wheelchair for my MIL...would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone. Very friendly, and they even called me the morning of delivery to let me know what time they'd be dropping it off....exactly when I asked